Historical Fictionistas discussion

Hi all! So this month, we're going to be celebrating July 1st, Canada Day! This is the day in 1867 when Canada was united in the Dominion of Canada.

So for this month, please nominate a book either set in Canada or written by a Canadian author.

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Eligibility Criteria:
- Can be any type of historical fiction or period fiction, including historical nonfiction. Must meet our 50 year rule. If the story is primarily set less than 50 years in the past from when it was written, it is not eligible.

- Series books: Books must be read by the group in order of publication.
If the GR series page is ordered by story chronology, it is acceptable to nominate books other than the first in the series, as long as the publication order is followed.

- Self-published and small or Indy press books are fine, but they MUST be available in print format (in addition to any ebook options), and must be available internationally.

- No self-nominations.

Here's the nomination info again:
The poll will be limited to TEN books only. Each person gets ONE nomination and ONE second, each. Nominations will need to be seconded to make it onto the poll, up to ten, determined by number of times each book has been seconded.

For a refresher on the process, view the full post here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Nomination Rules:
Please check to make sure that we have not already read the book you're nominating. You can check this thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Or the group bookshelf: https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...

Please include (and preferably link to) the title and the author in text, not cover images. Book cover images without a text title will not be counted. Nominations without book AND author will not be counted.

Nominations must now be accompanied by a brief explanation about how your nomination fits the theme. I will not accept a nomination without this.

The nominations will run until the 22nd, and the poll will go up on the 23rd and run through the 30th. :)

I would like to nominate Promised to the Crown by Aimie K. Runyan. It is about women who leave their homes in France in the late 17th century to marry men in Canada.

On a related note, this is an interesting theme--I haven't been exposed much to Canadian history, so I'll be interested to read whatever wins!

When Calls the Heartby Janette Oke

I second Promised to the Crown.

I would like to nominate Growing Pains: The Autobiography of Emily Carr. Emily Carr was a Canadian artist and writer who wrote beautiful prose and worked with Canadian First Nations. I read Klee Wyck by her and was impressed. She died in 1945 which is now more than 50 years ago.

I nominate I heard the owl call my name by Margaret Craven Set in British Columbia it is about the clash between old traditions with new ways.

The Orenda by the amazing Joseph Boyden. Set in about the year 1625, Boyden describes it as Year Zero for Canada. A jesuit priest stumbles into the wilderness, looking of course to find converts among the "savages," instead he finds himself caught up in a war between the Huron and the Iroquois. The two other main characters are a young Iroquois girl (Orenda is the Iroquois word for 'spirit') and a Huron warrior. There is violence, no doubt, but those were violent times. Boyden, it should be mentioned, is part Cree and brings both historical accuracy and a real emotional regard for the characters and cultures.

I would like to nominate Alias Grace, by Margaret Atwood. Set in Toronto in 1843, and based on a true case, in which Grace Marks is accused and convicted of the murder of her employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper/mistress, Nancy Montgomery.

But she has no memory of the crime, and is frequently in the "mad wing" of the prison hospital. Will she remember what happened? Will she be executed, or pardoned?

I will second Alias Grace.

Glenn wrote: "The Orenda by the amazing Joseph Boyden. Set in about the year 1625, Boyden describes it as Year Zero for Canada. A jesuit priest stumbles into the wilderness, lookin..."

I second The Orenda! I was going to nominate it too! Joseph Boyden's Three Day Road was excellent, so I've been wanting to read more of his books!

Jayme, can you add an explanation to your nom? I've added that as a requirement going forward. Thanks!

I suggest: I Heard the Owl Call My Name . A young pastor is sent to British Columbia, to minister to a congregation of the native people there. Through his interaction with the people, Pastor Mark learns what is important in life.

Jane I have already nominated I heard the owl
Call
My name. Perhaps you could second my nomination?

