In search of the best of the best in great Canadian fiction or nonfiction? Looking for a tale that delves into what it means to be Canadian? How about 100 great books? The Literary Review of Canada did just that in 2006 when they made their list of the Most Important Canadian Books.
So what made the list, what didn’t and who are the great authors behind these works of art? Read on to find out where the 26th-50th books have been listed starting from the oldest to most recent. These books range from 1948-1968 and feature classic tales from Farley Mowat, Northrop Frye, Leonard Cohen and Michael Trembley.
The Forties and Fifties
26. Refus Global (Complete Refusal) (1948) by Paul-Émile Borduas
27. Empire and Communications (1950) by Harold A. Innis
28. Report of the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences, 1949–1951 (1951)by Massey-Lévesque Commission
29. People of the Deer (1952) by Farley Mowat
30. So Little for the Mind (1953) by Hilda Neatby
31. John A. Macdonald: The Young Politician (1952) and The Old Chieftain (1955) by Donald Creighton
32. Insight: A Study in Human Understanding (1957) by Bernard Lonergan
33. Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays (1957) by Northrop Frye
34. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1959) by Mordecai Richler
The Swinging 60’s of Canadian Lit
35. The Spice-Box of Earth (1961) by Leonard Cohen
36. The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of Typographic Man (1962) by Marshall McLuhan
37. Renegade in Power: The Diefenbaker Years (1963) by Peter C. Newman
38. Report of the Canada Royal Commission on Health Services (1964) by Hall Commission
39. The Stone Angel (1964) by Margaret Laurence
40. In Praise of Older Women: The Amorous Recollections of András Vajda (1965) by Stephen Vizinczey
41. Lament for a Nation: The Defeat of Canadian Nationalism (1965) by George Grant
42. Prochain épisode (Next Episode) (1965) by Hubert Aquin
43. The Vertical Mosaic: An Analysis of Social Class and Power in Canada (1965) by John A. Porter
44. Une saison dans la vie d’Emmanuel (A Season in the Life of Emmanuel) (1965) by Marie-Claire Blais
45. Combat Journal for Place d’Armes: A Personal Narrative (1967) by Scott Symons
46. The Ecstasy of Rita Joe (1967) by George Ryga
47. Final Report of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (1967–70)by Laurendeau-Dunton Commission
48. Les belles-soeurs (1968) by Michel Tremblay
49. Federalism and the French Canadians (1968)by Pierre Elliott Trudeau
50. Nègres blancs d’Amérique (White Niggers of America) (1968)by Pierre Vallières
Looking Back and Forward
Some of these authors are famous Canadians that students are forced to read in high schools; others are less famous, known only for their eloquent writing and brilliant expose. Regardless, all the authors and tales on the list, and the others-- The Ultimate List of Canadian Literature Books 1-25; The Ultimate List of Canadian Literature Books 51-75; The Ultimate List of Canadian Literature Books 76-100- are most certainly worth the read! Or, check out the full list as well as full reviews on each book at The Literary Review of Canada.
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