Canadian Literature

[Stewart]

With the recent announcement of Through Black Spruce as the winner of the Scotiabank-Giller Prize, I thought we could do with a thread for Canadian Literature, especially since much Canadian literature, especially looking at the names on the linked list, seem to pass under the radar. No doubt it happens regularly.

A year or so back, when I was buying up as many silver Penguin Modern Classics as I could, I looked in awe at this Canadian list, unavailale in the UK, and still have never got round to ordering them. But it added some more names to the list of writers to one day get to know:Timothy Findley, Robertson Davies, Mordechai Richler, and Joy Kogawa.

Obviously it goes without saying that there's Margaret Atwood, sitting near the top of the Canadian literature pyramid, with Alice Munro, both scribbling away in English. But let's not forget that there's Canadian books written in French, too. Ga?tan Soucy springs to mind, who I only know because one of his novels, once translated, shares the name Atonement with Ian McEwan's novel.

So, what's everyone's experience of Canadian literature?

[jackdawdle]

i remember seeing a documentary on mordecai richler, the stacks of foolscap in his study, stuff he had written but had yet to publish.

though born american i reckon joyce carol oates might be canadian what with her husband being canadian. incidentally they were interviewed on public television and i distinctly remember thinking of john shade, nabokov's poet in pale fire, don't ask me why.

[Liam]

I find Canadian literature exceedingly interesting, perhaps because of its inherently multifaceted (but not in the general, "all-American" way) nature. Sadly, my own "experience" of it essentially boils down to a mere handful of names.

To begin with, I read almost ALL of Charles G. D. Roberts's nature-stories as a child. Not as exciting as James Oliver Curwood (another Canadian? Not sure...), but definitely subtler and more psychological, overall. Anthropomorphism, pure and simple, but as a 10-year-old, I didn't really mind (still don't, actually). I've recently bought his early novel, In the Morning of Time, narrating (erroneously?) the development of human civilization from the time of the dinosaurs to the discovery of fire. Haven't had time to read it yet but the woodcuts look scary. (EX: "Mawg swung the limp form [of the young woman] across his shoulder with an evil grin"--depicting a fur-clad Neanderthal carrying off a buxom young blonde with delicate features).

I see that both Margaret Atwood and Alice Munro have been mentioned--I second Stewart's recommendation of them! Particularly the former writer's novel The Blind Assassin and the latter's collection called Carried Away.

One writer I'm surprised no one's yet started a thread on is Alistair MacLeod. Focusing on the uniquely Gaelic heritage of his Cape Breton island, he's written many short-stories and a novel all set in the vicinity of the place. Beautiful language, profound psychology, moving stories. I would post one of them here, but MacLeod is still living (thank heavens and God bless you, Alistair!), so Stewart might get a very angry letter from Random House regarding copyright infringement.

Although I'm not crazy about his work in general, Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient is VERY good. Beautiful, lush language--more poetic than Banville even, but less sustained.

I would also recommend Robertson Davies and Farley Mowat; on the other hand, Carol Shields is boring and unimaginative; I also fail to see why she's so important to feminists.

I am entirely unfamiliar with French Canadian literature. In fact, my only acquaintance with the region is limited to Claude Jutra's brilliant coming-of-age film Mon Oncle Antoine (1971)--highly recommended!

[Eric]

Like Liam, I too know little about French-Canadian literature. But in the late 1990s, I found a shelf of French-Canadian literature in the National Library in Tallinn, and tried to get a bit of an overview. Without success. I have now forgotten all the names.

But the following website does give insights into the literature in Canada in two languages:

The Canadian Literature Centre / Centre de litt?rature canadienne

Also:

Liste alphab?tique d'?crivains canadiens - Wikip?dia

The Canadian Literature Centre / Centre de litt?rature canadienne

“The Canadian Writer’s Guide&drquo; - Over 130 New and Updated ‘How-To’ Articles On Diverse Areas of International Publishing - Canadian Authors Association

PEN Canada

Canadian Literature | Canadian Literature: A Quarterly of Criticism and Review

I'm sure there's masses going on in Canada in both languages, beyond Margaret Atwood and Leonard Cohen. It's just that the USA and France rather overshadow it.

[nnyhav]

What of Joseph Skvorecky? Alberto Manguel? Yann Martel? country of origin in classification is such a bother, especially for a country whose search for self-definition included a contest to find the analogous expression to 'as American as apple pie' and for which the winner was 'as Canadian as possible under the circumstances'. (Which wasn't the case for Malcolm Lowry ...)

[Eric]

Nnyhav raises an interesting question about identity and pigeonholing.

I think that the language an author writes in is one factor, especially for an author of fiction and poetry. Essays are easier to write in a foreign language. Another is the culture and country that he or she writes about. And what the author himself thinks is also a consideration.

Take Josef Škvoreck?. He lived the first 40-odd years of his life in Czechoslovakia. His earlier, most famous novels were about Czechoslovakia, the Prague Spring and so on. The first years in Canada were involved in setting up a publishing house to promote banned Czech and Slovak books. So, whatever it says in his passport, I think he can be regarded as a Czech writer. The Canadians would like to co-opt him, as he's famous. But what about all the other immigrant authors from the former Czechoslovakia? Are the Canadians equally keen to take them on board, I wonder? See:

Josef ?kvoreck? - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and

68 Publishers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think that identity and pigeonholing involve a number of sometimes complex overlapping factors.

[KevinfromCanada]

Stewart has just introduced me to the World Literature Forum and mentioned this Canadian Literature Forum, so here is my first post.

