John Metcalf
John Metcalf, writer and editor, was born in Carlisle, England, and
was educated at the University of Bristol. He emigrated to Canada in 1962.
In addition to his own writings (novels, stories and essays), he currently
holds the unsalaried post of Senior Editor of the Porcupine's
Quill of Erin, Ontario and is the editor of Canadian Notes and Queries.
He resides in Ottawa with his wife, Myrna.
John Metcalf's papers are held at the University of Calgary.
Site Directory
Books by John Metcalf
Fiction
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Shooting the Stars. (three novellas, foreword by Michael Darling) Erin, ON: The Porcupine's Quill, 1992.
- Adult Entertainment. (paperback release) Toronto: Vintage Books/Random House, 1990.
- Adult Entertainment. (US publication) New York: St. Martins, 1990.
- Adult Entertainment. (Canadian publication) Toronto: Macmillan of Canada, 1986.
- Selected Stories. (New Canadian Library 168) Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1982.
- General Ludd. (novel) Toronto: General Publishing, 1981.
- General Ludd. (novel) Downsview, ON: ECW Press, 1980.
- Private Parts: A Memoir. (reprint of Girl in Gingham, see below) Scarborough, ON: New American Library of Canada, 1980.
- Girl in Gingham. (short stories) Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1978.
- The Teeth of my Father. (short stories) Oberon Press, Ottawa, 1975.
- Going Down Slow. (novel) Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1972.
- The Lady Who Sold Furniture. (short stories) Toronto: Clarke, Irwin, 1970. Reprinted by ECW Press.
- New Canadian Writing 1969: Stories by John Metcalf, D.O. Spettigue and C.J. Newman. New Canadian Writing, 1969. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin,
1969.
- "The Geography of Time." Prism International 4.1 (Summer 1964): 6-30 and 4.2 (Fall 1964): 28-43.
Non-Fiction
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Acts of Kindness and of Love. Includes Metcalf's essay "Acts
of Kindness and of Love" and three hand-coloured woodcuts by Tony Calzetta.
Oakville, ON: Presswerk Editions, 1995 (limited edition of c. 50 copies).
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Freedom from Culture: Selected Essays. Toronto: ECW Press, 1993.
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Volleys. (essays, with Sam Solecki
& W.J. Keith)
Erin, ON: The Porcupine's Quill, 1990.
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What is a Canadian Literature? (essays) Guelph: Red Kite Press, 1988.
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Kicking Against the Pricks. (essays) Toronto: ECW Press, 1982.
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Magazine publication of short stories and essays in:
The Canadian Forum
ECW
Edge
The Fiddlehead
The Idler
Journal of Canadian Fiction
The Literary Review
Malahat Review
Northern Journey
The New Quarterly
Prism International
Quarry
Queen's Quarterly
Stories commissioned by the CBC
Tamarack Review
Wascana Review
West Coast Review
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Representation in Anthologies
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The New Oxford Anthology of Canadian Short Stories. Eds. Atwood
and Weaver. Oxford University Press,
1995.
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Canadian Short Stories. Ed. R. Weaver. Oxford
University Press, 1978.
- Canadian Writing Today. Ed. Mordecai Richler. Penguin
Books, 1971.
-
Modern Canadian Stories. Ed. Rimanelli and Ruberto. Toronto:
Ryerson Press, 1966.
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Numerous school and university texts.
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Translated Stories In:
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Die Weite Reise. Berlin: Verlag Volk un Welt.
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Moderne Erzahler der Welt Horst Erdmann Verlag.
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Kanadische Kurzgeshichten Berlin: Aufbau-Verlag.
-
Altre Terre : Racconti contemporani del Canada anglofone Venice:
Supernova.
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Books Edited (trade)
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Cuento canadiense contemporáneo. John Metcalf (compilador).
Traducción : Juan Carlos Rodriguez. Universidad Nacional Autonoma
de Mexico, 1996
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The New Story Writers. Quarry Press, Kingston, 1992.
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How Stories Mean. (with J.R. "Tim"
Struthers) Erin, ON: The Porcupine's Quill Press, 1993.
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The Macmillan Anthology 3. Toronto: Macmillan, 1990 (with Kent
Thompson).
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The Macmillan Anthology 2. Toronto: Macmillan, 1989 (with Leon
Rooke).
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The Macmillan Anthology 1. Toronto: Macmillan, 1988 (with Leon
Rooke).
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Writers in Aspic. Montreal: Véhicule Press, 1988.
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Carry on Bumping. Toronto: ECW Press, 1988.
- The Bumper Book. Toronto: ECW Press, 1987.
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The New Press Anthology: Best Canadian Stories, Vol. II.
Toronto: General Publishing, 1985 (with Leon Rooke).
