Canadian Literature

The Canadian Literature Collection highlights the diversity and talent of Canadian authors. Representing the broad range of genres and traditions reflected in Candian Literature, this Collection includes fiction by Margaret Atwood, John Irving, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and other Canadian writers who have shaped the nation's literary canon.

Publication year 2003

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community

Tags Crime / Legal, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government

Published in 2004, The Corporation, by legal scholar Joel Bakan, demonstrates that corporations often misbehave because it is in their nature to do so. The corporate legal mandate, to pursue profit on behalf of shareholders, impels corporations to take any action, including callous, antisocial, and even unlawful behaviors, so long as they generate a profit.  Because corporations are created by governments, they are beholden to the state for their survival, yet they often manage to... Read The Corporation Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

The Couple Next Door, Shari Lapena’s 2016 international best-seller, begins as a classic detective story. As the mystery deepens, the novel turns into a tense psychological study of a dysfunctional family, the calculating logic of emotional manipulation, the spiral of post-partum depression, and the corrupting power of greed. Paramount Television optioned the novel for a TV series adaptation in 2018. Shari Lapena is the author of eight novels for adults, including The Couple Next Door... Read The Couple Next Door Summary


Publication year 1907

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny is the third book in her Chief Inspector Gamache series. Published by St. Martin’s Press, the novel earned the Agatha Award for Best Novel of 2008. Formerly a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) journalist and radio host, Penny published her debut novel, Still Life, in 2005. The first book in the Gamache series, Still Life received numerous awards and propelled Penny into the top echelon of modern mystery writers. The... Read The Cruelest Month Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, History: World


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Romance


Publication year 1969

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity

Tags Gender / Feminism, Food, Satire, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction

Published in 1969, The Edible Woman was Margret Atwood’s first novel and established her reputation as a significant contemporary novelist. The Edible Woman follows recently engaged Marian McAlpin as she attempts to reconcile her need for personal autonomy with the gendered expectations inherent within the roles of a wife and mother. As Marian begins to feel a loss of identity, her body suddenly refuses certain foods, particularly meat. To reflect the inner struggle her protagonist... Read The Edible Woman Summary


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II

The English Patient (1992) is a historical romance novel by Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje. The novel explores the relationships between four dissimilar people living in an abandoned Italian monastery at the end of World War II. The eponymous English patient—actually a Hungarian count burned beyond recognition—tells Canadian nurse Hana the story of his forbidden romance with British amateur cartographer Katharine Clifton as their small team attempted, several years earlier, to map North African deserts. Using... Read The English Patient Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Grandparents

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Health / Medicine, British Literature


Publication year 1994

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Education, Education, Mental Illness, History: World, Romance, Canadian Literature


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Business / Economics, Arts / Culture, Class, Gender / Feminism, American Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, WWII / World War II, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Teams

Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Animals


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 1985

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Gender / Feminism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

First published in 1985, Margaret Atwood’s sixth novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, has received numerous accolades and prizes and remains widely critically celebrated. Set in what used to be the United States but is now a repressive theocracy called the Republic of Gilead, the dystopian novel is narrated by the protagonist, Offred, who recounts her daily experiences intercut with memories of her life before the revolution and during her training to become a “Handmaid.” Atwood is an... Read The Handmaid's Tale Summary