Nominated and Seconded:
Promised to the Crown - 1 second
Alias Grace - 1 second
The Orenda - 1 second
I Heard the Owl Call My Name - 1 second


Nominated, Not Yet Seconded:
Growing Pains: The Autobiography of Emily Carr


Ineligible or Incorrectly Nominated:
When Calls the Heart - Missing explanation of nomination

Margaret wrote: "Jane I have already nominated I heard the owl
Call
My name. Perhaps you could second my nomination?"

I'm counting it as a second unless Jane specifies otherwise. :)

I nominate The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston. A novel set in Newfoundland from the 1910s to the 1950s, it tells the story of Joey Smallwood, a historical figure who brought Newfoundland into confederation with Canada and became the first premier of the province of Newfoundland, and Sheilagh Fielding, a (fictional) journalist who is Smallwood's foil, intermittent love interest and conscience.

I also nominate The Orenda. I should add that the word "Orenda" does not simply refer to "spirit", it's actually a very complicated concept best described as positive spiritual energy. It's very tempting to think of it as similar to the"Yang" of the Yin and Yang duality, but unfortunately the original meaning has probably been distorted or altered over time and we may never know exactly what it was originally meant to entail. Believe me, I'm a Kanien'keha:ka (Mohawk) and even though I'm no authority on the subject, I can say that I do know a thing or two about my own culture. Hopefully this bit of knowledge improves the understanding and overall reading experience of those who'd like to read it :).

I second Colony of unrequited dreams

I nominate Elle by Douglas Glover, based on a true story of a young French girl abandoned on an island off the coast of Canada during the 16th century - crackling prose and a very original take on a "first contact" story.

Kahawihson wrote: "I also nominate The Orenda. I should add that the word "Orenda" does not simply refer to "spirit", it's actually a very complicated concept best described as positive spiritual ener..."

That's fantastic. I do hope it's this book and that we would get to have your insights into the culture as we read.

I also second Promised to the Crown

Hi, everyone!
I nominate Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden. is a First World War novel told through the eyes of two Canadian Cree Indians: Niska, the last Indian woman living off the land in Canada, and her nephew, Xavier, who reluctantly joins the far-away war at the urging of his only friend, Elijah - a Cree boy raised in the reservation schools.

Three Day Road is a novel about war and loyalty; ancestors and history; friendship and family and the dark secrets of the human heart.

I second The Orenda by Joseph Boyden .

I nominate Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell. Shandi Mitchell is Canadian.

Under This Broken Sky, published in 2009, takes place in 1938. Here's an excerpt from the GR summary:

Spring 1938. After nearly two years in prison for the crime of stealing his own grain, Ukrainian immigrant Teodor Mykolayenko is a free man. While he was gone, his wife, Maria; their five children; and his sister, Anna, struggled to survive on the harsh northern Canadian prairie, but now Teodor—a man who has overcome drought, starvation, and Stalin's purges—is determined to make a better life for them. As he tirelessly clears the untamed land, Teodor begins to heal himself and his children. But the family's hopes and newfound happiness are short-lived. Anna's rogue husband, the arrogant and scheming Stefan, unexpectedly returns, stirring up rancor and discord that will end in violence and tragedy.

More at the author's website, linked below.

http://www.shandimitchell.com/

I’ll second Elle.

Nominated and Seconded:
The Orenda - 4 seconds
Promised to the Crown - 2 seconds
Alias Grace - 2 seconds
I Heard the Owl Call My Name - 1 second
The Colony of Unrequited Dreams - 1 second
Elle -1 second


Nominated, Not Yet Seconded:
Growing Pains: The Autobiography of Emily Carr
Three Day Road
Under This Unbroken Sky
Tides of Honour


Ineligible or Incorrectly Nominated:
When Calls the Heart - Missing explanation of nomination

I'll second Alias Grace.

Tania wrote: "I'll second Alias Grace."

Got it.

I'll second The Orenda

Gail wrote: "I'll second The Orenda"

Got it.

