Canadian Literature

The Canadian Literature Collection highlights the diversity and talent of Canadian authors. Representing the broad range of genres and traditions reflected in Candian Literature, this Collection includes fiction by Margaret Atwood, John Irving, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and other Canadian writers who have shaped the nation's literary canon.

Held

by Anne Michaels

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Death, Future, The Past, Family, War, Art, Music, Religion & Spirituality, Science & Technology

Tags Military & War, World History, Literary Fiction, Historical Nonfiction

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How Children Succeed

by Paul Tough

Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Nature Versus Nurture, Mental Health, Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Daughters & Sons, Social Class, Education, Equality

Tags Education, Psychology, Parenting, Children`s Literature, Education, Science & Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Self-Improvement

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How Does It Feel to Be A Problem

by Moustafa Bayoumi

Publication year 2008

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage

Tags Sociology, Middle Eastern History, US History, Race & Racism, Education, Education, World History, Social Justice, Politics & Government, Religion & Spirituality

How Does It Feel to Be A Problem: Being Young and Arab in America (2008) is a nonfiction text by Brooklyn College English professor and Arab-American Moustafa Bayoumi. The title comes from W.E.B. Du Bois’s 1903 text, The Souls of Black Folk, wherein he directed this question toward the African-American experience. Following the stories of seven young ArabAmericans living in Brooklyn, and including their struggles after the 9/11 attacks, Bayoumi’s book suggests that present-day ArabAmericans absorb the... Read How Does It Feel to Be A Problem Summary

How I Met My Husband

by Alice Munro

Publication year 1974

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Love, Memory, Coming of Age

Tags Romance, Coming of Age, Social Class, Gender & Feminism, Love & Sexuality, Post-War Era, World History, Historical Fiction, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction

“How I Met My Husband” is a short story by Alice Munro. It appeared in her 1974 collection Something I’ve Been Meaning To Tell You. Munro's other works include the collection Runaway (2003) and the novel Dear Life (2012). This guide is based on the Vintage eBook edition of the collection, published in 2014.Fifteen-year-old Edie comes of age in postwar rural Canada. She is from a large, farming family. When she fails high school, she... Read How I Met My Husband Summary

How the Light Gets In

by Louise Penny

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Community, Revenge, Forgiveness, Memory, Fear, Conflict

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Leadership

Published by Minotaur Books in 2013, How the Light Gets In is the ninth book in Louise Penny’s bestselling Chief Inspector Gamache mystery series. The series is famous for its heroic protagonist, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, the head of the homicide division at the Sûreté du Québec. The novel comprises of three narratives: the murder of Constance Ouellet, the internal conflict at the Sûreté, and the mysterious death of a clerk at the Ministry of... Read How the Light Gets In Summary

How The Mind Works

by Steven Pinker

Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Science & Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

How the Mind Works is a 1997 non-fiction book by Steven Pinker, who presents his ideas on how the human mind developed and how it produces the feats we take for granted every day, such as talking, walking, and making friends. Pinker is a cognitive neuroscientist who studies language acquisition in children. He approaches the study of the mind from a psychological and cognitive perspective, but he did extensive research for the book and brings... Read How The Mind Works Summary

I Heard The Owl Call My Name

by Margaret Craven

Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Education, Education, Science & Nature, World History, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

American journalist and short-story writer Margaret Craven released her debut novel, I Heard the Owl Call My Name, in the U.S. in 1973, where it became a New York Times best-seller. Originally published in Canada in 1967, the novel, like her later works, centers around the native population of British Columbia.  Mark Brian is a 27-year-old Anglican vicar sent by his bishop to the coastal village of Kingcome to live among the Kwakiutl Indians and... Read I Heard The Owl Call My Name Summary

I Lost My Talk

by Rita Joe

Publication year 2007

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Race, Indigenous Identity, Forgiveness, Grief, Memory, Language, Childhood & Youth, Colonialism, Wins & Losses, Literature

Tags Lyric Poem, Education, Arts & Culture, Diversity, History of the Americas, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Colonialism & Postcolonialism

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I'm Thinking of Ending Things

by Iain Reid

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Conflict, Loneliness

Tags Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Mental Illness, Depression & Suicide, Philosophy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

In his 2016 psychological thriller I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Iain Reid writes about the struggles of depression, social anxiety, and loneliness. Jake, a former physics postdoctoral student and avid writer, works as a janitor in a rural high school. As he contemplates suicide, Jake fictionalizes his memories into a story with characters who represent different aspects of his identity as a way to help him make his decision. In addition to this narrative, Reid... Read I'm Thinking of Ending Things Summary

Indian Horse

by Richard Wagamese

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Shame & Pride

Tags Education, Education, Sports, World History, Historical Fiction

Indian Horse (2012) is a novel written by Canadian author Richard Wagamese. The story follows Saul Indian Horse, an Ojibway boy from northern Ontario who escapes his demons and rough childhood through hockey, only to succumb to alcohol after losing his joy for the game.Content Warning: The source material and this guide include instances and discussions of rape, assault, racism, and substance use disorder.Plot SummaryAs a young boy, Saul lives in the bush and has... Read Indian Horse Summary