CanadianContent discussion

a place to add books by year

1981

Obasan by Joy Kogawa
Bodily Harm by Margaret Atwood

1967

The Last of the Crazy People by Timothy Findley

1959
The Life and Times of Duddy Kravitz
Unfortunately, I just read that recently! I'll have to do some more digging to find one that appeals or just stick to the 1950s in general.

1974

The Diviners
Crackpot: A Novel

1972

The Manticore
Surfacing

Tempest-Tost 1951

My mom is joining me for this challenge and we're having trouble finding a book for her for this square. Does anyone have any more recommendations for books published in the 60s?

@Shvaughn, in 2016 I read and LOVED We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. It was written in 1962. It's a bit dark and very quirky (think Tim Burton), but I enjoyed every single bit of it. Crazy-good writing!

@Shvaugn - here are a few:
The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence (1964), A Jest of God (1966) or The Fire-Dwellers (1969)
Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat (1963) or The Curse of the Viking Grave (1966)
The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood (1969)

❀ Susan wrote: "@Shvaugn - here are a few:
From the 60s"

Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen (1966)

Thanks everyone! I'll pass this list onto her.

1972 - "Surfacing" by Margaret Atwood is my choice for this square.

Any suggestions for 1980?

1959

Barometer Rising-sigh.

I would have a hard time suggesting Beautiful Losers to my mother, or was it Favourite Game. If anyone is familiar with either of these, or one of these they will understand why. Of course that doesn't include any mothers here who are all very hip.

I read Barometer Rising in 2016 but I just checked and Goodreads has it noted that it was first published in 1941. I read Duddy Kravitz (Mordecai Richler) as well last year which is from 1959 which is also my year! I was bummed when i found that out because I would have picked that one. There is, however, another Hugh McLennan, The Watch That Ends the Night which might be good.

@Megan - for 1980 I found:

Midnight's Children by Mordecai Richler
The World of Farley Mowat: A Selection from His Works
Happenstance: Two Novels in One About a Marriage in Transition aka The Husbands Story

@susan thanks! I feel like it was slim pickings that year for can lit.

Burning Water won the GG in 1980, @Megan.

The full list of winners is here, for anyone to reference:
http://ggbooks.ca/~/media/ggbooks/201...

@Megan - I was thinking the same thing!
@Allison - great resource!

@ Megan

Published in 1980. Something to consider - The World of Farley Mowat: A Selection from His Works by Farley Mowat. Looks like some pretty good ratings and reviews. I understand he's a pretty good storyteller that many don't think gets his dues. HIs writings are a bit contentious but that might make it all the more interesting.

Hey @Allison, I was thinking of using Burning Water for my Bingo square.
@Susan and @MJ, I will check out the Farley Mowat book!

oops!! didn't realize ❀ Susan had already suggested the Farley Mowat Book! Sorry about that.....but maybe it's a sign :-)

Now I'm feeling a bit young... does anyone have favourite books from 1992? :P I'm sure there are lots (I've currently got The English Patient on my list), but I'd like to hear your recommendations.

@Jenna, check out:
The Chrome Suite
The Bonus Deal
The Afterlife of George Cartwright
Deep Hollow Creek

These were the GG nominated fiction books that lost to The English Patient. (By the way, for what it's worth, I LOVED The English Patient, although not everyone here did. :) )

I hate to dismiss The English Patient, as so many people seem to love it, but I was not a fan at all. I think it's a book you either love or hate.

This is not a Canadian focus but does have the most popular books for the year you were born and is interesting to review: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/...

Ooh great list! Some good classics on there. I didn't realize Doctor Zhivago was my "year". I may have to pick that up from the library.

Ha! My year is Jaws. So that's a no.

Mary Anne wrote: "Tempest-Tost 1951"

I highly recommend any of the Salterton Trilogy books (all published in the 50s). I wish I hadn't read them already so that I could use them for this challenge.
I think this has turned into my favorite Roberson Davies trilogy so far.

1982: Shoeless Joe and Man Descending are some Canadian options but... I have always wanted to read Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits too so we will see!

@Allison We are the same year and Jaws has never been and likely never will be on my TBR pile lol. We don't have a tonne of Canadian options for 1974!

Wanda wrote: "@Allison We are the same year and Jaws has never been and likely never will be on my TBR pile lol. We don't have a tonne of Canadian options for 1974!"

No, it seems like everyone was too busy having babies in 1974, that there was no time left to write books!

I purchased an old used copy of Crackpot: A Novel for this square. The Diviners is another 1974 option, but I read that one last year! There doesn't seem to be much else....

Petra wrote: "Mary Anne wrote: "Tempest-Tost 1951"

I highly recommend any of the Salterton Trilogy books (all published in the 50s). I wish I hadn't read them already so that I could use them for ..."
I read just about everything Robertson Davies has written but it was quite some time ago so a reread seems like fun esp since it was published in my birth year.

Mary Anne, I'm looking for a Canadian book from the 50s as well. Not many to choose from but I did find a new-to-me author with a title that sounds promising: The Watch that Ends the Night (my birth year, too, and the library has a copy).

Petra wrote: "Mary Anne, I'm looking for a Canadian book from the 50s as well. Not many to choose from but I did find a new-to-me author with a title that sounds promising: [book:The Watch that Ends the Night|44..."
There are many great novels published that decade but finding Canadian ones is not easy
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/22

Just came across this website, which may be helpful.

http://www.editoreric.com/greatlit/li...

For the 1974 year -- while not Canadian it might as well have been for the description of the drive across country seems like it could have been the Canada Road. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values. And if you haven't read this -- it's amazing!

@ Talie -- yes it (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values) is amazing. I read it years ago and hope to read it again soon.