I nominate All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews.

Clif, please provide a brief explanation of your nomination (how it fits the theme) for it to be counted. This is now a requirement. Thanks!

I nominate Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather.
Best known for her stories of the American prairie, Willa Cather turns her attentions to the colonial New France settlement of Kebec. In this beautifully written novel, we follow Cecile and her apothecary father as they face the hardships and challenges of building a new world. As the years pass, the community of settlers forge new rituals and lessen the ties with the old world, creating the city we know as Quebec.

Nominated and Seconded:
The Orenda - 4 seconds
Promised to the Crown - 2 seconds
Alias Grace - 2 seconds
I Heard the Owl Call My Name - 1 second
The Colony of Unrequited Dreams - 1 second
Elle -1 second
Tides of Honour - 1 second


Nominated, Not Yet Seconded:
Growing Pains: The Autobiography of Emily Carr
Three Day Road
Under This Unbroken Sky
Shadows on the Rock
Bird's Eye View


Ineligible or Incorrectly Nominated:
When Calls the Heart - Missing explanation of nomination
All My Puny Sorrows - Missing explanation of nomination

I nominate Bird's Eye View by Elinor Florence who is a Canadian author. The novel starts out in Canada at the beginning of WWII. The main character is a young lady who will eventually be involved in espionage work in Britain because of her skill at interpreting photos taken by pilots flying over Germany. I found it fascinating and would love to read it again.

I second Tides of Honour by Genevieve Graham

Ok, I second I Heard the Owl Call My Name instead of nominating it. Or, Becky, did you already change me to a second?

Jane wrote: "Ok, I second I Heard the Owl Call My Name instead of nominating it. Or, Becky, did you already change me to a second?"

Yes, I did. :) Though I would of course have removed it if you decided not to second it.

Monica and Peggy - got it.

Thank you, Peggy, for nominating my novel. I don't want to be crass enough to second my own book, Bird's Eye View, but I promise it is a good read. It's the only novel ever written about a Canadian woman in uniform. Check out the reviews.

I second Alias Grace.

Nominated and Seconded:
The Orenda - 4 seconds
Alias Grace - 3 seconds
Promised to the Crown - 2 seconds
I Heard the Owl Call My Name - 1 second
The Colony of Unrequited Dreams - 1 second
Elle -1 second
Tides of Honour - 1 second


Nominated, Not Yet Seconded:
Growing Pains: The Autobiography of Emily Carr
Three Day Road
Under This Unbroken Sky
Shadows on the Rock
Bird's Eye View


Ineligible or Incorrectly Nominated:
When Calls the Heart - Missing explanation of nomination
All My Puny Sorrows - Missing explanation of nomination

I nominate The Skystone by Jack Whyte who adopted Canada 40+ years ago and has lived there ever since.

I nominate When Calls the Heart by Janette Okebecause it takes place in Canada during the 1800's. A schoolteacher comes out to the Canadian West to a rural mining town.

Hi All, I second both Three Day Road and The Orenda.

I believe we're limited to one seconding.

I second Alias Grace

Nominated and Seconded:
The Orenda - 4 seconds
Alias Grace - 4 seconds
Promised to the Crown - 2 seconds
I Heard the Owl Call My Name - 1 second
The Colony of Unrequited Dreams - 1 second
Elle -1 second
Tides of Honour - 1 second
Three Day Road - 1 second


Nominated, Not Yet Seconded:
Growing Pains: The Autobiography of Emily Carr
Under This Unbroken Sky
Shadows on the Rock
Bird's Eye View
The Skystone
When Calls the Heart


Ineligible or Incorrectly Nominated:
All My Puny Sorrows - Missing explanation of nomination

Jimmy wrote: "Hi All, I second both Three Day Road and The Orenda."

You can only second one title. I put you down for Three Day Road, but if you want to change it, let me know.

I second Shadows on the Rock

I second Bird's Eye View.