The Diviners et al.

Before I moved to Toronto in 2005, I had a yard sale. Not only did it provide me with some well needed extra cash in my pocket, it also helped me cull some possessions I no longer needed or wanted. At that time, I also culled some books in my possession. I recall at that time though, looking at the bookcase that held all of my Acadia books and thought “No, I am not ready to part with these quite yet.”

A bookcase in my parent’s living room has held all of my novels and textbooks from my undergraduate degree. Some were purchased during my exchange year in Scotland, but most were obtained via my studies at Acadia University. As I did a double major in English and History (minor in Political Science and Art History), the majority of books were paperback novels and history, poly sci, and art history textbooks...and I treasured them all.



I took a variety of English classes at Acadia – 16th century literature, Victorian literature, Women’s literature and in my second year, I was introduced to Canadian literature. I will have to say that prior to this class Canadian literature was completely foreign to me. Unlike students in most other Canadian provinces, I had not read Margaret Atwood in high school. I will be honest and say I hadn’t even heard of her before going to Acadia. I sincerely hoped this has changed in PEI schools. Come to think of it, I remember looking at one of my grade ten English books that consisted of short stories written by contemporary American writers and thinking “Why are we reading this?” Anyway, I digress...

My classes of Canadian literature taken at Acadia opened up a wonderful new world to me – especially the third year class I took with Professor Jack Sheriff. We had to read one novel a week and took turns presenting – each time focused on the four elements of theme, character, style, and structure. One by one, we dissected novel after novel. I spent every waking moment reading that semester, but I loved every minute of it. I read Ernest Buckler’s Mountain and the Valley, in the ‘valley’ that it was written. Percy Janes’ House of Hate left a lasting impression on me. I was introduced to Margaret Atwood through The Edible Woman, a book that still puzzles me. And then I was introduced to the ‘other’ Margaret.


The Diviners was my introduction to Margaret Laurence and it was a book I would come to love for so many different reasons. I loved all the different themes that ran through the book – most of all the awakening that comes in one’s connection and /or discovery of family history. The Stone Angel was next and with it and many of her other books, Laurence’s female perspective on contemporary life drew me in. The Prophet’s Camel Bell and Heart of a Stranger were also engaging reads, but it was Laurence’s autobiography Dance of the Earth: a Memoir that is still one of my all time favourite books.

In the many years since my studies at Acadia, I have continually turned to Canadian Literature. I have come to love the work of Farley Mowat, Timothy Findley, Mordecai Richler, Ann-Marie MacDonald, and Robert Sedlack to name a few. I am so grateful for that class I took with Professor Sheriff so many years ago. He taught us how to dissect a novel and it changed the way I read books.

As connected as I was to these novels, I decided it was time to let them go. The older I get the less attached I am to material possessions. These books gave me so much and I will always have that – with or without their physical presence. While I was home at Christmas, I decided one of my projects was to go though all my books. I went through my three book cases and I will have to say that my archival appraisal skills came in very handy. Before I knew it I had four banker boxes full. The following day, I donated all four boxes to my local library. Hopefully somebody else will enjoy reading these Canadian classics and happen upon an author they will come to love.


Completely cleaning out the small bookcase in the living room also gives my Mother more room to house her own growing collection of books. My Dad doesn’t tend to read novels per say and tends to stick to the daily newspaper and monthly Ayrshire Review. But one book of Dad’s holds a special and amusing place on the bookcase. A few years ago, we cleaned out the attic at Auntie’s house. Going through boxes of books, I happened to come across the book below. Awarded to Dad when he attended St. Peters Bay North School, this book was a gem to find – even if he has no memory of receiving it. So it is an old, but recent addition to the new holdings in the Rossiter house. Out with the old and in with the new – to us.