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Running the Whale's Back: Stories of Faith and Doubt from Atlantic Canada
In a collection as fine in scope as it is intimate in detail, Running the Whale's Back presents a host of Eastern Canada's brightest literary talents, all putting pens to paper to explore the multiple facets of what we call "faith" through a unique Atlantic vantage point.
In a satisfying mixture of styles and themes, the full breadth of Atlantic Canadian spirituality is revealed. These are pieces that poke and prod, ruminate and circulate with themes of religion and cultures of spirituality. Mysticism meets piety, holiness argues with practicality, and hope lives side by side with despair as the stories spiral and waltz themselves across the four provinces. As the authors leap from subject to subject, we discover death lurking in the lonely wilderness, ski jumpers participating in miracles, and preachers suffering marital discord.
Featured authors are Michael Crummey, Sheldon Currie, Joan Clark, David Adams Richards, Kenneth J. Harvey, Clive Doucet, Deborah Joy Corey, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Michael Hennessey, Lynn Coady, D.R. MacDonald, Jessica Grant, Michael Winter, Samuel Thomas Martin, Michelle Butler Hallett, Kathleen Winter, and Ann Copeland.
In a satisfying mixture of styles and themes, the full breadth of Atlantic Canadian spirituality is revealed. These are pieces that poke and prod, ruminate and circulate with themes of religion and cultures of spirituality. Mysticism meets piety, holiness argues with practicality, and hope lives side by side with despair as the stories spiral and waltz themselves across the four provinces. As the authors leap from subject to subject, we discover death lurking in the lonely wilderness, ski jumpers participating in miracles, and preachers suffering marital discord.
Featured authors are Michael Crummey, Sheldon Currie, Joan Clark, David Adams Richards, Kenneth J. Harvey, Clive Doucet, Deborah Joy Corey, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Michael Hennessey, Lynn Coady, D.R. MacDonald, Jessica Grant, Michael Winter, Samuel Thomas Martin, Michelle Butler Hallett, Kathleen Winter, and Ann Copeland.
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 29, 2013
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.Which was a surprise,because I rarely ever win anything,so thanks. :)
It has a charming collection of short stories from the Maritime provinces,where I live,so I immediately felt at home.
Two of the highlights of the book were the two stories Miracles and Vision.Miracles had a family who ran the gambit from an atheist younger brother,an unsure of it all father,a very practically religious mother,right to the main character,who started off as the most devout.All were presented in such a way that you could see where they were coming from in their views.
Vision was my absolute favorite of the book.It presented twists and turns throughout,taking the story here,there and everywhere.A jigsaw puzzle of a story,some aspects of it apparent,while some elements of it made you wonder,until the story took you off into yet another direction,until finally when the story is at the end,everything slips neatly into place.
The surprise of the story was My Husband's Jump.From the description I dreaded it,since that's not usually my kind of story.A woman's husband does a ski jump and never lands.I dreaded reading it,and thought of skipping it.But the lady presented the story with such humour and insight,it was almost believable.
All in all,I found the book well worth reading.
It has a charming collection of short stories from the Maritime provinces,where I live,so I immediately felt at home.
Two of the highlights of the book were the two stories Miracles and Vision.Miracles had a family who ran the gambit from an atheist younger brother,an unsure of it all father,a very practically religious mother,right to the main character,who started off as the most devout.All were presented in such a way that you could see where they were coming from in their views.
Vision was my absolute favorite of the book.It presented twists and turns throughout,taking the story here,there and everywhere.A jigsaw puzzle of a story,some aspects of it apparent,while some elements of it made you wonder,until the story took you off into yet another direction,until finally when the story is at the end,everything slips neatly into place.
The surprise of the story was My Husband's Jump.From the description I dreaded it,since that's not usually my kind of story.A woman's husband does a ski jump and never lands.I dreaded reading it,and thought of skipping it.But the lady presented the story with such humour and insight,it was almost believable.
All in all,I found the book well worth reading.
October 28, 2013
Running the Whale’s Back is a collection of short stories about people who live in Atlantic Canada. While this type of book is not my usual fare, I was immediately struck by the realistic and descriptive stories within.
I did prefer some stories over others, but I believe that was due to the different writing styles and whether I felt any connection to the characters. I didn’t find any of the stories to be ‘bad’, and each of them was interesting. Some of them were a bit gritty and harsh, but I appreciated the honesty of the story-telling.
A few of my favorites were Miracles, The Accident, and French Doors as I found them the easiest to relate to. A couple others - Two Crosses and Cave Paintings - were such sad stories that I found myself thinking of them for a few days afterwards.
I normally read a book of this length in one sitting, but I found that I took my time with this book and allowed myself to think about what I had been reading. I stopped between stories, as I was so impressed with the quality of each one. I didn’t want to get them all jumbled up in my head.
Overall, I found that this book captured me from the start and didn’t let go. It was a great treat to be exposed to such good writing, and I will be reading more from the authors of these stories in the future.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!
I did prefer some stories over others, but I believe that was due to the different writing styles and whether I felt any connection to the characters. I didn’t find any of the stories to be ‘bad’, and each of them was interesting. Some of them were a bit gritty and harsh, but I appreciated the honesty of the story-telling.
A few of my favorites were Miracles, The Accident, and French Doors as I found them the easiest to relate to. A couple others - Two Crosses and Cave Paintings - were such sad stories that I found myself thinking of them for a few days afterwards.
I normally read a book of this length in one sitting, but I found that I took my time with this book and allowed myself to think about what I had been reading. I stopped between stories, as I was so impressed with the quality of each one. I didn’t want to get them all jumbled up in my head.
Overall, I found that this book captured me from the start and didn’t let go. It was a great treat to be exposed to such good writing, and I will be reading more from the authors of these stories in the future.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!
December 2, 2014
A really standout collection that includes my very favourite short story, "Vision," and also introduced me to some new authors whose books I'm now intent on reading.
Anyone interested in Atlantic Canada and religion should pick this up.
Anyone interested in Atlantic Canada and religion should pick this up.
May 30, 2018
Great variety of authors and stories. Worth reading for the maritime context and Canadian christian perspective. While blood and death are repeated memorable and graphic images, there is also a fair amount of quiet friendship, community feeling and family ties.
January 2, 2020
A lovely variety of both authors and stories from Atlantic Canada.
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March 6, 2023I thought I'd read some short stories about back home. The writing was fine I found the stories to be too depressing and I couldn't finish the book.
August 2, 2014
This was a book of short stories, so I got to read a bunch of different authors and their writting styles. Some of the stories I really quite enjoyed, Miracle Potatoes by Clive Doucet and Rupture by Ann Copeland, I think were my favourites. A couple I didn't really enjoy too much. One was written in the 2nd person point of view, which I really have a hard time reading.
For the most part though, I quite enjoyed the stories within this book. Some were sad, and some made me laugh out loud, which for me, always makes a great read.
For the most part though, I quite enjoyed the stories within this book. Some were sad, and some made me laugh out loud, which for me, always makes a great read.
July 16, 2014
I won this book from Goodreads. Normally I love a good collection of short stories but this amalgamation bored me to tears. I have an English Lit degree and still couldn't decipher the plotlines. Obscure and pretentious, the stories offered little enlightenment and even less enjoyment.
April 13, 2015
Some really fine stories.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews