Jack Hodgins Books

Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town is a collection of stories by Stephen Leacock, published in 1912, and is regarded as a classic of Canadian humorous literature. Set in the fictional town of Mariposa, inspired by Leacock's experiences in Orillia, Ontario, the stories reflect a blend of humor and affection for small-town life. Leacock describes Mariposa as a composite of numerous towns across Canada, characterized by familiar elements like square streets, maple trees, and local churches. The characters, while based on real townspeople, embody small-town archetypes, showcasing their flaws and quirks in a lighthearted manner. This universal appeal has contributed to the work's lasting popularity. Stephen Butler Leacock, Ph.D., FRSC (1869-1944), was a Canadian writer and economist born in England. His family moved to Canada when he was six, settling on a farm that struggled financially. Despite a challenging upbringing, Leacock excelled academically, attending Upper Canada College, where he was highly regarded and became head boy. After his father abandoned the family in 1887, Leacock continued his education at University College, demonstrating resilience and intelligence that would later inform his literary career.

Broken Ground is a riveting exploration of the dark, brooding presence of the First World War in the lives of the inhabitants of a “soldier’s settlement” on Vancouver Island. From out of a stubborn, desolate landscape studded with tree stumps, the settlers of Portuguese Creek have built a new life for themselves. But when an encroaching forest fire threatens this fledgling settlement, it also intensifies the remembered horrors of war. The story of Portuguese Creek is told by several of its citizens, including a boy trying to recover from the sudden loss of his father, and a former teacher haunted by what happened to the soldiers he led in France. With a memorable cast of characters, and by turns heart-rending and tragic, humorous and humane, Broken Ground is a powerful novel that immerses us in the lives of an entire community.

Jack Hodgins begins The Invention of the World with a ferry worker waving you aboard a ship that will take you not only to Vancouver Island but into a world of magic. The far west coast of Canada has always been regarded as a "land's end" where the eccentrics of the world come to plot out the last best utopia. Hodgins both invents a world and shows how we continually invent that world in all its multiplicity. Past and present intermingle while hilarious farce rubs up against epic tragedy. Intertwined are a love story, a portrait of a nineteenth-century village, a clash between wild loggers and weight-watching town folk who have to wear a pig when they fail to meet their weight goals. Pagan myths rub shoulders with the harsh pioneer days of the British Columbia rainforest. As always with Hodgins this novel is based in character and characters. At the centre of the mystery is Donal Keneally, the mad Irish messiah who eighty years ago persuaded an entire Irish village to emigrate to Canada, there to become his slaves in the Revelations Colony of Truth. His heir is Maggie Kyle and her collection of boarders in the old Colony of Truth building. Here truly is a novel that is itself an invention of the world.

It is the summer of 1956, and although Rusty Macken is eager to leave rural Vancouver Island – and his family – for university, the events of Glory’s funeral will not make it easy. Over the course of a single day, the rambunctious Macken clan gathers at the site of the burned-down seaside hotel that was once the family base to mourn and remember the glamorous city girl who married the wildest Macken of all but never quite adapted to their country ways. By the time the sun comes up on the following day, Rusty may have participated in something of a miracle. At the very least, he will have been forced to confront the uneasy secrets of his own heart. Compassionate, hilarious, and wise, The Macken Charm brilliantly captures the joys, the frustrations, and the rich human drama of family life.

When an unknown woman steps off a beached Peruvian freighter and walks into the Vancouver Island town of Port Annie, nothing can ever be quite the same. Stalwart citizens, tired of their milltown routine, grasp at a fresh subject for gossip. Others are suddenly prepared to make momentous decisions. But eccentric old Joseph Bourne, who knows that the endless rain is going to bring a landslide down on the town, is certain that the mysterious woman has come looking for him. Jack Hodgins’ comic masterpiece is filled with social satire, and it is also filled with love, which permits this ordinary town to recollect the past with affection, and to begin its history again. First published in 1979, The Resurrection of Joseph Bourne won the Governor General’s Award for Fiction.

This book is not meant to persuade you to write novels or short stories—Jack Hodgins emphasizes that it requires significant effort. It won’t cover marketing strategies, but it addresses the challenges fiction writers face and showcases how renowned English writers have tackled them. The chapters are well-structured and include topics such as Finding Your Own Stories, Writing Skills, Setting, and Character Development to bring your characters to life. Other essential elements include Plot, Structure ("The Architecture of Story"), Point of View and Voice, and the use of Metaphors, Symbols, and Allusions. A crucial chapter on Revising discusses the effects of writing on a computer. Hodgins shares insights from his own experiences in The Story of a Story, while the final chapter, And Now What?, encourages readers to create their own writing workshops, with exercises provided throughout to enhance your fiction-writing skills. As an award-winning novelist and experienced teacher, Hodgins offers valuable lessons from his extensive background in creative writing. His courses at the University of Victoria have gained a reputation for excellence. This engaging book, filled with examples of exceptional writing, is sure to improve your writing and enhance your reading experience.