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The New Press Anthology: Best Canadian Stories, Vol. I.
Toronto General Publishing, 1984 (with Leon Rooke).
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Making It New. Toronto: Methuen Publishing, 1982.
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Best Canadian Stories 1982. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1982 (with Leon Rooke).
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Third Impressions. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1982.
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Second Impressions. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1981.
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Best Canadian Stories 1981. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1981 (with Leon Rooke).
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First Impressions. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1980.
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Best Canadian Stories 1980. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1980 (with Clark Blaise).
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Best Canadian Stories 1979. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1979 (with Clark Blaise).
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Best Canadian Stories 1978. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1978 (with
Clark Blaise).
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Best Canadian Stories 1977. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1977 (with
Clark Blaise).
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Here and Now: Canadian Stories. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1977.
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Best Canadian Stories 1976. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1976.
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Short Story Collections
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Give Me Your Answer. K. D. Miller (coming Fall 1999).
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Aquarium and Other Stories. Michael Barnes (coming Fall 1999).
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Devil's Darning Needle. Linda Holeman, 1999.
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One last Good Look. Michael Winter, 1999.
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Love in a Warm Climate. Kelley Aitken, 1998.
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Learning to Live Indoors. Alison Acheson, 1998.
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The King of Siam. Murray Logan, 1998.
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Promise of Shelter. Robyn Sarah, 1997.
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Small Change. Elizabeth Hay, 1997.
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Buying on Time. Antanas Sileika, 1997.
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The Porcupine's Quill Reader. ed. Tim Inkster and John Metcalf,
1996.
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Kiss Me. Andrew Pyper, 1996.
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The Garden of Earthly Intimacies. Meeka Walsh, 1996.
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If I Were Me. Clark Blaise, 1996.
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Telling My Love Lies. Keath Fraser, 1996.
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Lovers and Other Strangers. Carol Malyon, 1996.
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Help Me, Jacques Cousteau. Gil Adamson, 1995.
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Influence of the Moon. Mary Borsky, 1995.
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Driving Men Mad. Elise Levine, 1995.
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On earth as it is. Steven Heighton, 1995.
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Lives of the Mind Slaves. Matt Cohen, 1994.
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A Litany in Time of Plague. K.D. Miller, 1994.
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City of Orphans. Patricia Robertson, 1994.
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Shooting the Stars. John Metcalf, 1993.
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Bad Imaginings. Caroline Adderson, 1993.
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Man and His World. Clark Blaise, 1992.
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Flight Paths of the Emperor. Steven Heighton, 1992.
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The Happiness of Others. Blue
Husbands. Don Dickinson, 1991.
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Quickening. Terry Griggs, 1991.
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Victims of Gravity. Dayv James-French, 1990.
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Cape Breton is the Thought-Control Centre of Canada. Ray
Smith, 1989.
Poetry Collections and Sagas
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Crossing the Salt Flats. Christopher Wiseman (coming Fall 1999).
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The Hidden Room. P.K. Page, 1997.
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The Schemers & Viga Glum. (Icelandic Sagas) George Johnston,
1997.
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Thrand of Gotu. (Icelandic Sagas) George Johnston, 1994.
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Mogul Recollected. Richard Outram, 1993.
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Apology for Absence. Forests
of the Medieval World. Don Coles, 1993.
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While Breath Persist. Gael Turnbull, 1992.
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Dance With Desire. Irving Layton, 1992.
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The Improved Binoculars. Irving Layton, 1991.
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Europe. Louis Dudek, 1991.
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Endeared by Dark: The Collected Poems of George Johnston. 1990.
Novels
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The Man Who Loved Jane Austen. Ray Smith, 1999.
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The Bubble Star. Lesley-Anne Bourne, 1998.
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Belle of the Bayou. Joanna Goodman, 1998.
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Noise. Russell Smith, 1998.
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Jacob's Ladder. Joel Yanofsky, 1997.
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Sleeping Weather Cary Fagan, 1997.
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Dancer Shelley Peterson, 1996.
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Sailor Man. Leo Simpson, 1996.
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Popular Anatomy Keath Fraser, 1996.
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The Lusty Man. Terry Griggs, 1995.
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How Insensitive. Russell Smith, 1994.
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Onlyville. Cynthia Holz, 1994.
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From a Seaside Town. Norman Levine, 1993.
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A Night at the Opera. Ray Smith, 1992.
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Lunar Attractions. Clark Blaise, 1990.
Essays/Photographs
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Ripostes: Reflections on Canadian Literature. Philip Marchand,
1998.
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Canada Made Me. Norman Levine, 1993.
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How Stories Mean. ed. John Metcalf and J.R. "Tim" Struthers,
1993.
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Thank Your Mother for the Rabbits. John Mills, 1992.
