Douglas Coupland, Michael Ondaatje and Margaret Atwood have very different stories to tell. And, from their continued success in the 21st century, it appears the world is eager to read them.
Douglas Coupland
Douglas Coupland has stepped into the limelight with his collection of avante-garde, pop-cultural, techno-novels that infuse religion, sexuality and technology into what’s best described as postmodern literature.
Coupland first moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1965. He has since studied in Milan and Japan, worked in Tokyo and the Mojave Desert but returned to Vancouver permanently in the early 1990’s.
The creator of J-Pod has come a long way since his first novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture was published in 1991. He has now published several fiction and non-fiction books including Life After God (1994), Microserfs (1995), Hey Nostradamus! (2003), J-Pod (2006) and The Gum Thief (2007).
Coupland has found worldwide success with J-Pod, which was made into a television series by CBC. It was also long listed for the Giller Prize.
Michael Ondaatje
Not many can pronounce his last name but that didn’t stop Michael Ondaatje from becoming a well-known literary figure. Ondaatje was born in Sri Lanka, raised in England and relocated to Canada in 1962.
He found writing success with 1976’s Coming Through Slaughter and 1987’s In the Skin of a Lion. The sequel to In the Skin of a Lion, 1992’s The English Patient won the Governor General Award and the Booker Prize. It was also made into a major motion picture that won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Onjaadte continued his success with 2000’s Anil’s Ghost, which also won the Governor General Award and the Giller Prize. He has written several books of poetry and Divisadero, another winner of the Governor General Award in 2007.
Margaret Atwood
It’s impossible to make a list of the top contemporary Canadian writers and not mention Margaret Atwood. Although she has been writing since the 1960’s, she remains one of the best and best-known authors of our time.
Born and raised in Canada, Atwood continues to be a Canadian resident, dividing her time between Toronto and Pelee Island.
In the 21st century alone, Atwood has written three novels, two short story collections, one poetry collection, two children’s book and four non-fiction books. Included in this long list are the Governor General finalists The Blind Assassin (2000) and Oryx and Crake (2003), The Penelopiad (2005), The Door (2007) and recent bestseller Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth (2008).
Other well-known best sellers include The Edible Woman, Surfacing, Cat’s Eye, A Handmaid’s Tale and Alias Grace. Atwood’s books are known for their poetic language and feminist perspective on a dystopian society. Infused with romance, nationalism, history and political intonations, Atwood’s novels often convey more than what initially meets the eye.
Explore Canadian Writers
Of course, Canadian contemporary literature doesn’t stop with these writers. There are hundreds of incredible Canadian authors just waiting to be examined.
Check out Joseph Boyden, Yann Martel, Elizabeth Smart, Christian Lander, Sara Gruen, Elizabeth Hay, William P Young, Miriam Toews, and Alice Munro and prepare to be awed.
 |
