MONTREAL (AFP).- Canada Post on Friday issued a stamp in honor of Nobel prize-winning author Alice Munro, the writer of short stories whose style has often been compared to that of Russian great Anton Chekhov.

The stamp, issued on Munro's 84th birthday, combines a black-and-white photograph of the author taken by her daughter, a sample of her handwriting, and an image of her hometown Wingham, in Ontario province.

Many believe that Wingham inspired the rural settings of several of her stories.

"Alice Munro is not only one of Canada's most critically acclaimed writers but also one of the most popular," said Canada's transport minister Lisa Raitt, who oversees Canada Post.

Munro, who won the Nobel literature prize in 2013, is known for short stories -- often set in small towns -- that focus on the frailties of the human condition.

The Nobel committee hailed her as the "master of the contemporary short story."

"Munro's literary talent, wisdom and humanity, reflected in her stories over several decades, have earned her recognition that few writers in any language or country attain," said Canada Post President and CEO Deepak Chopra.



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