Joel Yanofsky was the author of four books: Homo Erectus, a collection of comic essays; Jacob’s Ladder, a novel; Mordecai & Me: An Appreciation of a Kind, which won QWF’s Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-fiction and The Canadian Jewish Book Award; and Bad Animals, which also won the Mavis Gallant Prize.

Joel was a regular book reviewer for The Montreal Gazette and wrote for a variety of publications, including The Toronto Star, Canadian Geographic, The National Post, Walrus, and The Village Voice. He won two National Magazine Awards as well as The Malahat Review’s 2008 Creative Non-fiction prize for his personal essay “Bad Day.” He also co-wrote, with Peter Curtis, the musical Love U: The Grad School Musical, which was performed in California in April 2008. Joel was a wonderful teacher, and led QWF workshops for many years.

Books by Joel Yanofsky

Bad Animals: A Father's Accidental Education in Autism

Mordecai and Me

Jacob's Ladder

Homo Erectus