Miska, Janos, 1932- : Born in Hungary in 1932, Janos Miska was studying journalism when the outbreak of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956 interrupted his studies. In the final days of the Hungarian attempt to throw off the Russian yoke, Miska fled to Austria. He remained here only a few months before applying to come to Canada, arriving here in February 1957. Following a year of language training, he entered McMaster University, from which he graduated in 1962 with a degree in library science.
Between 1962 and 1991, when he retired, Miska worked as librarian, ending his career as Regional Coordinator of Agriculture Canada's Central Canadian libraries. During these years, he compiled and published more than 20 book-length bibliographies in the field of agriculture and related fields.
While employed as a librarian, Miska also wrote on and researched Hungarian and ethnic subjects in general. His bibliography, CANADIAN STUDIES ON HUNGARIANS, 1886-1996, published in Regina in 1987, was followed by supplements in 1992, 1994 and 1995. His ETHNIC AND CANADIAN NATIVE LITERATURE: A BIBLIOGRAPHY was published in 1990 by the University of Toronto Press, which was followed the same year by the publication of his LITERATURE OF HUNGARIAN CANADIANS.
Miska also worked as a translator and editor. His LEGJOBB ELBESZELESEK ANGOLBOL (BEST STORIES FROM THE ENGLISH) was published in Winnipeg in 1966. He also initiated the establishment of the Hungarian Canadian Authors' Association in 1968, as well as edited the first three anthologies of Hungarian Canadian authors (ANTOLOGIA - Ottawa, 1969, 1970, 1972), as well as prepared two volumes of works by Hungarian authors translated into English: THE SOUND OF TIME (Lethbridge, 1974), and Blessed Harbours (Toronto, 2002).
Between 1983 and 1986 Miska served as co-editor of NYUGATI MAGYARSAG, a Hungarian-language monthly published in Calgary, and between 1994 and 1999 he served as editor-in-chief of TAROGATO, a monthly Hungarian-language literary periodical published in Vancouver. In addition, Miska wrote short stories and essays. Examples are his collection of short stories entitled EGY BOGRE TEJ: ELBESZELESEK (A MUGFUL OF MILK: SHORT STORIES (Muenchen/Ottawa, 1969), and his compilation of essays, entitled KANADABOL SZERETETTEL: VALOGATOTT IRASOK 1975-1985 (FROM CANADA WITH LOVE: SELECTED WRITINGS 1975-1985), Ottawa, 1989. In recognition of his contribution to both the Hungarian community and to Canadian society in general, Miska was awarded the Alberta Achievement Award for Exellence in Literature (1978), and the Queen's Jubilee Silver Medal (1979).
