NPR

I suspect most scholars would rank English language literature by country as UK, USA, Ireland, 1, 2, 3.

In terms of Canada, New Zealand and Australia where do their literary traditions rank? Are there any must read books from those countries, who are their best writers?

As for Canada, I would suggest Margaret Atwood, author of 'The Handsmaid's Tale', certainly a well regarded writer.

Richard Flanagan from Oz is pretty bloody good.

My favourite is Gould’s Book of Fish with The Narrow Road to the Deep South a close second

Hugo wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:57 pm I suspect most scholars would rank English language literature by country as UK, USA, Ireland, 1, 2, 3.

In terms of Canada, New Zealand and Australia where do their literary traditions rank? Are there any must read books from those countries, who are their best writers?

That’s a huge question on the one hand but narrowly drawn on the other. What about the likes of Seth, Rushdie, Naipaul etc.? I might argue the Indian literary tradition at least is stronger than Canada, Aus and NZ.

In the categories you mention I have read Margaret Atwood (Can) and more recently I have enjoyed Jane Harper (Aus) Neither are great literature but for a page turning novel With a distinctive outback feel I can recommend Jane Harper.

Canada has a group a highly regarded 'literary' authors that, frankly, all are boring as fudge to me...

Margaret Atwood, Margaret Laurence, Michael Ondaatje, Carol Shields, Mordecai Richler, Rohinton Mistry, Joy Kagawa, Douglas Coupland, Alice Munro


Some stories to check out, though...

Joseph Boyden - Three Day Road
Tom King - Green Grass, Running Water (Truth and Bright Water and Medicine River are less fantastical)
Lawrence Hill - The Book of Negroes
Stuart McLean's collected 'Dave and Morley' stories (from his 'Vinyl Cafe' radio show) are sitcom worthy
WP Kinsella - Shoeless Joe (made into Field of Dreams), Dance Me Outside is also good


... I life English teaching as I really didn't enjoy and it found I was better suited to academic library work. Not much of a fiction reader, so there's probably better examples out there (or those 'classic' authors might actually be very, very good )

Hugo wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:57 pm I suspect most scholars would rank English language literature by country as UK, USA, Ireland, 1, 2, 3.

In terms of Canada, New Zealand and Australia where do their literary traditions rank? Are there any must read books from those countries, who are their best writers?

Not strictly the Anglosphere but India's contribution to literature is one of the finest (and getting better). My personal favourite if 'White Tiger' but also fantastic authors such as Rushdie and Roy. 'Midnight's Children' is a slog (though fantasic) but so was 'Crime and Punishment' and 'Dr Zhivago' and I would put Rushdie's work at the same level.

Also, a shoutout to SA, Gordimer and Coetzee, 'Disgrace' was one of my favourite books as teenager.

I’m a kiwi teaching English literature. I don’t see any great novels having come out of NZ. Maurice Gee’s Going West is a favorite, but I’d never claim greatness for it.

Katherine Mansfield’s short stories can be wonderful.

James K Baxter is an acclaimed poet and is vastly popular in India, I’m told.

Caley_Red wrote: Thu Oct 22, 2020 7:36 am

Hugo wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:57 pm I suspect most scholars would rank English language literature by country as UK, USA, Ireland, 1, 2, 3.

In terms of Canada, New Zealand and Australia where do their literary traditions rank? Are there any must read books from those countries, who are their best writers?

Not strictly the Anglosphere but India's contribution to literature is one of the finest (and getting better). My personal favourite if 'White Tiger' but also fantastic authors such as Rushdie and Roy. 'Midnight's Children' is a slog (though fantasic) but so was 'Crime and Punishment' and 'Dr Zhivago' and I would put Rushdie's work at the same level.

Also, a shoutout to SA, Gordimer and Coetzee, 'Disgrace' was one of my favourite books as teenager.

Despite the Nobel acknowledgements, South Africa's best writers are in afrikaans

Thanks for the recommendations all. Can always depend on this place for some great feedback.

Hugo wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:42 pm Thanks for the recommendations all. Can always depend on this place for some great feedback.

He’s fallen out of favour in recent years,, but Patrick White was for a long time Australia’s most famous writer, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1973. Voss is probably his best work, and is one the great Australian novels.

Peter Carey is also very good. I particularly enjoyed Oscar and Lucinda, Jack Maggs, and the True History of the Kelly Gang.