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Read Around the World: Canada
Posted on January 3rd, 2010 6 commentsFirst up: Canada.
Being Canadian, I’ve been reading Canadian literature all my life. But which book will I choose to represent Canada in my Read Around the World challenge to myself?
Oops. I just ran into a hitch. Shoot. Already. I said books written by an author in one country but set in another didn’t count. The problem is that the last two books written by Canadians (The Flying Troutmans and Divisadero) that I’ve read were set in the USA. Damn.
Now what? Do I skim through my mind’s reading archives until I come up against No Great Mischief or The Stone Angel? Something so quintessentially Canadian it couldn’t be anything else?
No. I play dirty. (You can’t say I didn’t warn you.)
The Flying Troutmans begins in Manitoba, and the characters are kooky Canadians. The story setting is a character in the novel, but it isn’t so major that it makes the story non-Canadian–if that makes any sense. So, The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews gets to represent Canada. Ta-da!!!
Plot summary: Main character comes back from France to place her sister to the psych ward and then take care of her niece and nephew. She decides she needs to find the children’s birth father and off they go in an aging minivan across the US, hoping to find a man nobody has seen in over a decade.
Reading Around the World Progress:
read around the world Canadian author, Canadian literature, Miram Toews, read across the world, read around the world, reading challenge, The Flying Troutmans6 responses to “Read Around the World: Canada”
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Hi Jean,
Haven’t you been busy! I read a novel by a Canadian author set in Canada that I really liked but I can’t remember her name or the title but I think it was Loon Lake (or something similiar) Every heard of it? -
It didn’t happen to be ‘Crow Lake’ by Mary Lawson, did it? That one was pretty good, however I did find it to be a bit predictable and the ending to be a bit of a let down. It is very Canadian, and in some ways mirrored my life or that of those around me–which could explain why I found it predictable.
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Oh, Yes! Crow Lake. I knew it was something lake. I do remember the ending as being a bit of a let down, but overall I liked it. What else are you reading? I’m reading Gathering Blue by Lowry and The Sound and the Fury (that one is a ringer)
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Crow Lake has made it onto some good reading lists up here in Canada.
How is Gathering Blue? That’s the sequel to The Giver, right?
I’m reading A Hundred Years of Solitude (where every male character has the same full name–isn’t that swell?) and Thanks, But This Isn’t For Us.
And then I just got my next read from ThomasNelson, The King and Dr. Nick. Plus, I ordered a bunch online… and then my bookclub just picked a new book last night… and I have about another 3 on the go in various rooms of the house.
Ahhh! Too much of a good thing!
It’s wonderful. -
It is the sequel to THE GIVER though at the halfway mark I’m not seeing a connection. It’s taking me longer than it should because at the same time I’m reading FURY and THE HISTORY OF LOVE by Nicole Krauss. And forcing myself to enter contests AND restarting the query process. Now that’s scary.
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That’s strange that there is no connection yet. Hmm….
I totally understand the reading three books and not getting anywhere feeling.
Best of luck with your contests and querying!
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I am an aspiring fiction writer (children's, women's and commercial) and an agented nonfiction writer. I am also a member, critiquer and site moderator over on AgentQueryConnect.com. And, I also blog with other fabulous writers at all stages of the writing game on From The Write Angle.
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Yvonne Osborne January 4th, 2010 at 02:40