Literary Arts - Non-Fiction

Of all the literary genres considered on our site, non-fiction is the most diverse. It includes cookbooks, literary criticism and everything in between. What do Grant MacEwan and the Company's Coming cookbooks have in common? They have both achieved considerable popularity with readers.

In recent years, it is fiction writers who have received the majority of public accolades. In recent years, with prestigious awards, and the glitzy shows that accompany them, novels have dominated the spotlight. Given Alberta's strong tradition of non-fiction writing, this is a real shame.

For many Albertans, Grant MacEwan personifies the literary arts. His whimsical tales of the province's people inspired an entire generation to take a closer look at their past. Due to MacEwan's work, Alberta became a subject worthy of study by academics and the general population alike.

Since MacEwan, others have pushed non-fiction writing even further. Myrna Kostash, for example, has used the literary forum to explore her ethnic background, the Ukrainian-Canadian community. By doing so, she not only shared her unique perspective of Alberta, but also opened its fascinating and ethnically diverse history for discussion.

Even the more academic non-fiction writing has a history of offering unique perspectives. Hugh Dempsey has spent his career transcribing the stories and histories of the Blackfoot into book form. His work has introduced the non-native community to a rich and vast world that was previously beyond reach for many. Douglas Barbour, a renowned sound poet who moonlights as a university professor, pushes his non-fiction writing out into even more distant worlds with literary criticism dealing with speculative fiction.

This section is inherently eclectic. The non-fiction writers of Alberta explore everything under the sun, truly reflecting the diverse heritage of this province.