By Noal Bram
A collection of great Canadian authors and books to take with you on your trip across Canada.Canadian Content
1. National Dream and Last Spike by Pierre Berton. Non-fiction by one of Canada's most prolific writers. The National Dream is about the planning and the commencement of the Canadian Pacific railway from 1871 to 1881. The Last Spike describes the construction phase between 1881 and 1885.
2. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen. This is the second novel by Leonard Cohen after The Favourite Game and is one of the first post modern Canadian novels. This book centers around a love triangle and deals with self-abandonment. Definitely not a beach read but a true Canadian classic.
3. The Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro. A collection of short stories by one of Canada's most beautiful writers. Some of the themes she touches on are secrets, love, ordinary lives and betrayal. Her novel was awarded the Giller Prize in 1998.
4. As For Me and My House by Sinclair Ross. Set during the Great Depression in the fictional mid-western town of Horizon, presumably in Saskatchewan, it deals with the struggles and hardships of a minister's wife and her husband. Originally released in 1941, it sold poorly until it's re-release in 1957.
5. The Studhorse Man by Robert Kroetsch. The book details the fantastical adventures of Hazard LePage as he roams through barns, beer-halls and bathtubs. The Studhorse Man won the Governor General's literary award in 1969. Robert Kroetsch was born and lived in Alberta his whole life and his novels center around Prairie life.
6. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. One of the most famous Canadian authors and novels, this takes place in the near future and has won the Governor General's award and the Arthur C. Clarke Award as well as being adapted for the cinema, opera, radio and stage.
7. Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat. It is a first person narrative of Mowat's research into the nature of the Arctic Wolf. He was sent to investigate the declining caribou populations and whether the wolves were responsible. Wolves were perceived to be savage killers before this novel was released but Mowat helped to change this perception.
8. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. This novel actually takes place in India but is written by a Canadian author. It is a huge, heart-felt novel that deals with the caste system, political issues, and independence in India. This book won the Giller Prize and was short-listed for the Booker Prize. This book was also a favourite of Oprah's and one of the few Canadian books that have been selected into Oprah's book club.
9. Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley. It is a magic realist retelling of Noah's Ark. Some of the themes the book deals with are abuse of power, loss of innocence, patriarchy, and feminism. The characters come to life in this amazing novel that was selected for inclusion in the 2008 edition of Canada Reads.
10. Men for the Mountains by Sid Marty. Sid Marty was a park warden (ranger) from 1966-1978 in Yoho, Jasper, Prince Albert, and Banff National Parks. Part of his career was spent patrolling the backcountry with saddle and pack horses and this provides the backdrop for this non-fiction novel which was twice cited by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Association as one of the 50 most influential books in the Canadian conservation movement.
