Widely recognized as Canada's finest literary humorist, Stephen Leacock was a prolific author, publishing over sixty books during his lifetime, in addition to countless articles and pamphlets. He was also a devoted correspondent, writing hundreds of letters to friends, relatives, and business associates. Illustrated with several original photographs, The Letters of Stephen Leacock brings together over 800 letters, most of them never before published. Together they give a vivid picture of one of the twentieth century's most distinguished men of letters, a man who was honest, compassionate, and committed to his craft. From the brief, unpolished lines he wrote as a boy to his father, to the final letters he wrote before his death, Leacock's correspondence reveals much about the man behind the humour: the devoted son, husband, and father; the distinguished McGill professor; the proud Canadian; the generous uncle; the social critic; and the private citizen consumed and deeply troubled by the two world wars. Fans of Leacock's many books of humour will find glimpses of his trademark wit in letters on subjects ranging from the Scottish penchant for whiskey to the beauty of the west. More than a humorist, Leacock was an intellectual and an educator who wrote serious works on many topics, including political economy, education, and social reform, and many of his strong views on these subjects are laid out plainly in letters to associates and friends. He was also an astute businessman, and was, as letters to numerous publishers show, a writer by profession. As Leacock himself wrote of his letters to a friend and associate, 'We wrote in the plain straighforward way only possible in such an interchange of letters, about what we thought of this new world that seemed to overwhelm us in our old age.' These are the letters of a gentleman, written with charm, grace, and humour, occassionally blunt and assertive in dealings with publishers, but - in keeping with his humour - never mean-spirited or designed to injure. Together, they represent a fascinating collection that will captivate anyone who enjoys Canadian fiction or history. David Staines has spent 15 years bringing together Leacock's letters, many of them from private collections in Britain, the United States, and Canada. His ten chapter introductions place these carefully selected and annotated letters in the context of Leacock's life and work.

In Nineteenth-Century Lives, first published in 1989, ten distinguished critics and biographers consider what it means to narrate a life. Their illustrative texts are largely taken from nineteenth-century biography, autobiography and the novel, but narrative is the broader genre that unites their various inquiries. The principal issues, theoretical and practical, are framed by Margaret Atwood, J. Hillis Miller and Phyllis Rose. 'The biographer, like the novelist, is a constructor of narratives; it's just that the ground rules are a little different,' writes Atwood. Among the matters they debate are the boundaries of fact and fiction, the professed power of the narrator, and the figurative underpinings of autobiography. But many of these essays are delightful and provocative biographical and autobiographical excursions in themselves. Atwood describes her early fear of biography, Morton Cohen narrates an exciting bit of detective work into the life of Lewis Carroll, and John Rosenberg gives a vivid and frequently revisionary reading of many aspects of Darwin's life.

This Companion is a thorough introduction to the writings of the Nobel Prize winner Alice Munro. Uniting the talents of distinguished creative writers and noted academics, David Staines has put together a comprehensive, exploratory account of Munro's biography, her position as a feminist, her evocation of life in small-town Ontario, her non-fictional writings as well as her short stories, and her artistic achievement. Considering a wide range of topics - including Munro's style, life writing, her personal development, and her use of Greek myths, Celtic ballads, Norse sagas, and popular songs - this volume will appeal to keen readers of Munro's fiction as well as students and scholars of literature and Canadian and gender studies.

A History of Canadian Fiction is the first one-volume history to chart its development from earliest times to the present day. Recounting the struggles and the glories of this burgeoning area of investigation, it explains Canada's literary growth alongside its remarkable history. Highlighting the people who have shaped and are shaping Canadian literary culture, the book examines such major figures as Mavis Gallant, Mordecai Richler, Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, and Thomas King, concluding with young authors of today whose major successes reflect their indebtedness to their Canadian forbearers.

A History of Canadian Fiction is the first one-volume history to chart its development from earliest times to the present day. Recounting the struggles and the glories of this burgeoning area of investigation, it explains Canada's literary growth alongside its remarkable history. Highlighting the people who have shaped and are shaping Canadian literary culture, the book examines such major figures as Mavis Gallant, Mordecai Richler, Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, and Thomas King, concluding with young authors of today whose major successes reflect their indebtedness to their Canadian forbearers.

