Congratulations to Alice Munro, the first Canadian to win the Nobel prize in literature. Who are your favourite Canadian authors? I'm a big fan of Ondaatje, Richler, Boyden, Atwood and for an up and comer I'd recommend Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson. And for the most overrated Canadian author my pick is Farley Mowat
Alice Munro wins Nobel
- Thread starter Pacific Coast
- Start date
BRAVO1 RRAVO! BRAVO! to Alice Munro
A wonderous storyteller of whom Canada can jusytly be ultra-proud.
bigguu
A wonderous storyteller of whom Canada can jusytly be ultra-proud.
bigguu
Favourite Canadian author? That's a tough question to answer. On the one hand I want to say Margaret Atwood, but on the other hand, I really don't.
I absolutely loved The Handmaid's Tale and Cat's Eye. They are two of my very favourite books. However, I didn't like The Edible Woman, and I rolled my eyes all the way through The Penelopiad. With respect to Oryx and Crate, I thought it was sort of okay, but ultimately highly overrated.
My favourite authors of all time are American: Harper Lee, Ursula LeGuin, John Steinbeck, and J. D. Salinger.
Still, congrats are in order for Ms. Munro. Receiving the Nobel is an incredible achievement.
I absolutely loved The Handmaid's Tale and Cat's Eye. They are two of my very favourite books. However, I didn't like The Edible Woman, and I rolled my eyes all the way through The Penelopiad. With respect to Oryx and Crate, I thought it was sort of okay, but ultimately highly overrated.
My favourite authors of all time are American: Harper Lee, Ursula LeGuin, John Steinbeck, and J. D. Salinger.
Still, congrats are in order for Ms. Munro. Receiving the Nobel is an incredible achievement.
Congratulations Alice Munro 
Some of my faves who have not been mentioned:
Mordecai Richler
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordecai_Richler
W.O. Mitchell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._O._Mitchell"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._O._Mitchell"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._O._Mitchell
Pierre Berton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Berton
Some of my faves who have not been mentioned:Mordecai Richler
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordecai_Richler
W.O. Mitchell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._O._Mitchell"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._O._Mitchell"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._O._Mitchell
Pierre Berton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Berton
mine too... except he's not an original vancouverite - he was stationed here during the vietnam war...
but he is a classic for sure. i also like some of pierre berton's work. i've read and re-read Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush, 1896–1899, and Vimy
I hate to admit the only Pierre Berton I have read is "The Secret World of Og"mine too... except he's not an original vancouverite - he was stationed here during the vietnam war...
but he is a classic for sure. i also like some of pierre berton's work. i've read and re-read Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush, 1896–1899, and Vimy
i highly recommend Vimy - you'll be waving the flag for the rest of your life after reading that! :canada:I hate to admit the only Pierre Berton I have read is "The Secret World of Og"
the french wasted 150,000 lives over 2 years trying to break the german lines at vimy. the canadians relieved what was left of the french troops, and after 6 months of intensive training, they used what was a new technique, called 'the creeping artillery barrage' to allow the canadian assault to take the ridge in a matter of hours with 3600 killed and 7000 wounded. in three days they had completely crushed all german resistance and held the ridge until the end of the war. using vimy as the absolute northern flank, subsequent battles broke the german positions further to the south and led to eventual victory
skillful use of artillery was the key to the battle, and the pace of shelling increased as the assault date drew near, until the final week, when the canadians unleashed every gun in their artillery to 24/7 bombardment of the german positions. it was later learned that the germans referred to that week as 'the week of suffering'
on the morning of the attack, the british prime minister, david lloyd george, and some of his ministers, gathered on the balcony of 10 downing street in london to listen to the absolute thunder of the battle about to take place in northern france!
it's a great read, and berton makes it a very human story
1936 unveiling of the vimy memorial. the figure represents canada
the ridge today
Congrats Alice
I guess I have two genres I enjoy one being satire and the other being investigative reporting.
Last Humorous book was "Paying for it" by Chester Brown. This is a book that all SP's and pooners alike should read. It hits home, sometimes makes you uncomfortable and overall is a good read because of the humour I found in it. This was based upon my own experiences which parallel some of the situations he found himself in.
Investigative reporting would have to be Stevie Cameron. Sometimes I think she is bit overhanded but does get to the meat of the matter. I have read two of her books.
On the Take about the Mulroney era and Blue Trust about the Airbus controversy.
I guess I have two genres I enjoy one being satire and the other being investigative reporting.
Last Humorous book was "Paying for it" by Chester Brown. This is a book that all SP's and pooners alike should read. It hits home, sometimes makes you uncomfortable and overall is a good read because of the humour I found in it. This was based upon my own experiences which parallel some of the situations he found himself in.
Investigative reporting would have to be Stevie Cameron. Sometimes I think she is bit overhanded but does get to the meat of the matter. I have read two of her books.
On the Take about the Mulroney era and Blue Trust about the Airbus controversy.
Thanks for the recommendation. I know who he is and am now asking myself why I've never read him. I will give him a read.
Yes, Neuromancer is one of my favourite books. I've re-read it a number of times and it still holds up. I also like Margaret Atwood alot. The Blind assassin is probably my favourite. Life and Pi and The English Patient are two others which I would include as my favourties.
It's interesting that your favourites are all American but I can understand it. I've recently been binging on contemporary American writers. Franzen, Chabon, McCarthy and DFW. Infinite Jest was a tough read but worth it. And as far as which trilogy I prefer.... I'm heading to the Border before I go Madd
