Ten Canadian Writers in Context ed. by Marie Carrière, Curtis Gillespie, and Jason Purcell (review)

Ten Canadian Authors in Context is a thoughtful and distinct anthology of excerpted works by contemporary Canadian writers. The editors, Marie Carrière, Curtis Gillespie, and Jason Purcell, have attentively compiled a selection of texts that represent several genres and geographies. Each excerpt is accompanied by a concise introductory article that works to contextualize the piece within the formal and thematic tendencies of its author. Referring to such motifs and patterns as "writerly locations," the editors attempt to detach their anthology from a canon-building project, endeavouring instead to "showcase some of the best living talent in Canadian writing today" while remaining mindful of the "linguistic and cultural diversities" that constitute Canadian writing.

One of the great strengths of this collection is its breadth. The impressive range of selections included is meant to fulfill the editors' objective of representing "diverse voices from various races and ethnicities, writing genres, and backgrounds." Certainly, one glance at the excerpts demonstrates the success of this intention. While the majority of the selections are English-Canadian writings, the anthology also features pieces written in the Cree and French languages. Locales from across the country are given representation, from Michael Crummey's Maritime writing to Eden Robinson's descriptions of the Kitamaat territory in British Columbia. Similarly, there is an extensive scope of genres gathered in the collection: the novel (Lynn Coady), poetry (Gregory Scofield), creative nonfiction (Caterina Edwards), the essay (Eden Robinson), and the short story (Lawrence Hill). In illustrating the manifold voices, styles, and thematic interests of Canadian writing today, the editors also tacitly encourage their readers to consider what might constitute such a designation.

The multiplicity of textual voices is also symptomatic of the editors' goal of "reaching out to students, researchers, and a wider community of readers." This is especially true in regard to the companion article that introduces each piece. These condensed articles are informative and aptly discuss each author and their work in terms of aesthetic merit. Their primary achievement, however, is the way they contextualize each excerpt within the author's larger body of work, pointing out formal and thematic patterns that are both observable in the accompanying passage and tend to encourage further exploration of the author's oeuvre. Throughout the articles, patterns emerge: concerns with history, identity, and migration, for example. However, given the editors' focus on showcasing the texts for their aesthetic value, there is little commentary on these pieces as they fit together with one another. The excerpts themselves are quite short, each no more than an abridged section of prose or a cluster of poems. The editors suggest that the brevity of these pieces allows space for the introductory articles, yet there is a sense of something lost in that briefness. Likewise, the fact that the excerpts mirror the concerns and motifs outlined in each of the fulsome introductory pieces not only demonstrates the importance of these articles yet also suggests that the most rewarding engagement with the anthology comes from looking beyond its pages.

Ten Canadian Writers in Context offers unique and engaging insights into the aesthetic and cultural value of literary texts. It serves as an exceptional entry point into several of Canada's most recognized authors today.