The bad news for those interested in new Canadian literature is that the first half of 2009 looks pretty bleak. Only one novelist with an established name -- Anne Michaels, who won the Orange Prize for her first novel, Fugitive Pieces 13 years ago, will publish her second, The Winter Vault, in March in both North America and the UK. I have read an advance copy and will post a full review on my blog, KevinfromCanada, in mid-February. In brief, the story involves disruption caused by the building of the Aswan Dam, referenced to disruption caused by the buildiing of the St. Lawrence Seaway, seguing into memories of the desruction in Warsaw in WWII. The story actuallly does hang together, although Michaels' "poetic language" was a hurdle for me.

I certainly recommend Through Black Spruce (which does get released in the U.K. this spring). It is book two in a trilogy -- the first, Three Day Road, is also worth reading. That book explores the experience of two native Canadians (author Joseph Boyden is himself part-Metis) who fight in the Great War, with frequent references back to their life in Moose Factory in northern Ontario. Through Black Spruce picks up the family store some generations later and features a contrast between trying to balance traditional aboriginal life with the pressures of modern society.

[KevinfromCanada]

After some checking and trolling, here's a little more Canadian literature data.

Josef Skvorecky did have a new English language publication last fall, Ordinary Lives: A Novel. Originally published some years ago in Czech, it marked the 50th anniversary (and apparently the end) of Skvorecky's publishing career in English. The novel is set around two class reunions in 1963 and 1993 but they are little more than convenient devices. What makes the novel different (and a bit of a cult piece) is that it includes numerous passages drawn from all the work the author has published in those years and all duly footnoted to an appendix that runs scores of pages. I tried to read it and couldn't. I suspect if you have read all of Skvorecky (I haven't) it may be an interesting work -- I certainly know of no other that has used the device. It is translated by Paul Wilson, who has done all the translations of his work in those 50 years.

And in reference to a previous post in this forum, both Margaret Atwood and Alice Munro have new books set for sometime in the last half of the year. Atwood's was under the working title of God's Gardeners but that apparently has been changed to The Year of the Flood. That suggests to me (yes, I am judging a book by its title) that she is returning to her "speculative" fiction a la Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake, neither of which I liked. The gossip around Munro's book is that she said in an interview a while back she would be publishing no more short fiction -- indeed, this may well be her last book, but that is idle speculation on my part.

[liehtzu]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned her, since she recently had two volumes reprinted by the New York Review of Books, but I just picked up a copy of Mavis Gallant's Home Truths. Will let youse know.

[Mirabell]

I have a collection of short stories by Mavis Gallant on the shelf. Looks really great.

[Colette Jones]

Welcome KevinfromCanada! Glad to see you here. Your contributions to the Booker forum this year were very much appreciated. (I am under a different name there but we conversed on the Giller Prize a bit as well).

I bought Three Day Road and intend to read it before Through Black Spruce which my library has on order (I'm second in line for it). I might just buy it too as it won. I'm not really a cheapskate, I just have too many books!

[Mirabell]

wowo we have really few Canadian books here
World Literature Forum - Threads Tagged with canadian literature

but that's because Mistry mysteriously counts as Indian. I bet there's more of this.

[saliotthomas]

Maybe it doesn't count has literature but i love Guy Gavriel Kay,specialy The lions of al Rassan.One of the best i read in this "category".He really is a brillant writer,original in style,beatifully writen,and very funny and untertaining.

[Mirabell]

haven't read that one but I loved Tigana! Have recommended it to oodles of people and they all loved it.

[saliotthomas]

Oh but you should read it soon,about the reconquista.I love this periode,terrific women characteres,poete fighters,...
The last light of the sun was good but not as original as the lions.
You made me pick my copy of Tigana.

[KevinfromCanada]

Yes, we do lay claim to Mavis Gallant (and she is very good) and she does occasionally set a story in Canada. She's kind of like our version of Henry James or Edith Wharton.

If you like the premise of Gallant, consider looking into Nancy Huston. Schooled in Calgary, where I live, she's lived her entire writing life in Paris. Most of her books are written and published originally in French (and sell incredibly well there). She then translates them herself and an English version shows up. This gives her an amazing prize roster: Prix Gencourt, Prix Femina, Canadian Governor-General's award (fiction) and Governor-General's Award (translation). For different books, alas -- it is conceivable she could win all four for a single book. I very much liked her most recent book, Fault Lines, which won the Prix Femina and was shortlisted for the Orange Prize (there's another one that could be added to the list). The Mark of The Angel is also recommended. Her UK publishers are very timely; her U.S. publisher tends to be a year or two late for some reason.

[KevinfromCanada]

Hi Colette. Now all I have to do is figure out what your Man Booker nom-de-net was. I read the Boyden's in the other order -- if I had it to do over again I would read Three Day Road first. The two stand alone just fine, but there are some elements in that first book that it is handy to have when you read Through Black Spruce.

You'll note I'm reading The Pages (which isn't very good), partly because of some of the exchanges that came out of Man Booker discussion. I have been fascinated for some time at some of the similarities between Australian and Canadian writing -- and the Aussies did have a better year of it last year if you remember the MB discussion. I do have some thoughts about why that is and what makes literature from both these countries different from most other writing in English. Basically the effect of the frontier (which India and South Africa certainly have) while being a Dominion rather than a colony, with an indigenous people that were small enough in number they could be dominated even after the Mother Country left. I hope to be able to post on The Pages on my blog sometime in the next few days.

[saliotthomas]

I am currently reading Black robes by Brian Moore,Canadian,very good and a novelty to me.An all time favorite of Lizzy Siddal if i'm not mistaken?

[Colette Jones]

saliotthomas, are you aware of The Moore the Merrier?

Please add your comments to any of the Moore books you've read, and if you want to post your own review, I'm sure Lizzy would be more than pleased to add you to the site.

[saliotthomas]

Ok Brian Moore is Irish,not Canadian.
It must be a mental thing to see a word and switch it for another one.