Margaret Laurence

Margaret Laurence’s Followers (400)

member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo

Margaret Laurence


Born
in Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada
July 18, 1926

Died
January 05, 1987

Website

Influences
Dorothy Livesay, Hugh MacLennan, W.O Mitchell


Canada's classic authoress was born Jean Margaret Wemyss on July 18, 1926 in the prairie town of Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada. Her Mom, Verna, passed away early. Her Aunt Margaret helped her Father take care of her for a year, then they married and had a Son. Their Father died two years afterwards. Aunt Margaret was a Mother to her, raising the kids in theirr maternal Grandfather's home.

Margaret wrote stories in elementary school. Her professional writing career began in 1943 with a job at the town newspaper and continued in 1944, when she entered the Honours English program at Winnipeg's United College (University Of Winnipeg.) After graduating in 1947, she was hired as a reporter for The Winnipeg Citizen. That year, she married Jack Laurence
...more

Average rating: 3.94 · 35,260 ratings · 1,770 reviews · 48 distinct worksSimilar authors
The Stone Angel

by
3.78 avg rating — 13,376 ratings — published 1964 — 91 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Diviners

by
4.18 avg rating — 7,987 ratings — published 1974 — 60 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
A Jest of God

by
3.96 avg rating — 3,427 ratings — published 1966 — 67 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
A Bird in the House

3.95 avg rating — 2,909 ratings — published 1974 — 3 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Fire-Dwellers

by
3.91 avg rating — 1,637 ratings — published 1969 — 55 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
This Side Jordan

3.73 avg rating — 230 ratings — published 1960 — 19 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Tomorrow-Tamer

3.79 avg rating — 223 ratings — published 1963 — 24 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Prophet's Camel Bell

3.89 avg rating — 200 ratings — published 1963 — 19 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Dance on the Earth: A Memoir

4.09 avg rating — 158 ratings — published 1989 — 6 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Olden Days Coat

by
4.25 avg rating — 138 ratings — published 1979 — 6 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
More books by Margaret Laurence…
The Stone Angel A Jest of God The Fire-Dwellers A Bird in the House The Diviners
(5 books)
by
3.93 avg rating — 29,369 ratings

Quotes by Margaret Laurence  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“So, if this were indeed my Final Hour, these would be my words to you. I would not claim to pass on any secret of life, for there is none, or any wisdom except the passionate plea of caring ... Try to feel, in your heart's core, the reality of others. This is the most painful thing in the world, probably, and the most necessary. In times of personal adversity, know that you are not alone. Know that although in the eternal scheme of things you are small, you are also unique and irreplaceable, as are all of your fellow humans everywhere in the world. Know that your commitment is above all to life itself.”
Margaret Laurence

“What goes on inside isn't ever the same as what goes on outside.”
Margaret Laurence, The Fire-Dwellers

“Where I'm going, anything may happen. Nothing may happen. Maybe I will marry a middle-aged widower, or a longshoreman, or a cattle-hoof-trimmer, or a barrister or a thief. And have my children in time. Or maybe not. Most of the chances are against it. But not, I think, quite all. What will happen? What will happen. It may be that my children will always be temporary, never to be held. But so are everyone's.

I may become, in time, slightly more eccentric all the time. I may begin to wear outlandish hats, feathered and sequinned and rosetted, and dangling necklaces made from coy and tiny seashells which I've gathered myself along the beach and painted coral-pink with nail polish. And all the kids will laugh, and I'll laugh, too, in time. I will be light and straight as any feather. The wind will bear me, and I will drift and settle, and drift and settle. Anything may happen, where I'm going.”
Margaret Laurence, A Jest of God

Polls

Who is your favorite Canadian author?
(If you're having a hard time deciding, you can name your favorites in the comments.)

 
  3 votes, 27.3%

 
  2 votes, 18.2%

 
  2 votes, 18.2%

 
  1 vote, 9.1%

 
  1 vote, 9.1%

Mavis Gallant (write-in)
 
  1 vote, 9.1%

Robertson Davies
 
  1 vote, 9.1%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics posts views last activity  
Challenge: 50 Books: Sarah's booklist 2009 61 719 Sep 04, 2009 08:34AM  
The Seasonal Read...: 5.4 - I'm Glad My Mother Didn't Name Me... 78 227 Oct 17, 2010 07:53PM  
The Seasonal Read...: 30.2 - Cheryl TX's task: Alphabetically Speaking 22 190 Jan 18, 2011 10:15AM  
CanLit Challenge: The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence, #44 5 16 Jan 24, 2011 12:35PM  
The Seasonal Read...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Spring Challenge 2011 Completed Tasks (DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS) 2867 1116 May 31, 2011 09:01PM  
The Seasonal Read...: 5.5 - Maple Leaf Rag 16 118 Aug 04, 2011 03:46PM  
Chicks On Lit: Elizabeth's Reviews 225 297 Jan 23, 2012 07:51AM  
Exceptional Books: Top 100 Literary Novels of All Time 189 1390 Jun 27, 2012 06:25AM  
You'll love this ...: This topic has been closed to new comments. What have you just bought? (CLOSED) 1027 365 Sep 20, 2012 09:39AM