Synopses & Reviews
Norman Levine's Canada Made Me, a bitter, critical reassessment of the moral and cultural values of 'the polite nation,' proved so shocking it took 21 yearsdespite initial acclaim when released in 1958to see a Canadian edition. A record of his three-month journey from coast to coast, Levine's vision of Canada's seedy and unpleasant underworld is now a laconic classic.
Review
Praise for Canada Made Me
"Far better than any book I've ever read about Canada."Mordecai Richler
"Mr. Levine is a true artist, who grinds his bones - and anything else he can lay his hands on - to make his bread."Bernard Levin, The Sunday Times
"Norman Levine sees with a clear eye a good deal of the tragic comedy of human life. And he writes in a marvellously clean, naked prose which is a joy to read."
Edward McCourt, The Montrealer
"One of the most moving, most sad, most deeply felt, savage and loving pieces of autobiography I've ever read.Charles Causley, BBC
Synopsis
The people are mean, bitter, small-minded, petty, provincial, cheap, and rude. Welcome to Canada.
About the Author
Norman Levine (1923-2005) was the author of eight short story collections, two novels, and a memoir, among other works. He was raised in Ottawa's Lower Town, served overseas in the RCAF during WWII, and attended McGill University. In 1949 he returned to England, where he remained until 1980. In 1956 he undertook a three-month cross-country journey through Canada, which furnished him with material for his controversial memoir and commentary upon Canadian life, Canada Made Me (1958). Levine's fiction titles include The Angled Road (1952), One Way Ticket (1961), I Don't Want to Know Anyone Too Well (1971), Thin Ice (1979) and Something Happened Here (1991).