IOJ regrets the passing of celebrated Jamaican novelist, Anthony C. Winkler

The Institute of Jamaica expresses its deepest regret at the passing of noted Jamaican born novelist, Anthony C. Winkler, who was presented with his Musgrave Gold medal for distinguished eminence in the field of Literature in 2014, ten years after he won the Musgrave Silver Medal in the said category.

The Executive Director of the Institute, Anne Marie Bonner said she was deeply saddened at the passing of Mr Winkler, whom she credited with lifting the standard of Jamaican literature over the years, winning international acclaim and enduring admiration.

Ms Bonner drew reference to his courage and determination last October, when he travelled to Jamaica, despite ill-health to receive his Gold Musgrave Award. In the citation, Winkler was dubbed Jamaica’s Mark Twain, “bristling with savage Jamaican wit and heart-stopping compassion.”

Anthony Winkler won many awards during his enduring career. In 2014 he won the Townsend Prize for Fiction for his book, God Carlos, an exploration of Spanish brutality towards the Taino population in early sixteenth-century Jamaica.

Most Jamaicans will know Mr. Winkler from his book, The Lunatic, published in 1987. The book proved to be so popular that a film adaptation starring Jamaican Paul Campbell was made and released in the island in 1990 and premièred in the United States in 1992.

His novel the “Annihilation of Fish” was also made into a film. Mr. Winkler was born in Kingston in 1942 and attended Excelsior High School in Kingston, Mt. Alvernia High School and the Cornwall College in St. James.

He died on Friday September 18 at his home in Atlanta in the United States.  The Chairman and Council of the Institute of Jamaica extend condolences to his wife Cathy, daughter Becky and son Adam.