The Burgess Shale: The Canadian Writing Landscape of the 1960s
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Description of this Electronic Book
"The outburst of cultural energy that took place in the 1960s was in part a product of the two decades that came before. It's always difficult for young people to see their own time in perspective: when you're in your teens, a decade earlier feels like ancient history and the present moment seems normal: what exists now is surely what has always existed."
Margaret Atwood compares the Canadian literary landscape of the 1960s to the Burgess Shale, a geological formation that contains the fossils of many strange prehistoric life forms. The Burgess Shale is not entirely about writing itself, however: Atwood also provides some insight into the meagre writing infrastructure of that time, taking a lighthearted look at the early days of the institutions we take for granted today-from writers' organizations, prizes, and grant programs to book tours and festivals.
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Awards, Reviews & Star Ratings
NZ Review |
#3 on Edmonton Non-Fiction Bestsellers list, April 30, 2017 |
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Author's Bio
Margaret Atwood is known internationally for her award-winning novels, poetry, and short stories. She was born in Ottawa in 1939, and spent much of her childhood in northern Ontario and Quebec. She has lived, studied, and worked in Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, Alliston, and Boston, as well as England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, and Germany.
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