Gillian McCain

Gillian McCain (born January 1, 1966 in Bath, New Brunswick, Canada) is a poet and author, best known for Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk, which she co-wrote with Legs McNeil.[1] She sat on the Board of Directors of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax and is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Poetry Project at St. Marks Church in New York City.[2][3] She is the author of two book of poetry: Tilt and Religion.

Education and life in New York City

McCain attended King’s College at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she earned a B.A. She moved to New York City in 1987 where she went on to complete a M.A. in Literature at New York University in 1990.[4][5] In 1988, McCain studied in the Naropa Institute’s summer program.[6]

Following her graduation from New York University, McCain joined the Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, where she served as program coordinator, editor of the magazine Milk, and editor of the poetry project newsletter, until devoting herself to writing full-time in 1995.[7] McCain remains on the Poetry Project Board of Directors as its chair.

McCain married James Marshall, a writer, whom she met at the Poetry Project.[8]

Poetry

McCain was at first intrigued by free verse poetry, however, while studying with poet Larry Fagin, she became attracted to prose poetry. McCain published her first book of poetry, Tilt, in 1996.[9] In Tilt, McCain reflects on the impact the New York School of poetry and the day-to-day chaos and intensity of life had on her.[10][11] Tilt has received accolades for its “chatty, detached style.” [12] McCain published another book of poetry, Religion, in 1999.[13]

McCain obtains lines for her poetry from a multitude of everyday sources, including overheard conversations and random lines from books, magazines, and newspapers. She says that writing poetry is like “treasure hunting.” [14]

Non-Fiction

Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk

In 1996, McCain and Legs McNeil published Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk.[15] Composed of the excerpts from hundreds of interviews, Please Kill Me presents a unique view of a volatile and complex period in American history.[16] The book spans the early-Punk period of the Velvet Underground through the rise and fall of Punk icons Iggy Pop, the Ramones, and more.[17] Please Kill Me was an instant hit and has become a cult classic. It has been translated into 12 languages.[18] An excerpt of Please Kill Me ran in Vanity Fair.

Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose

In 2014, McCain and McNeil collaborated again to release Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose: a compilation of journal entries written by a 17-year-old Pennsylvania girl who suffered from drug addiction, alcoholism, and cystic fibrosis.[19] Dear Nobody has garnered positive reviews since its release.

Help Me: Found Photos from the Collection of Gillian McCain

In 2010, with the help of co-editor Megan Cump, McCain published Help Me, a collection of found photographs. The photographs delve into the unknown lives of complete strangers, each one prompting the reader to wonder who needs help.[20] The photos were first exhibited at CCNY (the Camera Club of New York) in 2010 and accompanied by the limited edition book.[21]

Non-Fiction

Poetry

External links

References

  1. ↑ Diggory, Terence, Encyclopedia of the New York School Poets, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009, p.312
  2. ↑ Diggory, Terence, Encyclopedia of the New York School Poets, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009, p.312
  3. ↑ Peacock, Scot, Contemporary Authors, Vol. 204, Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2003, p. 289
  4. ↑ Diggory, Terence, Encyclopedia of the New York School Poets, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009, p.312
  5. ↑ Peacock, Scot, Contemporary Authors, Vol. 204, Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2003, p. 289
  6. ↑ Peacock, Scot, Contemporary Authors, Vol. 204, Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2003, p. 289
  7. ↑ Peacock, Scot, Contemporary Authors, Vol. 204, Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2003, p. 289
  8. ↑ Diggory, Terence, Encyclopedia of the New York School Poets, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009, p.312
  9. ↑ Diggory, Terence, Encyclopedia of the New York School Poets, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009, p.312
  10. ↑ Diggory, Terence, Encyclopedia of the New York School Poets, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009, p.312
  11. ↑ Peacock, Scot, Contemporary Authors, Vol. 204, Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2003, p. 289
  12. ↑ Peacock, Scot, Contemporary Authors, Vol. 204, Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2003, p. 289
  13. ↑ Diggory, Terence, Encyclopedia of the New York School Poets, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009, p.312
  14. ↑ Peacock, Scot, Contemporary Authors, Vol. 204, Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2003, p. 290
  15. ↑ Diggory, Terence, Encyclopedia of the New York School Poets, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009, p.312
  16. ↑ Peacock, Scot, Contemporary Authors, Vol. 204, Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2003, p. 290
  17. ↑ Peacock, Scot, Contemporary Authors, Vol. 204, Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2003, p. 290
  18. ↑ Peacock, Scot, Contemporary Authors, Vol. 204, Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2003, p. 290
  19. ↑ McCain, Gillian and Legs McNeil, Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose, Naperville: Sourcebooks Fire, 2014
  20. ↑ HELP ME: Found Photos from the Collection of Gillian McCain
  21. ↑ HELP ME: Found Photos from the Collection of Gillian McCain