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Portraits of Canadian Writers. Sam Tata, 1991.
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Books Edited (texts)
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Canadian Classics. Toronto: McGraw-Hill
Ryerson, 1993.
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Making It New. Toronto: Methuen, 1982 (trade and university text).
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New Worlds. Toronto: McGraw-Hill, 1980 (Canadian stories, Grades
8- 9).
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Stories Plus. Toronto: McGraw-Hill, 1979 (Canadian stories, Grades
10-12).
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The Speaking Earth. Toronto: Van Rostrand Reinhold, 1972 (Canadian
poetry, Grades 9-11).
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Kaleidoscope. Toronto: Van Rostrand Reinhold, 1972 (Canadian
short stories,
junior high school).
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The Narrative Voice. Toronto: McGraw-Hill, 1971 (Canadian short
stories, university text).
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Sixteen by Twelve. Toronto: McGraw-Hill, 1971 (Canadian short
stories, Grades 10-12).
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Salutation. Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1970 (anthology of world
poetry, Grades 10-12).
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Rhyme and Reason. Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1969 (poetry text book,
Grades 8-10).
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Wordcraft. (Books 1-5) Toronto: J. M. Dent and Sons, 1967-77
(vocabulary and comprehension books, Grades 7-11).
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Criticism
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Special "Metcalf" issue of The
New Quarterly, Fall 1996.
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The John Metcalf Papers: An Inventory of the Archive at the University
of Calgary Library. Comp. Jean M. Moore and Marlys Ceevrefils. Ed.
Apollonia Steele. Biocritical Essay by Louis K. MacKendrick. Calgary: University
of Calgary Press, 1996.
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Reverberations: Explorations in the Canadian Short Story. Simone
Vauthier. Toronto: Anansi, 1993.
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Profiles in Canadian Literature (8). Ed. Jeffrey M. Heath. Toronto
and Oxford: Dundurn Press, 1991.
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The Literary History of Canada (Volume 4). University
of Toronto Press, 1991.
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Coming of Age: John Metcalf and the Canadian Short Story. ed.
J.R. "Tim" Struthers,
Red Kite Press and the University
of Guelph.
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John Metcalf A.B. Cameron, Twayne's World Authors Series.
Boston: G.K. Hall, 1986.
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The Montreal Story Tellers. ed. J.R. "Tim" Struthers. Montreal:
Véhicule Press, 1985.
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On the Line: Studies in the Short Fiction of Clark Blaise, John Metcalf
and Hugh Hood.
Toronto: ECW Press, 1982.
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An essay by Douglas Rollin in Canadian Writers and Their Works.
Toronto: ECW Press.
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Special "Metcalf" issue of Fiddlehead
Magazine.
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Special "Metcalf" issue of The Malahat
Review.
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Reference
The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Century Literature in English
The Canadian Encyclopedia
Who's Who in Canada
Who's Who in Canadian Literature
The International Who's Who
The International Authors and Writers Who's Who
Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature
Contemporary Authors Gale Publishing, Detroit.
Contemporary Novelists St. James Press, Chicago.
The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English Cambridge, U.K.
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Writer-in-Residence Positions Held
University of Bologna,
Italy, 1985
Concordia University, Montreal,
1980-1981
University of Ottawa, 1977
Loyola of Montreal, 1976
University of New Brunswick, 1972-1973
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Quotes
John Metcalf on the raison d'etre of the Porcupine's Quill Press:
I wanted to counter apathy and blandness. I wanted to shock
homogenized minds with the experience of writing at high voltage. I wanted
the press to assert relentlessly literature's importance. I wanted the
press to be a national press and of national importance. I wanted nothing
"small" about this small press. I wanted the press to become something
of a "movement." Not a movement committed to a particular "ism," but a
gathering together of writers with an aesthetic approach to literature
and with a lust for excellence. I wanted our writers to draw strength from
community. I wanted each to embolden the next. I wanted writers who loved
language and who would swagger and flaunt. I wanted elegance. I wanted
sophistication. I wanted a press crackling with energy. I wanted to draw
together into one place so many talented writers that we would achieve
critical mass and explode upon Canadian society in a dazzling coruscation
(Take that, Steve Heighton!) showering it with unquenchable brilliance.
Metcalf, John: "An Aesthetic Underground," The New Quarterly
Volume XVI Number 3 (Fall 1996), p. 35.
"Writers don't have to keep themselves honest. They have to keep
themselves accurate."
John Metcalf quoted in Hinchcliffe, Peter: "Performing Prose:
Breakfast with John Metcalf," The New Quarterly Volume XVI Number
3 (Fall 1996), p. 20.
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Contents © 1999 John Wesley Metcalf and Brenda Sharpe
Updated: June 17, 1999
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