If Marian Engel had not died mid-career, her name might have been as well known today as Margaret Atwood's today. Instead her name graces an award granted to a Canadian female writer mid-career by the Writers' Trust. A variety of forms, a strong feminist voice, challenging female characters, a fascination
It's no secret that Mazo de la Roche loved to read. So, we have sassy young Adeline pulling out a book on the ship which takes her from Ireland to the wilds of what-would-soon-be-Canada. There's at least one literary reference in each of the volumes, and sometimes these are endowed with
Each of these books is penned by an indigenous writer, each considers a great loss, each is powerful on its own terms. Together their stories resonate and amplify readers' understanding of a vitally important issue. Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau's novel Winter Child appears to be the simpler tale. One woman's
To begin with, young Laura is rushed into packing her things into plastic bags. Just a few pages later, Sylvie is thrust into "double-time walking" with her mom. Either of these girls could be the "in-motion" girl on the cover of Catherine Hernandez's Scarborough. But they are only two
Readers meet a woman up in the air. Literally. She is flying to Athens, where she will teach a course in creative writing. This is Outline. Perhaps partly because she could instruct in the art of outlining, demonstrate for her students the art of constructing a framework on which
