1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910810677603321

Autore

Keith W. J

Titolo

Canadian odyssey : a reading of Hugh Hood's The new age/Le nouveau siecle / / W.J. Keith

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Montreal ; Ithaca, : McGill-Queen's University Press, c2002

ISBN

1-282-86033-X

9786612860331

0-7735-7008-X

Edizione

[1st ed.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (222 p.)

Disciplina

C813/.54

813/.54

Soggetti

Domestic fiction, Canadian - History and criticism

Canada In literature

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. [203]-207) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Front Matter -- Contents -- Preface -- Introductory: Reading Hugh Hood -- The Mythos of Canadian Life -- The Making of The New Age -- Roman-Fleuve -- Hood and His Precursors -- Towards the New Age -- The Swing in the Garden -- A New Athens -- Reservoir Ravine -- Black and White Keys -- The Scenic Art -- The Motor Boys in Ottawa -- Tony’s Book -- Property and Value -- Be Sure to Close Your Eyes -- Dead Men’s Watches -- Great Realizations -- Near Water -- Conclusion: Rereading Hugh Hood -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index

Sommario/riassunto

Published between 1975 and 2000 and completed shortly before his death, Hugh Hood's twelve-volume novel-series The New Age/Le nouveau siècle represents a major achievement in Canadian fiction. Hood takes us on a remarkable, though challenging, journey in time and space while chronicling the life of his intellectually inquisitive protagonist, Matt Goderich. Moving from history and politics to literature and the arts, from popular song to the vagaries of fashion, from urban stress to the relaxations of cottage-country, these novels explore the texture of Canadian life with a depth and comprehensiveness that, when fully grasped, are dazzling. In Canadian Odyssey W.J. Keith steers general readers and specialist students alike



through the complexities of Hood's scheme. He presents biographical information about the planning and writing of the series, places it among other examples of "Roman-Fleuve," offers background concerning Hood's literary influences, and provides novel-by-novel discussions of each book. Written in a straightforward style, avoiding jargon and the excesses of literary theory, Canadian Odyssey makes a convincing case for The New Age as a great Canadian masterpiece.