In this unique collection of essays, ten distinguished critics and biographers consider what it means to narrate a life. Their illustrative texts are largely taken from nineteenth-century biography, autobiography, and the novel, but narrative is the broader genre that unites their various inquiries. The principal issues are framed by Margaret Atwood, J. Hillis Miller, and Phyllis Rose. Atwood compares and contrasts the biographer and the novelist as creators of narratives, emphasizing that the difference is in the "ground rules." Determining what these ground rules are is a recurring theme in these essays. Some of the subjects discussed are the boundaries of fact and fiction, the professed power of the narrator, and the figurative underpinnings of autobiography. Many of these pieces are delightful and provocative biographical and autobiographical excursions in themselves. Atwood describes her early fear of biography, Morton Cohen narrates an exciting bit of detective work he conducted into the life of Lewis Carroll, and John Rosenberg gives a vivid and frequently revisionary reading of many aspects of Darwin's life. Other critics--Carl Woodring, Richard Altick, Norman Kelvin, Margaret Stetz and Robert Kiely--consider related topics. The contributors, as well as the editors, have all been colleagues or students of the eminent critic and biographer, Jerome Hamilton Buckley, in whose honor these essays have been written.

A collection of circular walks covering historic and 'best kept' villages such as Eynsford and Lamberhurst; Lympne with its cliffs and sweeping vistas; Upnor on the River Medway; the fairy-tale sight of Leeds Castle; Appledore and its ancient port; Georgian Deal with its windy streets and an excellent micropub. The book offers 20 wonderful outings in glorious countryside through the Garden of England.

This collection of 20 tried-and-tested circular walks has been written specifically for dogs and their owners, allowing for maximum off-lead time. These routes, covering every corner of the Surrey Hills, will allow you to explore somewhere new, safe in the knowledge that the surroundings will be suitable for your dog. The hills stretch from the county border with Kent almost to Hampshire and were officially designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1958. Explore Leith Hill, Box Hill and the Devil's Punch Bowl as well as the extensive footpaths and tracks including the famous North Downs Way, Greensand Way and the ancient Pilgrims Way. There are many open commons and rolling hillsides, dotted with rural pubs, market towns and villages, rich in wildlife and woodland, making the Surrey Hills an ideal place to walk your dog. All the walks include details of: * Distance and terrain * Details of livestock and stiles * Recommended dog-friendly pubs and cafes * Numbered route directions * Points of interest along the way * Contact details for the nearest vets David and Hilary Staines are the authors of many popular dog walking guides, including Kent: A Dog Walker's Guide and East Sussex: A Dog Walker's Guide.

These 20 circular routes have been carefully designed with maximum off-lead time and minimum exposure to roads. They vary in length from 21/2 to 6 miles. Each walk has information on the distance and terrain, livestock likely to be encountered, number and type of stiles en route and in an emergency, the nearest veterinary surgery. Walks include Seven Sisters Country Park, the Cuckmere River, Ashdown Forest, the Cuckoo Trail and Bodiam Castle.

This book highlights the accomplishments of one of Canada's most acclaimed and beloved fiction writers, Margaret Laurence. The essays in this collection explore her body of work as well as her influence on young Canadian writers today.

Robert Kroetsch: Essayist, Novelist, Poet brings together an international cast of critics, scholars, and writers to examine, re-examine, and honour the celebrated author's immense significance in the twenty-first century, and what it means to be Canadian and part of the country's literary landscape. Original essays by Dennis Cooley, Phil Hall, Nicole Markotic, Aritha van Herk, and Rudy Wiebe, among others. The author of nine novels, thirteen books of poetry, and seven non-fiction volumes, Robert Kroetsch (1927-2011) was a major figure in the development and history of literature in Canada. He won the Governor General's Award for Fiction for The Studhorse Man (1969) and was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for Poetry for The Hornbooks of Rita K. (2001). He received honorary degrees from the University of Winnipeg (1983) and the University of Alberta (1997), and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada (2004). Robert Kroetsch stands as a seminal figure in the Canadian literary landscape. In his early fiction he introduced postmodern techniques into the mainstream of Canadian fiction. He then moved on to writing poetry while still writing fiction, and created a new vision for poets across the country, defining the nature of the poetic experience by searching out the roots of his place in the Canadian landscape. Robert Kroetsch: Essayist, Novelist, Poet is a timely reminder of the immense significance that Kroetsch holds in the twenty-first-century understanding of what it means to be Canadian and part of the country's literary landscape. This book is published in English. - Robert Kroetsch (1927-2011) est une figure majeure de l'histoire et du developpement de la litterature au Canada. Son roman intitule The Studhorse Man (1969) lui a permis de remporter le Prix litteraire du Gouverneur general dans la categorie roman et nouvelles ; par ailleurs, son recueil de poesie, intitule The Hornbooks of Rita K. (2001), a figure sur la liste des finalistes du Prix litteraire du Gouverneur general dans la categorie poesie. De plus, il s'est vu decerner un doctorat honoris causa par deux universites canadiennes, l'Universite de Winnipeg (1983) et l'Universite de l'Alberta (1997), et il a ete fait officier de l'Ordre du Canada (2004). Robert Kroetsch est une figure marquante du paysage litteraire canadien. Dans ses premiers ouvrages de fiction, il a introduit des techniques de narration postmodernes dans le courant dominant et jusqu'alors plutot conventionnel de la fiction canadienne. Il a ensuite entrepris d'ecrire de la poesie tout en poursuivant son oeuvre romanesque. Ce faisant, il a su creer une nouvelle vision pour les poetes canadiens ; il a, entre autres, defini la nature de l'experience poetique en se questionnant sur le sens de l'identite canadienne et sur la place qu'il occupait dans le paysage litteraire canadien. L'ouvrage intitule Robert Kroetsch : romancier, poete et essayiste constitue un rappel opportun de l'importance considerable de cet auteur majeur, qui nous a permis de mieux comprendre ce que cela signifiait d'etre Canadien au XXIe siecle et d'appartenir au paysage litteraire canadien. Ce livre est publie en anglais.

