10-02-2019, 06:39 PM | #541 | |
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We had good discussions on both books, so I can’t agree by any means that they were “roundly detested”, as I certainly wasn’t the only member to enjoy them, and to say so. |
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10-02-2019, 09:16 PM | #542 | |
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10-03-2019, 06:28 PM | #543 |
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We meandered a bit off topic in the nomination thread, about who the greatest Canadian author was.
If anyone else cares to join in, it would interesting to hear who you regard as your greatest national author (or greatest author of another nationality). |
10-03-2019, 06:40 PM | #544 |
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Oh, that’s a tough one. You mentioned Alice Munro, and I like her very much indeed. I’m ashamed to say I had never heard of Robertson Davies or Margaret Lawrence, but I intend to rectify that. I do enjoy Margaret Atwood, though some books more than others. I LOVED The Blind Assassin - which would be another excellent candidate for the November theme.
Australians: David Malouf has to be up there with the best. I need to give this some thought! |
10-03-2019, 06:44 PM | #545 |
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10-03-2019, 06:47 PM | #546 | |
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Of your Canadians, the only one I've neither read nor heard of is W.O. Mitchell. Hard to get here, it seems; I had hopes of the local university library, but no joy. And no ebooks, either. I do like Margaret Lawrence, but Davies seems more "important" to me, if I can make that distinction. |
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10-03-2019, 08:18 PM | #547 |
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And then there's Pierre Berton, the Canadian historian and author. Who, besides writing very readable history, has a wicked sense of humour. I'll always remember his skit on the Rick Mercer show where he demonstrated how to roll a joint. (This was long before it would have actually been legal, one might add.)
Charlie. |
10-03-2019, 08:37 PM | #548 | ||
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One difficulty I can think of with Australian authors in particular is a matter of origin or subsequent address. For example, Wikipedia describe Kate Morton as one of Australia's "biggest publishing exports" - the point being that she might have been born here, but she doesn't live here any more. Contrast with Arthur Upfield who wasn't born here but who wrote so many distinctly Australian works. I suppose, for me, looking for national authors tends to be about looking for authors that offer something distinct to their nationality. For this reason at least, Ion L. Idriess would be right up there for me. (On which grounds I guess Banjo Paterson would have to get a mention too.) What I'd be most interested in with regard to Canadian authors is who offers the most distinctly Canadian experience. |
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10-04-2019, 12:46 AM | #549 |
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I would argue that Mowat is the quintessential Canadian author by those criteria, gmw. Though I suspect that there are those who would argue for pretty much any of those mentioned so far.
For the US, I'd argue for two -- Steinbeck and Twain. |
10-04-2019, 02:33 AM | #550 |
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Waders are definitely needed. I know he’s supposed to be The Greatest, but he does nothing for me at all. (Don’t tell anyone!) My loss, no doubt, but I find him lacking in human warmth I think.
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10-04-2019, 04:32 AM | #551 | |
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Thinking about Steinbeck and Twain - and of my own thoughts of Australian authors - I guess picking quintessential is partly a matter of timing, specific location, and population. Our countries are all large and diverse enough to have more than one distinctive voice. My idea of quintessentially Australian is strongly influenced by my father, both in himself and in the books he collected and the poetry he would recite. Although, on that latter criteria we might have to consider the English voice of Felicia Dorothea Hemans and my father's unofficial variations of "The boy stood on the burning deck..." |
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10-04-2019, 09:46 AM | #552 |
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I'd have to argue for Faulkner rather than Twain. But I am biased, I did my thesis on him.
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10-05-2019, 06:02 PM | #553 |
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10-05-2019, 06:24 PM | #554 |
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I have only read a couple of his books, and not that one yet. However, I do intend to continue exploring his work, including that book. I think he writes beautifully, and after reading one of his books, I keep on thinking about it in terms of the issues he raises, rather than just the story itself.
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10-05-2019, 08:35 PM | #555 | |
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