Because Somebody Asked Me To by Guy Vanderhaeghe

Many editors and publishers over the years have asked Guy Vanderhaeghe for his thoughts on books and writers, on history, literature, and his own specialty, the historical novel.Because Somebody Asked Me Tohas all the hallmarks of the author's fiction: it is intelligent, wise, wry, and a pleasure to read. These essays, reviews and occasional pieces are about the difficult craft of fiction, about growing up on the prairies, and about the struggle to find his own voice as a writer, as well as about novels by writers he deeply admires. And, throughout, he casts a bemused eye on the entire human comedy.

In 1982, when Guy Vanderhaeghe's first book appeared, Canadian literature was beginning to be recognized at home and abroad as culturally engaging and significant.Because Somebody Asked Me Togives readers a glimpse into those beginnings and how they shaped the author and his generation of fiction writers. The book also examines how the Canadian literary scene has shifted during the course of his career -- the economic, societal, and cultural changes that have made the old world of writing and publishing scarcely recognizable.Because Somebody Asked Me Toinvites readers to ponder the transformations Canadian writing has undergone, where it is now, and where it might go from here. (From Thistledown Press)

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Guy Vanderhaeghe is a novelist, short story writer and playwright. Vanderhaeghe's debut short story collection Man Descending, published in 1982, earned him the Governor General's Literary Award and later the Faber Prize in Britain. He would go on to win two more Governor General's Literary Awards: in 1996 for The Englishman's Boy, and in 2015 for the short story collection Daddy Lenin and Other Stories. His book The Last Crossing won Canada Reads 2004. He won the Timothy Findley Prize, the Harbourfront Literary Prize, and the Cheryl and Henry Kloppenburg Prize, all awarded for an author's complete body of work.

Interviews withGuy Vanderhaeghe

The Sunday Magazine19:45Guy Vanderhaeghe says historical fiction can help us cope in the present

In his first novel in over a decade, celebrated author Guy Vanderhaeghe zooms into a small town in Saskatchewan in the lead up to the Second World War. August Into Winter follows two brothers, veterans racked with their own guilt and trauma, who are enlisted to chase down a murder suspect after the town's only constable is killed. We revisit host Piya Chattopadhyay's conversation with the three-time Governor General award winner about how times of crisis can expose the worst in us -- but also provide an opportunity for immense kindness and humanity.

The Sunday Magazine19:49Guy Vanderhaeghe on the fragility of humanity in times of crisis

In his first novel in a decade, celebrated author Guy Vanderhaeghe zooms in on a small town in Saskatchewan in the lead up to the Second World War. August into Winter follows two brothers, veterans racked with their own guilt and trauma, who are enlisted to chase down a murder suspect after the town's only constable is killed. The three-time Governor General's Award winner speaks with Piya Chattopadhyay about how times of crisis can expose the worst in us but also provide an opportunity for immense kindness and humanity.

Other books by Guy Vanderhaeghe