Canadian Literature

[Stevie B]

I think she considered herself more Canadian than anything.

I wouldn't be surprised since she spent 2/3 of her life there. I can relate in some ways as a New England transplant to the Midwest. I now feel like a fish out of water when I go back to Massachusetts to visit.

 

[Liam]

^I feel the same way about NYC. I still go there often to visit my parents but it always feels the opposite of home.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

The Canadian Thomas Murtha never got a collection published during his lifetime, and his best work was buried in old magazines (some quite obscure), one anthology, and in his manuscript papers. His family spearheaded this re-launch of his writing. (Am I related? Possibly. Any of the Murthas / Murtaughs in the US and Canada might be linked.)

It’s a terrific book, readily available through Scribd and the Open Library. The previously unpublished stories are as good as the published ones. The introduction (by Murtha’s son) is very informative. Murtha left novels in manuscript, too, which I would be curious to see.

There must be many similar story writers who have not received even this much posthumous justice. Novels at least are almost always BOOKS, with a physical dignity and potential findability. A great short story hidden in an old magazine - that is another level of obscurity.

 

[Ben Jackson]

Canadian writers I have read are Ondaatje, Atwood (her selected poems), and Anne Carson. Was very impressed with Ondaatje's English Patient. Will try to read more from Sylvia Legris (poet), Munro, Robertson, Mavis Gallant, Leonard Cohen (his novels and his poetry collections, not song lyrics).