CanLitBooks

(Signed dj, Reynal & Hitchcock, 1948; translated by Samuel Putnam; indecipherable cover artist and unknown photographer for blurb photo)

dj, McClelland & Stewart, 1950; translated to English by Mary Finch, no cover artist credited;  originally published in French by Belisle, Editeur, Quebec, 1948. DVD version by Alliance Vivafilm; 1981 International Cinema Corporation; in French only; stars Emile Genest (from the original CBC tv series version)

Originally published as Le crime d’Ovide Plouffe, 1982; the above English ed. McClelland & Stewart, 1984; translator: Alan Brown; dust jacket design: Tad Aronowicz; jacket illustration: Brian Boyd

dj, McClelland & Stewart, 1955; translated by Harry Lorin Binsse; illustrator uncredited)

Chapbook: Address to members of the Canadian Club of Montreal by Lemelin, President and Publisher of La Presse on Nov. 6, 1978; also published in French under the title `Plaidoyer pour lèsperance`; La Presse, 1978

Roger Lemelin (1919-1992) was born in Quebec City and had a leg injury in his teens which led him to becoming a writer for life. He worked as a Canadian correspondent for TIME and Life, eventually becoming the publisher of La Presse from 1972-1981. He is most famous as writer of the Les Plouffe novel and the adapted tv series which was broadcast on CBC tv (French and English networks) from 1953-1959. Lemelin was later made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1980, an Officer of the National Order of Quebec in 1989, and received the French Legion d’honneur in 1990.

Gage hb, jr. high history text, 1951; illustrations by Selwyn Dewdney

Signed title page and letter to Greg Gatenby, Harbourfront Reading Series, 1991

(left) dj, University of Toronto Press, 1960; owned/signed by Elizabeth Brewster; (right) softcover US ed. Norton, 1966)

(Flatsigned softcover; Oxford U Press, 1991)

(left) Flatsigned softcover, Brick Books, 2002, cover photo: after a photo by Paul Best, Alan Siu: layout design; (right) Porcupine’s Quill, 2003–1 of an excellent three-book series; a highly recommended overview and principal collection of Avison’s work)

(left: softcover McClelland & Stewart, 2006, cover design: KT, cover image: Jila Nikpay; middle: softcover McClelland & Stewart, 2009, cover image: Anthea Baxter-Page, Cover design: Sean Tai; right: softcover Porcupine’s Quill, 2009; cover is after a painting by William Gill entitled “Winter Twister”, 2006, from Susan Sherk collection)

(left: John Reeves photo, 1991; right: John Reeves photo, 1972)

(Folkways Records, 1958; Smithsonian Folkways Archival, 2007–originally on vinyl LP, now on DVD; Avison reads 4 poems)

Margaret Avison (1918-2007) was born in Galt, ON and spent her childhood in Regina. She earned a BA from U of T in 1940, then an MA there in 1965; she later taught at U of T in 1967-68. She was Writer-in-Residence at U of W ON in 1973-74. Avison had numerous day jobs all through her adult life and was a librarian, a social worker, a teacher and secretary of the Mustard Seed Mission in Toronto, the latter from 1978 to 1986. Her book Concrete and Wild Carrot won the Griffin Poetry Prize in 2003. She also won two Governor-General’s Awards in 1960 (for Winter Sun) and 1970 (for No Time).

Avison has been arguably called our country’s greatest-ever woman poet, though some readers might vote instead for Miriam Waddington, P.K. Page, or Margaret Atwood. When I came to include a featured Canadian poet in my Inside Poetry textbook, I chose Atwood, who was more widely and popularly known. I have, at other times, felt Page or Waddington to be the top poet in this category. But since the publication of Avison’s three books of collected poems and several late publications, I have been more inclined to believe her the most varied and prolific of the poets mentioned here. Who do you think is/was the best?

(dj, Hodder & Stoughton, UK ed., 1960; illustrations by Carl Burger)

(Signed dj, Little, Brown and Co., 1960)

Sheila (Philip Cochrane) Burnford (1918-1984) was born in Scotland and was a volunteer ambulance driver in World War II. In 1951, she married and emigrated to Port Arthur, ON where she raised three children and three pets (the latter which inspired her most famous book). Burnford won the Canadian Children’s Book of the Year (1961)  for The Incredible Journey.  Later she wrote Fields of Noon (1964) and One Woman’s Arctic (1973) about her travels in the North by dogsled, watching narhals in Pond Inlet, as it used to be. Burnford’s famous book was eventually given Disney children’s movie treatments twice, no less.

