Canadian Literature and Americans

For the record, I didn't see the new Harry Potter movie this weekend.  The thought of the throng in the cinema with someone sitting behind me kicking my chair and someone sitting in front of me doing the wave during an interesting part of the movie kept me away.  Plus, the gorgeous summer weather beckoned me, and so I had to get out my bike and revel in the sun for awhile.  But fear not--I'll definitely pay Mr. Potter a visit soon!

Now on to today's food for thought.  I'm an American who happens to be a Canadaphile (see definition at Urban Dictionary).  I've been one since my first visit to Toronto 10 years ago when I realized that despite Canada being the country next door, I (and I suspect many of my fellow Americans) know embarrassingly little about our neighbor to the north.  And also being a bibliophile (big surprise there), whenever I travel my souvenirs tend to be books written by local authors rather than those kitschy thingamajigs that are sold on every street corner.  So, over the years I've picked up books by the following Canadian authors: Adele Wiseman, Constance Beresford Howe, Mordecai Richler, Michael Rose, and Gabrielle Roy (my all time favorite!), to name a few.

A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to go to Victoria, BC, the birthplace and home of Canadian icon Emily Carr.  In addition to being a talented Expressionist painter of the First Nations and Northwest landscapes, Carr was a noteworthy writer who wrote about her experiences at the turn of the 20th century (I had read 3 of her books--Klee Wyck, The Book of Small, and The House of All Sorts--before going to Victoria).  Unfortunately, The Emily Carr House (where Carr grew up) was closed on Mondays (and I really, really, wanted to see it) so all I could do was take pictures of the outside.  I was able, however, to see a special exhibit of her paintings, writings, photographs, and other items from her life at the Royal BC Museum.  If you're heading to the Peninsula this summer, do drop into the museum for the exhibit--it's worth it!  And avoid high tea at the Empress, which in my very humble opinion is overrated and overpriced.

More from the perch later...