Seligman, Ellen

Ellen Seligman was an editor of Canadian fiction who served as McClelland & Stewart’s Editorial Director of Fiction from 1987 on, and eventually, Vice-President (2012). Seligman edited many of McClelland & Stewart’s most noteworthy books during her tenure, including works by Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, Leonard Cohen, Rohinton Mistry, Anne Michaels, and others.

Seligman was born and raised in New York City (Manhattan). She attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English. She began her publishing career in New York City, continued it in London, England, and moved to Canada in 1976. By 1977, she was hired as a senior editor at McClelland and Stewart, where she was responsible for a range of books, including non-fiction, memoirs, poetry, and art.

Seligman became Editorial Director of Fiction in 1987. Following this appointment, she took on primary responsibility for acquiring and editing much of McClelland & Stewart’s fiction list. Books Seligman worked on won Canada’s top literary prizes, including the Governor General’s Award, the Trillium Prize, and the Giller Prize. Seligman’s books also won or were shortlisted for prestigious international prizes such as the Booker Prize, the Orange Prize, and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Seligman worked with Sandra Birdsell, David Adams Richards, John Steffler, Shyam Selvadurai, Jane Urquhart, M.G. Vassanji, Guy Vanderhaeghe, and many others.

In 2000, McClelland & Stewart donated 75% of their shares to the University of Toronto; the remaining 25% were sold to Random House of Canada Ltd. In the same year, Seligman was promoted to the position of Publisher (Fiction). In 2011, Random House purchased the remaining 75% of the company to become the sole owner. By 2012, Seligman was named Vice-President of McClelland & Stewart, a position she held until her death in 2016.

In addition to her work in publishing, Seligman was an active member of PEN Canada, and from 2009-2011 she served as the organization’s president.

Seligman won many editorial and professional awards throughout her career, including the Order of Ontario (2008) and the Canadian Booksellers Association’s Editor of the Year award.

Seligman was married to James Polk.

Ellen Seligman fonds, Box 2, File 14; Box 3, File 3.