Whir of Gold

David E. Kemp, a former professor of drama at Queen’s University, is
the author of The Pleasures and Treasures of the United Kingdom.

In many ways, Sinclair Ross (1908–1996) is one of the forgotten
figures in Canadian literature. He wrote many short stories and four
novels, one of which—As for Me and My House—is generally regarded as
a masterpiece. Yet Ross was never awarded a Canada Council grant, never
won a Governor General’s Award, was never made a Companion of the
Order of Canada, and did not receive an honorary degree from a Canadian
university.

Ross is essentially a prairie realist. Whir of Gold is a carefully
crafted novel of alienation and survival. It tells the story of Sonny,
an aspiring musician who abandons the Presbyterian dustbowl of
Saskatchewan for the bright lights of Montreal. He begins a casual
relationship with Mad, a waitress. As her feelings for Sonny deepen, she
builds a home that serves as a refuge from the mean streets of Montreal.
But can Sonny conquer his fears and let Mad into his life?

One only hopes that this novel and two others the University of Alberta
Press is reprinting—The Well and Sawbones Memorial—will garner Ross
the wide readership he deserves.