Ethel Wilson Books

The narrative follows Miss Topaz Edgeworth, a character who embodies unwavering optimism throughout her century-long life. Her unique blend of outdated and unconventional traits, along with her complex yet charming personality, makes her a standout figure in Canadian literature. The story is crafted through a remarkable narrative technique that highlights the enchanting aspects of her consciousness. Ethel Wilson's 1949 work, The Innocent Traveller, showcases her most original literary achievement, offering readers a delightful exploration of a largely unexamined life.

Ordinary lives are explored in extraordinary ways through two novellas. "Tuesday and Wednesday" follows Mort and Myrtle Johnson as their lackluster marriage is unexpectedly altered by fate's tragic hand. In "Lilly's Story," a mother creates a new identity to shield her daughter, ultimately becoming a fugitive from her own happiness. Ethel Wilson's insightful and compassionate storytelling captures the complexities of human relationships and the impact of unforeseen circumstances.

Set in a small British Columbia town, the story unfolds as Mrs. Dorval, a woman with a hidden past, befriends young Frankie Burnaby. As Frankie uncovers the layers of Hetty's life, she discovers that the captivating figure she admires may also pose a significant threat. The narrative explores themes of identity, deception, and the complexities of human relationships against the backdrop of a picturesque yet mysterious setting.

Walking out on a demoralizing second marriage, Maggie Lloyd leaves Vancouver to work at a fishing lodge in the interior of British Columbia. But the serenity of Maggie’s new surroundings is soon disturbed by the irrational jealousy of the lodge-keeper’s wife. Restoring her own broken spirit, Maggie must also become a healer to others. In this, she is supported by her eccentric friend, Nell Severance, whose pearl-handled revolver – the Swamp Angel – becomes Maggie’s ambiguous talisman and the novel’s symbolic core.Ethel Wilson’s best-loved novel, Swamp Angel first appeared in 1954. It remains an astute and powerful study of one woman’s integrity and of the redemptive power of compassion.

Ethel Wilson's collection showcases her remarkable storytelling range through eighteen stories that blend gentle mockery and absurdity. Each piece reveals the complexities of everyday life, exploring themes of chance and coincidence that can take dark turns. With masterful narrative control, Wilson delves into both the mundane and the irrational, capturing the timeless nature of human experience while highlighting moments where the ordinary becomes unsettling.