Review
"Anyone seeking to define "Canadian culture" will find a good starting point in this anthology." Saskatoon Star-Phoenix
"This paperback original is a valuable guide to the chorus of voices contributing to Canada's song..." Halifax Daily News
"...the consistently high quality of the stories and poems, and Kamboureli's provocative essay, make for an entertaining, engaging read." Maclean's
"Making a difference succeeds largely because of its insightful discussion (a page or two before each entry) of ita authors' takes on multiculturalism and Canadian society as a whole." Vancouver Sun
Product Description
Making a Difference offers a wide range of writing styles in fiction and poetry, with a focus on Native and immigrant experiences, ethnic ancestry, and the complex spectrum of cultural differences. It begins with the first ethnic authors who wrote ethnic literature in English, and includes established and new voices that have made a difference to our understanding of Canadian identity. In the past few years, such authors as Rohinton Mistry, M.G. Vassanji, Joy Kogawa, and Michael Ondaatje have won some of Canada's most prestigious literary awards. Jeannette Armstrong, Austin Clarke, Kristjana Gunnars, Claire Harris, Thomas King. Marlene Nourbese Philip, and George Elliott Clarke among others have attracted critical acclaim and media attention. With the diversity of perspectives in its seventy-one authors represented, Making A Difference invites readers to think of Canadian literature not in terms of 'centre' and 'margins', but rather as an extraordinary web of cultural exploration. Making A Difference is the first comprehensive anthology of ethnic and aboriginal writing in Canada. Its wide scope demonstrates that this kind of literature has a long and important tradition, a tradition whose diversity and high quality warrant national attention and study.