Eleven essays bring Arthurian studies into the 21st century, including film and black popular culture. Eleven essays by leading Arthurians lead off with an overview of the field suggesting directions that Arthurian studies must take to remain vital. Other essays contain innovative approaches, overviews of specific areas of Arthurian studies, and suggestions for new ways to approach Arthurian material; they range over Malory, Latin Arthurian literature, Gawain and the Green Knight, Merlin in the twenty-first century, Tennyson's Idylls, Arthur in African-American culture, current trends in criticism, Arthurian fiction, and Arthurian film. Contributors: ROBERT BLANCH, DEREK BREWER, P.J.C. FIELD, SIAN ECHARD, PETER GOODRICH, KEVIN HARTY, NORRIS J. LACY, BARBARATEPA LUPACK, DAVID STAINES, RAYMOND THOMPSON, JULIAN WASSERMAN, BONNIE WHEELER.

Swift yet resonant, this masterful new verse translation conveys the immediacy, intimacy, and power of this greatest of Old French epic poems. John DuVal approaches the unadorned syntax of The Song of Roland in straightforward modern English, attuned to the nuance and detail of the narrative and the poetry of the original text. In his concise but thorough general Introduction, David Staines traces the origins of the poem and its reception in medieval society, discusses its content and its themes, and in clear, accessible prose illuminates the epic poem's chivalric spirit. Footnotes provide glosses on events, characters, and medieval terms. Endnotes discuss editorial and translational issues. This edition also includes a selected bibliography, a map, and a glossary and index. An appendix provides the entire text of the Old French original.

Swift yet resonant, this masterful new verse translation conveys the immediacy, intimacy, and power of this greatest of Old French epic poems. John DuVal approaches the unadorned syntax of The Song of Roland in straightforward modern English, attuned to the nuance and detail of the narrative and the poetry of the original text. In his concise but thorough general Introduction, David Staines traces the origins of the poem and its reception in medieval society, discusses its content and its themes, and in clear, accessible prose illuminates the epic poem's chivalric spirit. Footnotes provide glosses on events, characters, and medieval terms. Endnotes discuss editorial and translational issues. This edition also includes a selected bibliography, a map, and a glossary and index. An appendix provides the entire text of the Old French original.

"[A]n eminently readable text, done clearly and accurately... itgives as good an idea as a translation can of the complexity and subtlety ofChr tien's originals.... The text is provided by a translator who understands thespirit as well as the letter of the original and renders it with style.... [T]histranslation should attract a wide audience of students and Arthurianenthusiasts." -- Speculum

"[A] significant contribution tothe field of medieval studies [and] a pleasure to read." -- LibraryJournal

"These are, above all, stories of courtly love and ofknights tested in their devotion to chivalric ideals (with passion and duty often atodds); but they are also thrilling wonder stories of giants, wild men, tame lions, razor-sharp bridges and visits to the Other World." -- Washington Post BookWorld

"This tastefully produced book will be the standard generaltranslation for many years to come." -- Choice

This newtranslation brings to life for a new generation of readers the stories of KingArthur, Lancelot, Guinevere, Gawain, Perceval, Yvain, and the other "knightsand ladies" of Chr tien de Troyes' famous romances.

This Companion is a thorough introduction to the writings of the Nobel Prize winner Alice Munro. Uniting the talents of distinguished creative writers and noted academics, David Staines has put together a comprehensive, exploratory account of Munro's biography, her position as a feminist, her evocation of life in small-town Ontario, her non-fictional writings as well as her short stories, and her artistic achievement. Considering a wide range of topics - including Munro's style, life writing, her personal development, and her use of Greek myths, Celtic ballads, Norse sagas, and popular songs - this volume will appeal to keen readers of Munro's fiction as well as students and scholars of literature and Canadian and gender studies.