Small Ceremonies

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Small Ceremonies
Small Ceremonies.jpg
First Canadian edition
Author Carol Shields
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
Publisher McGraw-Hill Ryerson
Publication date
1976
ISBN 978-0070823402

Small Ceremonies is a novel by American-Canadian writer Carol Shields, published in 1976. [1] The novel centres on Judith Gill, a university academic who is writing a biography of Susanna Moodie, depicting a year in the life of her family. [2]

The novel has sometimes been described as a roman à clef , as it was published around the same time as Shields' own real-life biography of Moodie and the protagonist's academic background closely resembled Shields's own. [3]

The novel won the Canadian Authors Association's annual award for fiction in 1977, [4] and was shortlisted for the Books in Canada First Novel Award. [5]

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References

  1. Arnold Edinborough, "What a novel should do — and four are put to the test". Financial Post , May 1, 1976.
  2. John Bryans, "Laughter amid the barbs". Vancouver Sun , May 7, 1976.
  3. Marilyn Brown, "Canadian most appealing among female novelists". Edmonton Journal , May 29, 1976.
  4. Burt Heward, "Carol Shields wins medal: Award to Ottawa novelist". Ottawa Citizen , May 25, 1977.
  5. "Two writers to share award for first novels in Canada". Ottawa Citizen , March 29, 1977.