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Penguin Introduces a New Anthology of Stories It's hard to believe that the w o r l d needs another anthology o f C a n a d i a n short stories, particularly g i v e n the p u b l i s h i n g w o r l d ' s current practice o f releasing short story c o l lections by every author with the slightest literary bent. N e v e r the less, upon reading the 31 stories brought together i n this v o l u m e , it turns out that there is ample material here to justify an anthology. Indeed, this c o l l e c t i o n not o n l y helps support the c l a i m that Canada's literary forte is still the short story, it offers a panoramic v i e w o f the range o f talent currently at w o r k across the country. In this c o l l e c t i o n , we find stories from literary giants A l i c e M u n r o , Margaret A t w o o d . M a r i a n E n g e l and M a v i s Gallant, and from writers only recently risen to widespread popularity and a c c l a i m , such as C a r o l Shields, Shani M o o t o o and Jane Urquhart. Denise C h o n g , the author o f T h e C o n c u b i n e ' s C h i l d r e n , has chosen these stories carefully. She explains in the introduction her criterion for a story's inclusion in the anthology: all authors have been previously published and all stories happen w i t h i n l i v i n g memory -- hers presumably. "I wasn't l o o k i n g so much for a feminine voice i n the short story form, but rather for stories i n w h i c h women figure as central characters, where their points o f v i e w dominate, " she writes. It is interesting that although C h o n g makes a point of defending her choice o f stories and authors-- and by extension her exclusion o f others, as strictly thematic, there is a geographically correct balance o f stories from authors l i v i n g in eastern, central and western Canada. T w o stories from Q u é b é c o i s writers M o n i q u e Pourlx and Helene R i o u x are also included. In these stories, the interior and emotional w o r l d o f mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, w i d o w s and lovers is explored. B y pooling together c o m p e l l i n g tales about the lives o f children, adolescents, m i d dle aged matrons and w o m e n in their 'twilight years', C h o n g has w o v e n a rich tapestry o f the female experience. M a n y o f the stories, including my favourite. B o n n i e Burnard's C r u s h , a tale o f sexual awakening, or Isabel H u g g a n ' s Secrets, about the secrets w o m e n keep from their husbands and c h i l dren, reflect moments i n every w o m a n ' s life. Others, like Margaret G i b s o n ' s T h e House That Stan and Rosie B u i l t , about a marriage filled with lost dreams and long repressed hate, or Joyce M a r s h a l l ' s B l o o d and Bone, about the uncomfortable reunion between an adopted teenager and her birth mother, portray with piercing insight lives most o f us can only imagine. S o m e o f the best stories deal w i t h the conflicting loyalties that arise from the various roles a w o m a n must play in her life. Despite a slightly contrived punchline ending, A u d r e y T h o m a s ' story Harry and Violet brilliantly evokes this tension. In it, the narrator struggles to reconcile her feelings for her lover, with her love for her c h i l d . The mutual antipathy between her and the key people in her life keeps the narrator in a constantly alternating state o f empathy, despair, resentment, hope, guild and resignation. A n d in Cloister by A n n C o p e l a n d . a young nun struggles to adhere to the code o f behaviour demanded by the church as the priest w h o is her mentor and confidant offers her comfort that crosses an unspoken line. The anthology's biggest shortcoming is the lack o f biographical information on the authors. Perhaps we are expected to k n o w our Canadian authors w e l l enough that this background material was deemed unnecessary, but it is irritating not to have each author's publishing history included. Furthermore, explaining the context in w h i c h these authors penned their works, and where the stories have literature by Patricia Sculthorpe been previously published, w o u l d have vastly i m p r o v e d the c o l l e c t i o n . A n d it w o u l d have made this w o r k a much more valuable text for those studying the Canadian short story. W e can o n l y hope that i n subsequent editions o f this admirable c o l l e c t i o n this deficiency w i l l be corrected. - Patricia Sculthorpe is a scholar who lives in Ontario. The Penguin Anthology Canadian Women of Stories by selected by Denise C h o n g V i k i n g Canada 512 pp., $35.00 hardcover C A P IT H E A T R E TWELFTH NIGHT Shakespeare's most endearing comedy N o v . 13 - 22, 1997 Thürs. - Sat. All performances at 8 p m Capilano Performing Arts Theatre 2 0 5 5 Purcell Way N o r t h Vancouver Tickets and Information 990-7810 U p c o m i n g in our new studio theatre T O P GIRLS by Caryl Churchill Nov. 2 4 - 2 9 , 1997 f » Capilano B College