by Katy Lalonde
Welcome to a new monthly column at Alternavox! In this space I will be reviewing new and old Canadian literature, as well as keeping A-vox readers up-to-date with Can-Lit related news and releases.
The Can-Lit Project
The review portion of this article, called the Can-Lit Project, is a monthly summary of my progress reading the entire Canadian literary canon. Over the course of the next year, my sister and I will be reading our way through Canadian authors and books. For more frequent posts, check out our blog.
The inaugural month featured four books, two from Atlantic Canada and two featuring Canada’s most recognized anti-heroes.
Alistair’s MacLeod’s No Great Mischief tells the story of Alexander MacDonald, or ‘ille bhig ruaidh,’ as he is affectionately known by his family. MacDonald’s sprawling story traces his family’s heritage from their first arrival in Canada, “the land of trees,” in the late 18th century to his present day attempts to bring his eldest brother home to Cape Breton.
The story is funny and touching and it is easy to see why MacLeod has garnered so much critical acclaim.
Michael Crummey’s River Thieves is also set in Atlantic Canada, but in an entirely different time period. It tells the story of early Canadian settlers, particularly the fishermen and trappers of Newfoundland, and their interaction with the Beothuks.
Like No Great Mischief, River Thieves, uses the story of one family to tell the story of the whole region. Crummey has a new novel out this fall, Galore, and after reading this one I can hardly wait to see what else he has to offer.
The other two books feature two classic Canadian anti-heroes: Lawrence Weller, title character of Carol Shields’ Larry Party and Duddy Kravitz, star of Mordecai Richler’s the Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.
Duddy’s status as an anti-hero is unparalleled, as he makes his way through the ups and downs of the Montreal business underworld, stepping on anyone in his way. Larry, on the other hand, is a subtler anti-hero. Larry’s Party follows him over the course of many decades as he stumbles through his love life and career. Shields’ wonderful prose and Richler’s wit offer unique perspectives on characterization in Canadian novels.
What’s new in Can-Lit
The fall is a big time in the book world and some big names in Can-Lit have offerings this year. I mentioned Michael Crummey above, and his new novel tells the story of a beached whale and the live, mute person found inside. Douglas Coupland’s new novel Generation A takes place in a future without bees, and when five people are stung at the same time a novel unfolds! Other notables for the fall include: John Bemrose, who follows up the success of his 2003 novel Island Walkers by offering us The Last Woman; Alice Munro’s Too Much Happiness, which has already caused controversy as she withdrew it from the running for the Scotiabank Giller Prize; and of course Margaret Atwood’s post-apocalyptic novel In the Year of the Flood.
The fall is also the time for Toronto’s International Festival of Authors, and this year’s featured country is Scotland. Tickets went on sale September 16th so don’t delay in picking out your favorite session! The festival runs from October 21-31, 2009; check out their website for more details.