Sympathetic, Generous … and Tough

It has been customary for some time to refer to the period of literary activity that began in this country in the late 1950s, gathered momentum in the 1960s and flourished for some twenty years or so after that, as the “Canadian Renaissance.” The leading writers who came to prominence at that time are now well known—at least to those who are interested in such matters. But we are only gradually coming to understand the cultural background to that movement and to recognize the people behind the scenes, as it were, who made it possible. The contributions of Jack McClelland, publisher extraordinaire, and George Woodcock, tireless commentator and first editor of Canadian Literature, are now acknowledged. That of Malcolm Ross, organizer and first general editor of the New Canadian Library, is not so well known, although Janet B. Friskey’s book on the subject is scheduled to appear almost simultaneously with the volume...