Great writers come from every corner of the world. Their experiences come to life on paper as they create an adventure or tale that stays on the reader's mind long after it is finished. These writer's are truly admirable and have a way of making a world come alive. Some writers are known internationally and others only in pockets of society. Canada has many writers who are known for their politically motivated literature or their stories that span the test of time. If you are looking for a good read told with a Canadian flare, try looking up some of these authors.
Margaret Atwood
Atwood's resume is filled with poetry and novel awards and critical claim. She was born in 1939 and was first published in 1961 – a collection of poems called Double Persephone. Atwood lives in Ontario and has strong political views coupled with environmental concern. She is a member of the Green Party of Canada. One of her most famous pieces is a speculative fiction novel called A Handmaid's Tale. This work is based in a future totalitarian society and delves into issues like women's oppression. This book was published in 1985 and won awards like the Booker Prize and the Governor General's Award for English language fiction. Other well-known titles include The Edible Women, the Robber Bride and Oryx and Crake.
Leonard Cohen
Cohen's body of work includes poems, songs and novels. He was born in 1934 and published his first book of poetry in 1956. Some of his songs include "Dance Me to the End of Love," "First We Take Manhattan" and "Hallelujah" – which was sung by fellow Canadian K.D. Lang at the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics in 2010. Beautiful Losers is one of Cohen's most famous novels. It was the second novel he published and is a raw story about a love triangle searching for a Mohawk. Cohen keeps to himself and is considered to be reclusive. He spends a lot of time at a Buddhist monastery.
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Montgomery is the creator of one of the most delightful characters written – Anne Shirley of Green Gables. Montgomery lived from 1874 to 1942 and in that time created many works of fiction. Her Anne of Green Gables series was first published in 1908 and was the first of 11 books that included Anne's character. Anne of Green Gables has been translated to 36 languages. She is known internationally and is popular among young girls who enjoy her outgoing and creative personality. In her books Montgomery has also brought Prince Edward Island, a province in Canada, to life. Before her books were published it had little claim to fame. Now festivals are held in the province in honor of Anne and Montgomery. Montgomery has published a total of 20 novels and 500 poems and short stories.
Farley Mowat
Mowat is a conservationist and most of his books include a strong element of nature and environmentalism. However, they are not necessarily a lecture on environmental politics, but a well told story that often includes a moral. Mowat was born in 1921 and has been published in over 50 languages. Some of his most famous works include Never Cry Wolf, People of the Deer and A Whale for the Killing. Many of his stories are based on Mowat's on experiences from his childhood or travels. People of the Deer is a story about an Inuit tribe in the Arctic that is struggling to survive due to changing economics and politics. He has been widely recognized for his writing and activism.
Alice Munro
Munro was born in 1931 in a small Ontario town and has published many short stories and one novel. Her stories are about life in rural Canada. She focuses on developing the characters and having their stories evolve around their day-to-day lives. Lives of Girls and Women was published as a novel and is a collection of stories about females in small-town Ontario. She has won many awards including the Man Booker International Prize and the Governor General Award.
Robert Munsch
Munsch was born in the United States but has lived and worked in Canada for many years. He has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame and was honored with the Order of Canada. Munsch is a widely recognized children's author who writes stories like The Paper Bag Princess, Mud Puddle and Love You Forever. He has written almost 30 children's stories and published several compilations. Munsch is also known for his animated storytelling and credits his audiences for helping him come up with new ideas.
Carol Shields
Shields lived from 1935 to 2003. She was born in Illinois but later became a Canadian citizen after marrying a Canadian. She published 10 novels in her lifetime and was best known for The Stone Diaries – a story of a woman who struggles to find her purpose in life and lives through many personal tragedies. Shields and her literary work have received many awards over the years.
Other Canadian writers:
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