15 Toronto Books in 15 Minutes

In the spirit of participation, but mostly because my postings on here have been both sporadic and anemic, I'm taking up the 15 Toronto Books in 15 Minutes meme, which I first read about on Rose-coloured; her list is here (make sure you read the comments because there are some excellent suggestions for further reading), and which she read about on Kate's Book Blog, with her list here. My first thought to this was, There's no way I'm going to be able to come up with 15 books that are set in Toronto, never mind 15 books that I like. Yet, within about five minutes I was able to rattle off about 10. (My rules weren't too strict: if I thought some of it was set in Toronto, it could be listed.) In the end I was able to conjure around 20 titles, which I've whittled down to these 15 (in no particular order):

Cat's Eye/The Robber Bride/Alias Grace – Margaret Atwood
I'm lumping these three together under the banner of "Atwood Corporation." (I suppose one could also include The Blind Assassin, but I'm not a big fan of that work.) Interestingly, perhaps, Cat's Eye was the first book I remember reading that used Toronto extensively as a backdrop, just as the city itself was entering my consciousness. I was still a teenager at the time and living in the suburbs, but would go downtown often to shop at Sam The Record Man (R.I.P.). About two years later, I became a full-flown Toronto resident when I started my undergrad studies. If memory serves, the main character in Cat's Eye worked for a time at Swiss Chalet, most likely the one that used to be across the street from the Royal Conservatory (which was, I believe, the first one in the city; I heard Robertson Davies used to eat there). It's since been demolished to make room for a condominium. Blah. Of these three books, Alias Grace, with its mid-1800s Toronto setting, is the one I enjoyed the most (although Robber Bride comes a close second).

Unless – Carol Shields
My personal favourite of Shields' work. The Toronto scenes involving her daughter take place in the neighbourhood I was living at the time (Bathurst/Bloor), making things that much more immediate.

The Rebel Angels – Robertson Davies
While the university setting is fictional, it's supposedly based on the University of Toronto's Trinity College (with a further nod to Massey College, where Davies was the Master for many years). This book is great fun, and contains the best character Davies created, Parlabane.

King Leary – Paul Quarrington
I read this and Quarrington's other great comic novel, Whale Music, back to back. I was playing a lot of shinny hockey on a makeshift, primitive rink on Brunswick Ave. when I read this, which added to the fun of reading a book about the sport.

The Romantic – Barbara Gowdy
Truthfully, I don't remember much about this novel, except how much I enjoyed it when I read it. I was also single at the time and most likely believed in an idealistic, romantic love, so I was probably an easy target for this kind of book. Oddly, and this is something I should correct, it's the only Gowdy book I've read.

The City Man – Howard Akler
Yes, the author is one of my oldest, closest and dearest friends. (I think he might have bought me King Leary, actually. And the rink on Brunswick where we played hockey was across the street from his dive-y basement apartment.) Yes, the author was passing me bourbons bought for him at the launch of this book (he had an open tab for his own bourbon). Despite all that, this book is flat-out wonderful. Beautiful, spare, hard-boiled language, and a fun story to boot. Who knew there was so much to know about pick pocketing?

Fugitive Pieces – Anne Michaels
After struggling through the first 50 or so pages with Michaels' poetic prose, it finally "clicked." And even though about half (I think) of the book takes place in Toronto, the scenes in Greece are the most beautiful and memorable.

Typing in 26 Keys – Matt Cohen
I read two memoirs back to back dealing with similar time frames: George (formally Doug) Fetherling's Travels By Night: A Memoir of the Sixties, and Cohen's book, and much preferred Cohen's. (And any book that pisses off Robert Fulford must be doing something right.) It made me wish I was around in the late 1960s and hanging out with the Rochdale College crowd. (It also made me wonder: when is Dennis Lee, who is perhaps the most influential person from that whole period, going to pen a memoir?) Even though I enjoyed this book, I've still yet to finish one of Cohen's novels. And I probably never will.

Shadowmaker: The Life of Gwendolyn MacEwen – Rosemary Sullivan
I really should put a Gwen MacEwen poetry collection here instead of this fantastic biography, but MacEwen's work doesn't necessarily seem rooted in Toronto. It doesn't need Toronto, in other words – MacEwen's poetry lives and breathes in some other mystical, magical place. Yet Sullivan's book truly evokes the city, particularly the 1960s when the Bohemian Embassy played such an important role in the development of this city's literary culture. A fascinating study of a poet whose stature will only continue to grow with each passing year. (MacEwen died in her apartment on Robert St., the same street I lived on for about four years.)

In the Skin of a Lion – Michael Ondaatje
Not much to say except that it's perhaps the greatest of all Toronto books, particularly Ondaatje's wondrous descriptions of the construction of the Bloor St. viaduct and the Harris Filtration Plant. A book that's essential to understanding the immigrant experience of early Toronto.

Consolation – Michael Redhill
Enjoyable for a glimpse into early Toronto, as well as early photographic techniques! Redhill nicely weaves the two separate narratives into a cohesive whole. (Yikes, does that sentence sound pretentious?)

1978 – Daniel Jones
I got interested in this novel because of some correspondence I came across in my work from Jones (who was known primarily by that one-name moniker). He's one of the most interesting figures in the Toronto small press literary scene, and his poetry readings, from my understanding, would sometimes feature his penis. He struggled with depression and committed suicide in 1994. This novel captures the punk-fueled Toronto scene in the late 1970s. It's lively, energetic and chaotic, much like the years it depicts. You can read an excerpt here.

Save Me, Joe Louis – MT Kelly
I put this on the list because Kelly captures the tawdry, somewhat depressing world of boxing so evocatively. Also, the author gave me an autographed copy of a book about cats and a nice bottle of red wine about two years ago. I'm easily bought.

Raymond and Hannah – Stephen Marche
A wonderful and unconventional love story. Not to mention it explores the modern romance, where e-mail can play a significant role in the wooing process. Parts of this book are set in my workplace as well, which breeds familiarity. Other parts are set in Israel, which is not as familiar.

Once – Rebecca Rosenblum
No, I'm not including this because her blog gave me the idea for this post... But because it's the most recent book set in the city that I enjoyed. Perhaps oddly, given how I consider myself an urban dweller, my favourite scenes in the stories tend to take place in the outer reaches of the city, such as the buses that reach out to the more distant Toronto and the extended city's strip malls. (That being said, I found myself on the 123 Shorncliffe route last night at 10:00, which was a somewhat surreal experience.) Besides, she gives good blog.

Please note: no Russell Smith.