From Ink Lake: Canadian Stories Selected By Michael Ondaatje

by Michael Ondaatje

From Ink Canadian Stories

Genres: Short Stories, Canada, Fiction, Literary Fiction

736 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Philip Michael Ondaatje is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian poet, fiction writer, and essayist, renowned for his contributions to both poetry and prose. He was born in Colombo in 1943, to a family of Tamil and Burgher descent. Ondaatje emigrated to Canada in 1962, where he pursued his education, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto and a Master of Arts from Queen's University.
Ondaatje’s literary career began in 1967 with his poetry collection The Dainty Monsters, followed by his celebrated The Collected Works of Billy the Kid in 1970. His poetry earned him numerous accolades, including the Governor General’s Award for his collection There's a Trick with a Knife I'm Learning to Do: Poems 1973–1978 in 1979. He published 13 books of poetry, exploring diverse themes and poetic forms.
In 1992, Ondaatje gained international fame with the publication of his novel The English Patient, which won the Booker Prize and was later adapted into an Academy Award-winning film. His other notable works include In the Skin of a Lion (1987), Anil’s Ghost (2000), and Divisadero (2007), which won the Governor General’s Award. Ondaatje’s novel Warlight (2018) was longlisted for the Booker Prize.
Aside from his writing, Ondaatje has been influential in fostering Canadian literature. He served as an editor at Coach House Books, contributing to the promotion of new Canadian voices. He also co-edited Brick, A Literary Journal, and worked as a founding trustee of the Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry.
Ondaatje’s work spans various forms, including plays, documentaries, and essays. His 2002 book The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film earned him critical acclaim and won several awards. His plays have been adapted from his novels, including The Collected Works of Billy the Kid and Coming Through Slaughter.
Over his career, Ondaatje has been honored with several prestigious awards. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1988, upgraded to Companion in 2016, and received the Sri Lanka Ratna in 2005. In 2016, a new species of spider, Brignolia ondaatjei, was named in his honor.
Ondaatje’s personal life is also intertwined with his literary pursuits. He has been married to novelist Linda Spalding, and the couple co-edits Brick. He has two children from his first marriage and is the brother of philanthropist Sir Christopher Ondaatje. He was also involved in a public stand against the PEN American Center's decision to honor Charlie Hebdo in 2015, citing concerns about the publication's anti-Islamic content.
Ondaatje’s enduring influence on literature and his ability to blend personal history with universal themes in his writing continue to shape Canadian and world literature.

Reviews

[Alistair Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would highly recommend this anthology of Canadian short stories. I used it as an interlude between reading other books and enjoyed jumping in and out of this book. The stories range widely from old stories of explorers and settlers through to touching on the more recent immigrant experiences.
While very interesting and entertaining, I feel that this collection is already a bit dated. Understandably, the stories are from important Canadian writers from decades long gone but there are too few indigenous writers and too few new Canadians in my view. I was left feeling that the book was too heavily focused on stories of colonization and the colonizers. That being said, the stories are all well told and give an insight into parts of Canadian life and history.

[Kathy Stinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read most of the stories in this book aloud to my partner during long car trips over a number of years, and the rest, during the covid pandemic, in our living room. Ending with Alistair MacLeod it was tempting to give the collection 5 stars but of course such an anthology could not be of that calibre throughout. Published 30 years ago and drawing on stories published in some cases many decades previous, it doesn’t reflect the diversity of voices such an anthology would today.

[Lise Mayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this collection during the lockdown, March - May, 2020. It was too hard to read novels - I abandoned many. Just could not focus. I really think Canadian authors are the masters of the short story, and this confirmed my belief. Such a wonderful selection. Forty-seven exceptional authors. Even one I read and re-read in High School, Sinclair Ross' The Painted Door. That story gave me chills four decades ago, and still does! I couldn't read some of them, as they started off too depressing, so I'll have to go back, when times have changed. And I know I will re-read many of the stories in this collection again. My book is a colourful bandana of flags, for yummy words and turns of phrase, which I collect like a magpie. Mistry, Roy, Laurence, Leacock...the wordsmiths of our time. But...then you get to our Alice Munro, and that's it. She is the Queen. No question in my mind. I am so glad I found this book during a very difficult and depressing spring. It lifted my spirits and made me believe in the power of words, all over again.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strong anthology, an attempt in the direction of defining a national literature. It includes some remarkable stories by equally remarkable authors, and it certainly broadens one's conception of what it means or even might mean to be Canadian. It has a few flaws: not enough geographic diversity in the story selections (a bit Ontario-centric), a bit of over-reliance on stories of death and grief, insufficient selections from First Nations authors. Those flaws do not detract a great deal though from the overall impact of the collection, which is jarring and powerful. My choice for best story in the volume is Timothy Findley's remarkable "Dreams", which is one of the most gripping short stories I've read in years.

[Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

What does best of mean? And best of all the stories from one country? The stories are somewhat grouped in history of Canada's formation/colonization, nature stories, interpersonal stories, and immigrant stories. Ondaatje leans into sad and harsh stories. This lacked humorous or joyous tales. It should've had more work from First Nations authors, and was very straight in all relationships, but one, depicted. It was put together in 1990, and I cannot help but wonder how one today might be different.

[Nazifa Chowdhury · Rating 2 out of 5]

The 2 stars are for the 14/49 stories that were worth reading, in my opinion. If you can trust me, only read the following:

2
8
9
10
15
23
29
33
34
38
41
42
45
49

Enjoy!

[Trevor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ondaatje gathers all the important writers but perhaps not their best work. 6/49 stories are worth the read.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection with decent variety really enjoyed most of these and has introduced me to some new authors to try.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I've read so far is the Alice Munro story; Miles City, Montana, and as usual Alice Munro is laughing at my pathetic attempt to write fiction. It's great.

I got this book at Sabine's for $2. $2!!! That's crazy.

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adult content. This is a huge collection of Canadian stories compiled by Michael Ondaatje. I have been reading this at school lately during free reading time. Not all of the stories are to my taste, but I have been introduced to one or two Canadian authors I was not previously familiar with.