(softcover, McClelland & Stewart, 1965; inscription to a bookseller)

(dj, McClelland & Stewart, 1967; paintings: A. Y. Jackson–the famous Group of 7 artist (featured earlier in this blog); cover design:  Frank Newfeld (featured later in this blog)

(left: dj, Harbour Publishing, 2000; photo: Frank O’Connor, design: Martin Nichols, Lionheart Graphics; right: rare cassette, McClelland & Stewart, 1990; photo: Julia Ashberry, Belleville Intelligencer; design: Richard Miller)

(rare CD, Cyclops Press, 1998, read by Purdy; design: Clint Hutzulak at Rayola Design)

Al(fred Wellington) Purdy (1918-2000) was born in Wooler, ON and was a major 20th century free-verse poet with 39 books of poems to his name. He was a high school dropout who rode the rails to Vancouver, later joining the RCAF in World War II. Purdy moved to Ameliasburg, ON in 1957, building his famous (preserved) A-frame cottage there. He split the rest of his life between there and North Saanich, BC.

Purdy was a friend of American Beat author Charles Bukowski and a writer-in-residence at sevral universities. He won the Governor-General’s Award for The Cariboo Horses in 1965 and for his Collected Poems in 1986. A memorial statue in honour of him created by Edwin and Veronica Dam de Nogales can be viewed in Toronto.

(dj, Longmans, 1966; signed title page by author and illustrator T.M. Shortt)

(Charles) Fred(erick) Bodsworth (1918-2012) was born in Port Burwell, ON and eventually became a journalist, naturalist, and conservationist. He wrote for St. Thomas Times-Journal, the Toronto Sun, and Maclean’s. Bodsworth was President of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists from 1964-1967. His Last of the Curlews sold 3 million copies which allowed him to retire from journalism. An animated film of this book was made in 1972.

(hb of dj’d Ryerson, 1955; uncredited design)

(dj, Ryerson, 1958; design: Allan Harrison)

(softcover, Oxford U Press, 1972; cover painting by Philip Surrey)

(softcover, Oxford U Press, 1981; inscribed for Dorothy Livesay (contained signed message card below); uncredited illustrator)

(Inscribed softcover, Oxford U Press, 1986; cover design Robert Burns International)

(Response on index card of Waddington (M) to Dee (Dorothy Livesay) regarding a controversial book)

Miriam (nee Dworkin) Waddington (1917-2004) was born to Russian-Jewish parents living in the famed North End immigrant area of Winnipeg. Her first spoken language was Yiddish and she experienced many of the anti-Semitic conflicts of her day. Waddington eventually worked as social worker at the U of Pennsylvania, and later in Montreal and Toronto.

She taught at York U from 1964-1983. Her best poetry is about prairie childhood and love. Waddington also edited A.M. Klein’s Collected Poems. Her poem “Jacques Cartier in Toronto” struck a politically-correct note when it was published on the Canadian $20 bill in 2004. Unquestionably, she is one of our top 4 women poets of all time. I used her “Advice to the Young” in both eds. of Inside Poetry (Harcourt).

(Ultra-rare dj, Macmillan, 1944; Page’s first book–a mystical romance novel published under a never-again-used pseudonym, Judith Cape)

(First Canadian writer I ever met in person; first (charming) book of hers I encountered; left is dj, right is hb; uncredited P.K. Irwin picture)

(left:inscribed to me, above book; right: signed page from book below–one of my favorite Page poems)

(Softcover, Oxford U Press, 1985; cover painting: “The Glass House” by P.K. Irwin; photo by Paul Orenstein)

(Left: flatsigned softcover, Brick Books, 1994, “Votive Tablet” cover painting by P.K. Irwin-Page, owned by Mike Doyle ; right: signed softcover, Porcupine’s Quill, 2006; cover image; Conde Nast Archive/CORBIS)

(Scarce flatsigned softcovers, Porcupine’s Quill, 1997; cover paintings by P.K. Irwin (Page’s signed name for all her artwork) eds. John Metcalf and Doris Cowan)

(rare CD, Outlaw Editons, 2004; poems read by author)

(CD photo and enclosed mini-booklet photo; design: Jeff Carter, Pacific Music; photo spread: Barbara Woodley)

(Rare handwritten letter from Page, 1984)

P.K. (Patricia Kathleen) Page/P.K. Irwin (latter was her married name/painter-illustrator alter ego) (1917-2010) was born in Swanage, Dorset, England before moving to Red Deer, Calgary, Winnipeg, St.John (NB), and settling, initially, in Montreal where she became close to kindred spirit-poet F.R. Scott.

She went on work as a scriptwriter for NFB and married her diplomat-husband Arthur Irwin before travelling to his postings in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Guatemala. Her Brazilian Journal gives insight into their life away from Canada. Page’s first poetry book, The Metal and the Flower won a Governor-General’s Award in 1954. She was later made an Officer in the Order of Canada for her contributions to our country’s literature. Page is easily one of our top three women poets ever.

