Kicking Against The Pricks

by John Metcalf

Genres: Nonfiction

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Andrew Sare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently had a conversation with a Can-lit teacher. When I asked her who she was reading she told me she was personally more interested in American writers. How sad. Mind you I haven't found it very easy to find the right path to reading the good stuff consistently. The major lit awards have been patchy at best and the New Canadian Library collection dry and disappointing. I think I'm finding my way now, but by reading Metcalf, I could have been on the right path years ago. Metcalf tells you who you should be reading in Can-lit, and who's not worth bothering with. He gives you extensive lists on either side and doesn't spare the big names from harsh criticism when they deserve it. I plan to adjust my personal reading list accordingly. He even gives the gears pretty good to some of his friends in parts of this book. But, what Metcalf might be loosing in terms of dinner invitations from the literatti - you the reader gain in knowing just who you should be reading in terms of cutting edge fiction. Even though this was written in the early 80s it is still very current. - I should mention that proclaiming who's good and who's not is only part of the book. One essay does a pretty good job categorizing and slamming his reviewers. No doubt this would fit into the poor grammar, disjointed and maybe one or two other categories. Ah well. I'll take the criticism if I can help others find the good stuff.