Freedom from Culture: Selected Essays, 1982-92

Alan Thomas is a professor of English at the University of Toronto.

In this book, John Metcalf challenges the giving of grants to writers
and publishing houses; mocks nationalist promotion of the CanLit idea;
exposes the flaccidity of judgments on Canadian literature written by
well-intentioned but nonrigorous critics; and quarrels openly with some
well-known figures on the literary scene. A lengthy prefatory list of
the granting agencies that have supported the publication of this book
is provided without comment. The central point of these combative essays
is that, aided by official subsidies, books are being written and read
for the wrong reasons—not as good books, but as Canadian books.