William Robertson Davies was a Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and professor, celebrated for his distinctive literary style and profound explorations of the human psyche. His works often delve into themes of art, duality, and the search for identity, characterized by wit, intellectual humor, and masterful prose. Davies stood as one of Canada's most distinguished 'men of letters,' whose writing captivates readers with its richness and provocative depth.
In the small university town of Salterton, Ontario, dreams are quietly taking shape, or falling apart. There's the Salterton Little Theatre Company, in which professional director Valentine Rich is tormented by the amateurish efforts of his actors.
Fifth Business: "Ramsay is a man twice born, a man who has returned from the hell of the battle-grave at Passchendaele in World War I decorated with the Victoria Cross and destined to be caught in a no man's land where memory, history, and myth collide. As Ramsay tells his story, it begins to seem that from boyhood, he has exerted a perhaps mystical, perhaps pernicious, influence on those around him"--Publisher website (May 2007)
The book shows Francis Cornish, an art expert born to a wealthy family in a small Ottawa Valley town, is a man of mystery to his nephew, Arthur, and to his disappointed biographer, Simon Darcourt.
The University of St John and the Holy Ghost (known affectionately as Spook) has a problem - and an opportunity. Strange, eccentric art patron and collector Francis Cornish has died and faculty members have been made executors of his complicated will. But in the realization of their duties, they find themselves drawn into Cornish's bizarre, secretive and mystical world. In this spellbinding trilogy a host of memorable characters - defrocked, mischief-making monks, half-mad professors, gypsies and musical geniuses - become entangled in a story that involves theft, perjury, scholarship, murder, love, and the squandering of plenty of cash.
Fifth business: A retiring Canadian history professor reveals the true nature of his eerie, mystical influence on those around him
Ramsay, a decorated World War I veteran, navigates the complex interplay of memory, history, and myth as he recounts his life. His seemingly innocent actions, like throwing a snowball and teaching card tricks, reveal a deeper, possibly mystical influence on others. The narrative explores how these seemingly trivial moments are intertwined with significant consequences, illustrating that the extraordinary can emerge from the mundane. The story challenges perceptions of reality, blending the rational with the marvelous in a unique and thought-provoking manner.
Exploring the complexities of familial relationships, the narrative centers on David Staunton, a successful man grappling with the shadow of his imposing father. As he navigates therapy, he meets a diverse array of characters who aid him in confronting his past and unraveling the mystery surrounding his father's death. The Manticore blends psychological depth with fantastical elements, contributing to the rich tapestry of the Deptford Trilogy.
This story of Magnus Eisengrim, master illusionist, the most illustrious magician of his age, has been called "a spectacular, soaring work, an astounding tour de force unequaled in recent literature." World of Wonders is the final volume in Robertson Davies's celebrated Deptford Trilogy, which began with Fifth Business and The Manticore. Book jacket.
A goodhearted priest and scholar, a professor with a passion for the darker side of medieval psychology, a defrocked monk, and a rich young businessman who inherits some troublesome paintings are all helplessly beguiled by the same coed. Davies weaves together the destinies of this remarkable cast of characters, creating a wise and witty portrait of love, murder, and scholarship at a modern university.
Robertson Davies, a renowned Canadian novelist, is celebrated internationally. This work depicts his story about a Canadian university professor and features lively portrayals of the characters.
The story of Dr. Jonathan Hullah, a doctor practicing holistic healing. It chronicles his youth, including an incident in the Canadian bush where his life was saved by an Indian shaman, and describes his World War II years in the course of which he decided to practice holistic medicine. A look at the connection between spirit and body
This collection of "spooky" stories was written for and read at the annual gaudy night each year at Massey College, where the author was master for many years. The ghost stories parody, in an affectionate manner, the usual high-flown gothic language in which most ghost stories are told.
There is an important decisionto be made. The Cornish Foundation, set up with money left by the late Francis Cornish, connoisseur, collector, and notable eccentric, must decide upon wat worthy undertaking next to dispense a portion of its considerable funds.
A collection of public addresses by the Canadian scholar and novelist provide portraits of literary personalities, advice on writers and writing, and comments on academia and the modern world
Murdered by his wife's lover, Gil must spend his afterlife seated next to his murderer at a film festival, where he views the exploits of his ancestors from the Revolutionary era to his parents' time
Qui se cache derrière la fondation Cornish ? Une secte d'adorateurs du Graal ? Ou, tout simplement, un groupe de mécènes fidèles à l'esprit de leur bienfaiteur ? Mystères. Une chose est sûre : lorsqu'ils décident de monter un opéra d'Hoffmann, dont le livret inachevé vient d'être retrouvé, ils ignorent que cette initiative va provoquer une réaction en chaîne incontrôlable. Ainsi s'achève la " trilogie de Cornish ", fresque littéraire dont chaque volet est indépendant des autres, mais dont l'ensemble forme une saga unique en son genre.
