David Adams Richards of the Miramichi: A Biographical Introduction to His Work

Widely considered to be one of Canada’s most important authors, David Adams Richards has been honoured with a Giller Prize and two Governor General’s Literary Awards. Despite this, there has been a dearth of critical appraisal of his life and works. In David Adams Richards of the Miramichi, Tony Tremblay sheds light not only on Richards’ art and achievements, but also on Canadian literary criticism in general.

Tremblay maps out the early influences on Richards’ thinking and writing by drawing on interviews, archival records, and cultural studies of New Brunswick. He argues that the author is a more sophisticated craftsman than his critical reception has assumed and makes the case for a more nuanced analysis of his works. Equal parts literary biography, literary criticism, and cultural study of New Brunswick, David Adams Richards of the Miramichi provides a rare glimpse into the struggles and triumphs of a New Brunswick artist in a national and provincial milieu.