‘Ripe for being astonished’
Some words on a conjugal couplet: Stan Dragland, Beth Follett and the province’s ongoing literary ‘in-migration’
By SUSAN RENDELL
Some words on a conjugal couplet: Stan Dragland, Beth Follett and the province’s ongoing literary ‘in-migration’
By SUSAN RENDELL
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Newfoundland & Labrador Independent
The finest small Canadian press, from a literary standpoint.— Canadian writer and publisher George Fetherling, on Pedlar Press
A hot topic in Newfoundland and Labrador these days is “out-migration” (one of those horrible words spawned by the pseudo-sciences — in this case sociology — for which there is a perfectly serviceable English word: emigration). Its terrible twin, “in-migration” (i.e., immigration), seldom gets much press. I’ve decided to give it some here, because it has lately occurred to me the writing community in this province has been looting from that landmass to the west instead of being robbed by it. We have lost a couple of top writers to Toronto, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, they’re still writing about this place; one might consider them ambassadors rather than émigrés.On the other hand, Canadian writers have been coming here, and staying here, in record numbers over the past few years. The numbers are not legion; it’s a matter of quality. These writers are excellent; some are among the top names in Canadian literature. They often begin by visiting, and quickly get hooked. (To paraphrase Julius Caesar, “They came, they saw, we conquered.”)
To read the rest of this column by Susan Rendell in Newfoundland's Independent click here.
*********************
Stan Dragland is kind enough to give Rattling Books occasional editorial advise and Susan Rendell is the author of the fabulous collection of short stories In the Chambers of the Sea (unabridged audio edition published by Rattling Books). Susan Rendell also writes regularly for the Newfoundland & Labrador Independent.