Her poetry is always elegant, somewhat mystical, introspective, and luminous. An NFB documentary, “Still Waters”, gives a visual introduction to her presence, work, and style. But the most insightful, well-researched book about her life and art is the recent, revealing biography Journey with No Maps by Sandra Djwa, one of our top critics at the top of her game.

(Signed softcover, Fiddlehead Poetry Books, 1980; cover by Alice van Wart)

Fred (William) Cogswell (1917-2004) was a popular, prolific NB poet who was born in East Centreville, NB. He served as an English prof at UNB from 1952 to 1983. This man of letters was the founder of the famed Fiddlehead Books (now Goose Lane Editions) and was made a member of the Order of Canada for his contributions toward Maritime-Canadian culture. I selected his poem “Like Two Slant Trees” for inclusion in the original Inside Poetry anthology.

(W.O. Mitchell was honored by Canada Post with a commemorative stamp)

(Often called Canada’s great novel over the years, a Depression/prairies masterpiece; dj, Macmillan, 1947; design: William Easton, uncredited author pho on blurb; rare flatsigned)

(left: the rare U.S. dj which left out 7,000 words; Little, Brown, and Co., 1947; jacket drawing by George F. Kelley; right: Mitchell reading his own masterpiece on CDs; BTC Audio Books/Goose Lane Editions, n.d.)

(Rare VHS, Janus/Embassy Home Entertainment, 1984, originally Souris River Films, 1977 & filmed in 1979; starred Jose Ferrer & Gordon Pinsent; directed by Allan King)

(left: DJ artwork spread by William Lytle; design: Leslie Smart; right: inscribed title page, Macmillan, 1962)

(A remarkable reading by the author, CDs, BTC Audio Books/Goose Lane Editions, n.d.)

(left: dj pictorial artwork spread by Lewis Parker; design: Leslie Smart; dj, Macmillan, 1961; right: flatsigned dj  of sequel to Jake and the Kid, McClelland & Stewart, 1989; photo: Michael Keller, cover design: Avril Orloff)

(sealed VHS, CBC, 1998; CBC’s popular Life & Times series featured many important Canadian writers including Mordecai Richler, Stephen Leacock, Robertson Davies, Farley Mowat, Irving Layton, and Morley Callaghan)

(Rare signed letter, to Jack Hersh who edited Contact, an international magazine from 1952-1954)

William Ormond (W.O.) Mitchell (1914-1998), perhaps our greatest prairie and Depression author, was born in Weyburn. SK. He initially trained in philosophy and psychology, receiving a BA and teaching certificate at U of A in 1943. He then had a varied career in journalism and radio, writing several film and play scripts to help pay the family bills.

His main claim to fame is his coming-of-age Depression novel, Who Has Seen the Wind, one of the top 10 novels ever written, with a definite claim to being the Great Canadian Novel. This book sold 1 million copies in Canada alone, and has been widely taught in Canadian high schools.

Mitchell has been called the ‘Mark Twain of Canada’ for his Jake and the Kid stories published in two editions and made into a popular CBC radio series from 1950-1956. He was  made a member of the Order of Canada in 1973 and in 2004, Canada Post published a stamp recognizing his 60-year-career. There are two schools named in his honor–one in Calgary and the other in Kanata, ON.

I remember meeting W.O. in person at an English teacher’s conference. I invited him to judge a poetry event at a banquet, but he was too tired and graciously declined. He was fond of snorting snuff and I won’t soon forget the tobacco stains on his shirt and tie, and his unruly white hair. Come to think of it, he did look and sound ‘Twainish’! He was quite the unforgettable character!

(Collins, 1952 dj, costing $3 originally; illustration uncredited; David Knight: photo)

(Ryerson, 1963 dj;G-G Award–Fiction)

(Ryerson, 1968 dj; 1st published in reduced 150 p. pb version in 1950; cover design: MC Healy? uncredited author photo)

(Ryerson, 168 dj; uncredited cover and photo; warmly inscribed by Garner)

British-born Hugh Garner (1913-1979) fought in the Spanish Civil War and rode the rails during the Depression. A hard-living guy, he worked as a harvest hand, cemetery flower-pot-holder-maker, housing inspector, grocery store manager, daily newspaper columnist, PR director, and a tv panelist.

Toronto was long his home base and from there he became our top short story writer of the ’60s writing sympathetically about the ‘little guy’ in the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s in his widely anthologized, honest work.

I liked and used Garner’s stories in my early textbooks, but some of them, like “”The Yellow Sweater”, “The Moose and the Sparrow”, and “One-Two-Three Little Indians” would be considered politically correct today.