I've been meaning to post about John Mutford's second Canadian Book Challenge for a while, so it's "better late than never" time now. John gathered quite a group of readers and bloggers for his first challenge and seems well on his way to doing the same for the next challenge that runs from July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009. The "challenge" is for each participant to read 13 books about, or written by, Canadians during that time span. John makes the whole thing rather painless by providing a list of books to consider and 13 potential reading themes from which to choose.I'm personally taking the easy way out by picking John's "Free Spirit" theme because it allows me to read whatever Canadian books catch my eye during the next 12 months - assuming I can actually find a copy of the ones I want to most read.
Don't anyone tell John but I couldn't wait to start reading Alistair MacLeod's No Great Mischief, so I read the first two chapters of it during my lunch break today and I'm throughly hooked on it already.
Oh, and since I am of mixed German/Swiss/French and Cajun ancestory, with heavy emphasis on the Cajun portion, I am particularly hoping to find Canadian novels about the whole expulsion from Nova Scotia experience and would welcome suggestions from anyone having their own favorites on the subject. I have to imagine there must be a bunch of them out there somewhere. I'm also interested in non-fiction writing on the subject but I've been a little put off by the dryness of the ones I've found so far. Again, I would welcome your suggestions.
I picked up Consumption, by Kevin Patterson, at the library last weekend and plan/hope to make that the second of at least thirteen Canadian books I will read in the next twelve months.
Join up over at John's Book Mine Set if this sounds like fun to you. I'm 0-2 on challenges so far, but I feel good about being able to meet this one.
I've read at least 11 so far -- but they're all Robertson Davies' novels. If you haven't read them, start on The Deptford Trilogy ASAP. I first came across it in a bookshop in England, and it's now become a favorite. Along with The Name of the Rose, it's the book I offer when people come looking for recommendations.
ReplyDeleteWhy were the Cajuns expelled from Nova Scotia? This is a bit of history I'm unfamiliar with.
ReplyDeleteI'm out to discover a whole new writer for this 2nd challenge...Robertson Davies! Join me! His books are easy to find in US libraries.
You had commented on my post about Evangeline, but hadn't said if you'd read it or not. For your readers who may not be familiar with the book, it's Longfellow's long poem Evangeline and it's about that expulsion Sam speaks about. I hope the poetry doesn't scare people off because it reads like a short novel and it's quite good.
ReplyDeleteRe: the Expulsion, you could also try Antonine Maillet's Pelagie; there's been a new edition put out by Goose Lane in Canada.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm not mistaken, BONES TO ASHES (Kathy Reichs' last book) dealt a little with the Cajun Expulsion. It's not a huge part of the book, but it was the first time I'd heard about the Expulsion. AND, the character Brennan is pursuing is named Evangaline! I don't know if that qualifies for your challenge...Reichs is American but the book is set in Canada.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Jake, I don't think I've ever read a Davies novel. They are readily available everywhere, and I've seen them around for years, so I can't explain why that is. Thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteWow, Bybee...another Robertson Davies recommendation. That cinches it. He'll have to be at least one of the thirteen...I have three picked out so far, all three in my possession already.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I shouldn't admit to a guy like you that poetry confuses the heck out of me. I just never have felt comfortable reading verse and I don't think that will ever change. I realize there's a whole literary world that I've missed out on...and wish it were different.
ReplyDeleteMelanie, thanks for the books suggestion. It's on my list to take a look at for the challenge...appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteBybee, sorry I forgot to mention the expulsion of the "Cajuns" from Nova Scotia. It was a political thing that happened after the British took over the country. The Cajuns were obviously of French heritage and French was still the language they spoke. The Brits assumed that the Cajuns would be loyal to France and saw them as a threat in that remote part of the country. They were placed on ships, sometimes after having been separated into groups of all males and groups of women and children and sent south. Some settled in cities like Baltimore but most of them did eventually seem to make it to southwest Louisiana where they attempted to regroup.
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks, Jen. I have a copy of "Bones to Ashes" but haven't even opened it up yet. I'll check it out to see if it might qualify. But at the least, it sounds interesting, so it's moving up on the TBR stack now.
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