For many, Mordecai Richler is not an unfamiliar name. He is the esteemed Montreal born writer of The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, the Jacob Two-Two Series, The Incomparable Atuk, and Joshua Then and Now.
However, many will be surprised to know that Richler passed on his talent for writing and his passion for publication to all five of his children. In fact, Daniel, Emma, Jacob, Noah and Martha Richler have all made names for themselves in the literary world.
Richler’s Upbringing and Path to Success
Richler was born in ‘the slumps’ of Montreal, Quebec in 1931. After graduating from high school and completing part of a degree at university, he dropped out and moved to Paris. He returned to Canada to work for the CBC before being bitten by the travel bug again. This time he went to London for a year before deciding to return back home to his roots. He continued to live in both London and Montreal.
His fourth published novel, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, won him critical fame. He then continued on his path of writing success with Cock Sure, St Urbain’s Horseman and Hunting Tigers Under Glass, all winners of the Governor General’s Award, and Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang, winner of the Ruth Schwartz Children’s Book Award. He added a Commonwealth Writers Prize and a Giller’s Prize to his award collection with Solomon Gursky was Here and Barney’s Version, respectively. Other awards include the Companion of the Order of Canada and “Author of the Year”.
Richler was also an avid journalist, satirist and outspoken commentator on the life and nationalism of Canada. He wrote for The New Yorker, the Gazette, The National Post, and The Atlantic Monthly. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay of The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.
During his writing success, Mordecai found the time to marry twice, adopt his wife Florence’s child, Daniel and father four more. These five little Richler’s would grow up to make their Daddy proud.
The Richler Men
Daniel Richler is a famous name in the Canadian media and broadcasting scene. He has appeared on CBC Radio’s Morningside, CITY-TV’s TheNewMusic, The Journal and CBC’s Newsworld. In 1992 he wrote Kicking Tomorrow, a best seller for 13 weeks. He currently lives in England and works as a freelance writer and director on several different television shows.
Jacob Richler, the namesake in the Jacob Two-Two books, is a feature writer and columnist. He worked as a reviewer for The National Post and also as a feature writer for Saturday Night, Financial Post Magazine and Toronto Life. He has also contributed to GQ, Canadian Living and many others.
Noah Richler worked in radio and on documentations for the BBC before returning to Canada and settling in Toronto. He wrote This is My Country: What’s Yours in 2006 and worked for The National Post as a literary columnist. He also contributes to publications such as the Guardian, Punch, the Daily Telegraph, The Walrus, Saturday Night, the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail.
The Richler Women
Emma Richler is the author of Sister Crazy, a collection of short stories. She also published a novel, Feed My Dear Dogs. She has worked in television and radio and for the BBC and currently lives in London.
Martha Richler, also known as Marf, is an esteemed cartoonist for the Daily Strip and London’s Evening Standard. She is also the author of A World of Art, Washington’s National Gallery of Art companion guide.
Mordecai may have taken a different track than his children, but there is no denying that some things simply run in the family.
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