Marina Sonkina

Marina Sonkina’s initiation into the world of academia happened at the age of 18, as a freshman at the Moscow State University. She was enjoying a seminar on 18th-century Russian cultural history, presented by the famous scholar Uri Lotman.

As a PhD student of this professor, Marina made a discovery: "All aspects of human culture are deeply interconnected," she said, "in spite of a seeming fragmentation of the disciplines of those who study culture." She went on to study philosophy, psychology, film, theatre, folklore and visual arts.

In 1987, Marina emigrated to Canada from the USSR, and became a producer and broadcaster at CBC Radio. Later, she taught at Dawson College in Montreal, followed by UBC and SFU. When she is not teaching or studying, she offers lessons in yoga and dance tango, and writes.

She writes and publishes both in English and Russian. She has produced several collections of short fiction, including Tractorina’s Stories, Runic Alphabet, Comrade Stalin's Baby Tooth (2012), Lucia's Eyes and Other Stories (2014). Her most recent book Expulsion was chosen as a 'Staff Pick' by BC BookWorld in Spring 2016. Her books are available on Amazon.com and at local bookstores.