Making It New: Contemporary Stories

Joan McGrath is a Toronto Board of Education library consultant.

This exciting collection of 14 short pieces is a sampling of the best in the Canadian short story, as exemplified in the work of seven of Canada’s most powerful writers. It would be unfair to suggest a favourite where all are so very good. All one can do is list the seven authors (Clark Blaise, Mavis Gallant, Hugh Hood, Norman Levine, John Metcalf, Alice Munro, and Leon Rooke) alphabetically, and let the names speak for themselves, merely adding that this is a superb anthology.

Each author has provided two stories, accompanied by an essay as well as a portrait photograph, a revealing double glimpse of the artist in meditative and philosophical mood.