Fiction

-------- ---~- - - - LETTERS IN CANADA: 1949 265 ELIOTT {A. E.), Poems ot comfort: out of the shadows; into the sunshine (Toronto, McClelland & Stewart, 1948, xiv, 124 pp., $1.25). FEWSTER (ERNEST), Rejoice, 0 my heart !(Vancouver, Grace Fewster, 2590 W. 5th Ave., x, 68 pp., $2.25). FLINT (A. J.), Poems; vol. II (Toronto, Evangelical Publishe~s, 1948, 141 pp., $1.50). FRY (AucE), The ruby book of remembrance (Carillon poetry chap-books; Foleyet, Ont., Crucible Press, 1948, 60c.). GLEAVE (T. B.), Beckoning hills (Toronto, the author, 12 Alhambra Ave., $1.00). GouLD (MoNA), Gossip! verse (Toronto, Gossip, 48 pp.). HALLDORSSON (A. L.), Wings of the wind: a selection of poems and essays in continuous form (Winnipeg, Columbia Press, 1948, 80 pp.). HEDGES (DoRis), Words on a page (Toronto, Ryerson, vi, 42 pp., $2.00). KNISTER (RAYMOND ), Collected poems; ed. and with a memoir by DoROTHY LIVESAY (Toronto, Ryerson, xlii, 45 pp., $2.50). LANGFORD (D. }.), Heavenly treasure (Toronto, Evangelical Publishers, 1948, 32 pp., 45c.). LoB.B (RoY), Plain folks: a book of friendly verse (Saskatoon, Midwest Litho Ltd., x, 146 pp., $2.00). MAcCoRMACK (FRANKLYN), Why I love you, .and other poems, from my old book of memories (Toronto , Winston, 1948, $3.00). McFADDEN (IsoBEL), Light upon the hills (Toronto, the author, 19 The P-alisades, 194B, 26 pp., $1.00). MATHESON (MARY), I seek my way (Sundial books; Toronto, Ryerson, vi, 26 pp., SOc.). OuTPOSTS, Canadian poetry number, summer, 1948; ed. .by EARLE BIRNEY (Manchester, Eng., Meridian Press, 21 pp., 1/). PARKER (H. S. V.), Miramichi poet: six poems by Hedley Parker; ed. with a memoir and notes by LomsE MANNY (Special publication 4; Saint John, N.B., New Brunswick Museum, 1947, iv, 20 pp., 75c.). PHILLIPS (A. C.), Songs of the Avon; foreword by GEORGIE M. WALL (Carillon poetry chap-books; Foleyet , Ont., Crucible Press, 1948, 28 pp., $1.00). PICKEL (ENID and VESTA), Prairie skyline .(Regina, privately printed, 40 pp.). REANEY (JAMES), The red heart (Indian file no. 3; Toronto, McClelland & Stewart, vi, 73 pp., $2.50). RYERSON POETRY CHAP-BOOKS, Canadian cadences, by J. M. GIBBON ( 16 pp., $1.00); High on a hill, by M. F. CAMPBELL ( 16 pp., 7Sc.) ; Last mathematician, by HYMAN EDELSTEIN (11 pp., 75c.); Scrub oak, by THOMAS SAUNDERS (12 pp., 75c.). SASKATCHEWAN PoETRY SoCIETY, The Saskatchewan poetry book, 1949-50 (·Regina, the Society, 2514A, 15th Ave., iv, 39 pp.). SERVICE (RoBERT), Songs of a sun-lover (Toronto, McClelland & Stewart, vii.i, 184 pp., $2.75). STRINGER (ARTHUR), The woman in the rain, and other poems; new ed. (Toronto, McClelland & .Stewal't, 264 pp., $2.75). SwAAN (WILLIAM), Songs of the South Seas (Winnipeg, Hull Printing Co.; Vancouver, the author, 3735 W. lOth Ave., 52 pp.). WINDRoss (T. B.), Gates of glory, and other poems (Ottawa, Tower Bks., x, 42 pp., $1.50). NEw PERIODICAL. PoETRY, CoMMONWEALTH ( 1948) ; quar.terly; editors, LIONEL MoNTEITH and MICHAEL REDGROVE; 31 Dulwich Village, London, S.E. 2·1, Eng. II. FICTION CLAUDE T. BISSELL Two years ago in this survey of Canadian fiction I remarked that "some of the better novelists show signs of understanding that the realistic method, no matter how carefully and painstakingly used, cannot give us all the dimensions of life.» But realism is still the tradition in which our liveliest novelists feel most at home. ln general terms, this tradition de· mands that the novelist draw his material from the contemporary scene; that he make generous, but not undiscriminating use of impressions and - -· --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 266 THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO QUARTERLY observations that arise out of either personal experience or careful observation , and that he shape his material so as to give a critical insight into the structure of society. Before the Second World War, the Canadian novelists who worked -mainly in this tradition, more especially Grove and Callaghan , saw their typical subject in terms of a great, unequal conflict between man on the one side and the terrible ruthlessness of nature and the steady pressure of social and.,economic laws on the other. To this interpretation the doctrines of Naturalism leant support, and the bitter experience of the depression gave apparent proof. Since the war, however, our realistic writers have cautiously abandoned this...