Stories About Storytellers Publishing W. O. Mitchell, Mavis Gallant, Robertson Davies, Alice Munro, Pierre Trudeau, Hugh MacLennan, Barry Broadfoot, Jack Hodgins, Peter C. Newman, Brian Mulroney, Terry Fallis, Morley Callaghan, Alistair MacLeod, and Many

by Gibson, Douglas

• ISBN13: 9781770412095
• ISBN10: 1770412093
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2014-04-15
• Publisher: ECW Press

Summary

Now available in paperback, with a new chapter and reading guide

Douglas Gibson, the editor behind Canada’s greatest literary talents, is a terrific storyteller himself. Through his recollections we get an inside view of Canadian politics and publishing that rarely gets told, from Jack Hodgins’ Vancouver Island to Harold Horwood’s Labrador, from Alice Munro’s Ontario to James Houston’s Arctic. Doug Gibson takes us on an unforgettable literary tour of Canada, going behind the scenes and between the covers, and opening up his own story vault for all to read and enjoy.

This new format edition includes a new chapter on Terry Fallis, as well as the Stories About Storytellers Book Club: intriguing questions (laced with Gibson’s own analysis and behind-the-scenes insight) about each of five celebrated Canadian works of fiction discussed in Stories About Storytellers. These include Alice Munro’s The Progress of Love, Mavis Gallant’s Home Truths, Hugh MacLennan’s The Watch That Ends the Night, Robertson Davies’ What’s Bred in the Bone, and Alistair MacLeod’s No Great Mischief.

Author Biography

Douglas Gibson: Douglas Gibson worked as an editor and publisher from 1968 until he retired from McClelland & Stewart in 2009. His Douglas Gibson Books was Canada’s first editorial imprint and lives on. He travels widely from his Toronto, ON, base.

Table of Contents

Introduction by Alice Munro

1. Stephen Leacock 1869–1944: Professor, Humorist, and Immigration Agent

2. Hugh MacLennan 1907–1990: Teacher, Novelist, Essayist, and Cottager

3. R.D. Symons 1898–1973: Cowboy, Writer, Artist, and Conservationist

4. Harold Horwood 1923–2006: Newfoundlander, Novelist, Naturalist, and Neglected Genius

5. Barry Broadfoot 1926–2003: Newspaper Guy, and Oral Historian

6. Morley Callaghan 1903–1990: Novelist, Short Story Writer, and Torontonian

7. W.O. Mitchell 1914–1998: Character, and Creator of Characters

8. Robertson Davies 1913–1995: Man of Letters, Oracle, and Ugly Duckling

9. Jack Hodgins 1938–: Islander, Teacher, and Inventor of Worlds

10. James Houston 1921–2005: Artist, Author, Hunter, and Igloo Dweller

11. Charles Ritchie 1906–1995: Diplomat, Diarist, and Charming Dissembler

12. Pierre Trudeau 1919–2000: Prime Minister, Author, and Haunting Icon

13. Mavis Gallant 1922–: Short Story Writer, Canadian, and Parisienne

14. Peter C. Newman 1929–: Refugee, Journalist, and Power-Seeking Missile

15. Brian Mulroney 1939–: Boy from Baie Comeau, Prime Minister, and Author

16. Robert Hunter 1941–2005: Greenpeace Founder, Writer, and Very Merry Man

17 Alistair MacLeod 1936–: Teacher, Fiction Writer, Stone Carver, and Dancer

18. Paul Martin 1938–: Successful Businessman, Very Successful Finance Minister, and Prime Minister

19. Peter Gzowski 1934–2002: Writer, and Voice

20. Val Ross 1950–2008: Journalist, Author, and Maker of Rules

21. Alice Munro 1931–: Not Bad Short Story Writer

Epilogue: “What Happens After My Book Is Published?”

Afterword and Acknowledgements