As mentioned in an earlier post, Atlantic Canada”s 100 Greatest Books reviews the top one hundred Atlantic Canadian books-both fiction and nonfiction-ever published, as chosen by a panel of local readers and literary luminaries.
For fans of Canadian literature this is a great reminder of what
wonderful local talent that surrounds us.
The #1 listed book is one of my personal favorites “No Great Mischief” by Alistair MacLeod. It is listed as the greatest Atlantic Canadian book of all time! The novel explores the emotional bonds of family through flashbacks to a childhood in Cape Breton Island and young adulthood spent in the mines of Northern Ontario. It explores what it means to be a part of a family, the meaning of brotherhood, and the importance of love and forgiveness in human relationships.
Mr. MacLeod was in Halifax recently and read before a crowd at the Keshen Goodman Library branch and at Saint Mary’s University.
Alistair MacLeod’s fiction stresses the importance of tradition and memory. Things we all need reminding of in this stressful modern world.