20th Century Canadian Lit at its Best
Gabrielle Roy, Mordecai Richler, Morley Callaghan and Pierre Berton
Jan 19, 2009
Gabrielle Roy, Mordecai Richler, Morley Callaghan and Pierre Berton are all Canadian authors that helped shape the Canadian identity.
Gabrielle Roy:
Born in 1909, Roy is one of the most distinguished French Canadian writers of the 20th century. She wrote several books including Governor General winner The Tin Flute, The Hidden Mountain, Children of my Heart and Enchantment and Sorrow.
Her books are widely known for their feminist and realist approach to her surroundings. Although she died in 1983, her writing continues on in more ways than one; the current Canadian 20$ note features a quote from her novel The Hidden Mountain.
Mordecai Richler:
Richler tops the list as one of the most popular 20th century writers not just in Canada but in the world. He made his mark on the literary world as a novelist, essayist, children’s author and screenplay writer. He won several awards for his works including The Giller Prize, the Governor General’s Award, The Commonwealth Writer’s Prize, the Screenwriter Guild of America Award and even an Oscar nomination.
His most famous works include The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Solomon Gursky was Here, The Incomparable Atuk, Joshua Then and Now and the Jacob Two-Two series. He died in 2001 but his five children carry on the literary legend; all five of them work are involved in the publication world including journalist Noah Richler, novelist Emma Richler and broadcaster/writer Daniel Richler.
Morley Callaghan
Alongside American greats, Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, Toronto-born and raised Morley Callaghan climbed the literary ladder to the top of the charts. During his writing career he published several books and short story anthologies, many of which focused on a loss of identity and the Roman Catholic religion.
Some of his books include Such is my Beloved, They Shall Inherit the Earth, More Joy in Heaven, A Time for Judas and The Loved and Lost. Callaghan lived to be 87 and died in 1990 in Ontario.
Pierre Berton
Pierre Berton, a writer, journalist and television personality is responsible for recording Canadian history and establishing the idea of Canadiana. He has written over 50 books, several of which chronicle the history of Canada including Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush, The Last Spike, The National Dream, The Great Depression and Welcome to the 21st Century.
He was also an editor for the popular Canadian magazine, MacLean’s and The Toronto Star before moving into television with his The Pierre Berton Show. His work has won him numerous awards including three Governor General Awards, the Canadian Bookseller’s Award and a Nellie Award. He is also the namesake of the Pierre Berton Award, an award that honours Canadian historians. In 2004 Berton died in Ontario.
This list is anything but complete. Check out some of the other 20th century Canadian greats including Alice Munro, Sinclair Ross, Stephan Leacock, Frederick Phillip Grove, Thomas H Raddall, Brian Moore, Ethel Wilson, Margaret Atwood and Leonard Cohen. These Canadian author’s, and many more, are responsible for the literary masterpieces of the 20th century.
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