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 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Science / Nature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Music, Arts / Culture, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, French Literature, Historical Fiction

Published in 2011, Half-Blood Blues is the second book by Esi Edugyan, a black Canadian author. The novel won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2012 and was also shortlisted for the 2011 Man Booker Prize and the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction. As historical fiction, the story examines the lives of a diverse group of jazz musicians during World War II as they balance personal jealousies with the need to help each other amid mounting... Read Half-Blood Blues Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Historical Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Half Brother (2010) is a young adult novel by Kenneth Oppel. In the novel, Oppel combines and fictionalizes several experiments in which chimpanzees learned sign language to communicate. The story follows the Tomlin family as they adopt a baby chimpanzee to see if it can learn and use language. Through this experiment and its effect on the characters, the text explores the themes of family, belonging, animal rights, communication, individuality, and growing up. The novel... Read Half Brother Summary


Publication year 1983

Genre Short Story, Fiction

“Happy Endings” is a short story by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood. After the story’s trio of opening lines, the narrative is divided into five sections, labeled A-F. The story’s opening lines are: “John and Mary meet. What happens next? If you want a happy ending, try A” (43).The story then moves into Section A, in which John and Mary “fall in love and get married…have jobs they find “stimulating and challenging…buy a house…have two children…who... Read Happy Endings Summary


Publication year 1997

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Society: Class

Tags African American Literature, Race / Racism, History: U.S.

Often called a prelude to Shakespeare’s Othello, Harlem Duet tells the story of Othello and his first wife, Billie—the woman he married before Desdemona. Their history is told through the lives of three couples, each named Othello and Billie, during eras of special significance in Black American history: 1860, before the Emancipation Proclamation; 1928, at the height of the historic Harlem Renaissance; and 1997, after the civil rights movement but before the 21st century.Written by... Read Harlem Duet Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Tags Mental Illness, Gender / Feminism, Biography

Heart Berries is a memoir written in connected, lyrical vignettes by Terese Marie Mailhot. It was published in 2018. The book tells the story of Mailhot’s life as a First Nations woman who moves from Canada to the American Southwest, struggles with bipolar disorder, and comes to terms with her past traumas and tumultuous, sometimes violent marriage. Plot SummaryThe beginning of the book chronicles Mailhot’s love affair with a White man named Casey, who leaves... Read Heart Berries Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Military / War, History: World, Literary Fiction, Historical Nonfiction


Publication year 1995

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Free verse, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Education, Psychology, Parenting, Children's Literature, Education, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 2008

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage

Tags Sociology, History: Middle Eastern, History: U.S., Race / Racism, Education, Education, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality

How Does It Feel to Be A Problem: Being Young and Arab in America (2008) is a nonfiction text by Brooklyn College English professor and Arab-American Moustafa Bayoumi. The title comes from W.E.B. Du Bois’s 1903 text, The Souls of Black Folk, wherein he directed this question toward the African-American experience. Following the stories of seven young ArabAmericans living in Brooklyn, and including their struggles after the 9/11 attacks, Bayoumi’s book suggests that present-day ArabAmericans absorb the... Read How Does It Feel to Be A Problem Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Self Help, Psychology


Publication year 1974

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Class, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Post-War Era, History: World, Historical Fiction, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction

“How I Met My Husband” is a short story by Alice Munro. It appeared in her 1974 collection Something I’ve Been Meaning To Tell You. Munro's other works include the collection Runaway (2003) and the novel Dear Life (2012). This guide is based on the Vintage eBook edition of the collection, published in 2014.Fifteen-year-old Edie comes of age in postwar rural Canada. She is from a large, farming family. When she fails high school, she... Read How I Met My Husband Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Leadership/Organization/Management

Published by Minotaur Books in 2013, How the Light Gets In is the ninth book in Louise Penny’s bestselling Chief Inspector Gamache mystery series. The series is famous for its heroic protagonist, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, the head of the homicide division at the Sûreté du Québec. The novel comprises of three narratives: the murder of Constance Ouellet, the internal conflict at the Sûreté, and the mysterious death of a clerk at the Ministry of... Read How the Light Gets In Summary


Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

How the Mind Works is a 1997 non-fiction book by Steven Pinker, who presents his ideas on how the human mind developed and how it produces the feats we take for granted every day, such as talking, walking, and making friends. Pinker is a cognitive neuroscientist who studies language acquisition in children. He approaches the study of the mind from a psychological and cognitive perspective, but he did extensive research for the book and brings... Read How The Mind Works Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Community

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Relationships, Sociology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Philosophy


Publication year 2020

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Class, Society: Immigration

Tags Immigration / Refugee, Asian Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: Asian, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Language, Natural World: Climate, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Survival Fiction, LGBTQ