First published in 1972, Columbus and the Fat Lady introduced readers to Governor General’s Literary Award–winning author Matt Cohen’s skewed and hilarious worldview. By turns funny, surreal, wistful, savagely satirical, and brilliantly inventive, the stories in this collection intrigue and surprise the reader with their unexpected language and plots. He conjures up images that are both absurd and perceptive. From Sir Galahad as a schoolteacher to Christopher Columbus as a carnival attraction, these stories feature the improbable with strength and virtuosity. This collection is a foray into the jungles of life on this planet and the tangled but fascinating interiors of the human head.
First published in 1972, Columbus and the Fat Lady introduced readers to Governor General’s Literary Award–winning author Matt Cohen’s skewed and hilarious worldview. By turns funny, surreal, wistful, savagely satirical, and brilliantly inventive, the stories in this collection intrigue and surprise the reader with their unexpected language and plots. He conjures up images that are both absurd and perceptive. From Sir Galahad as a schoolteacher to Christopher Columbus as a carnival attraction, these stories feature the improbable with strength and virtuosity. This collection is a foray into the jungles of life on this planet and the tangled but fascinating interiors of the human head.
Published By | House of Anansi Press Inc — Mar 3, 2020 |
Specifications | 224 pages | 5.5 in x 8.5 in |
Keywords | Canadian; canlit; short fiction; reissue; new edition; A List; witty; surreal; Night Cars; Margaret Atwood; Michael Winter; Lisa Moore; Dennis Lee; David Godfrey; Graeme Gibson; Roch Carrier; Marie Claire Blais; collectors edition; |
Supporting Resources
(select item to download) |
Excerpt |
Written By |
MATT COHEN (1942–99) was an acclaimed author of adult and children’s literature. His final novel, Elizabeth and After, won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction. His other novels include The Disinherited and Emotional Arithmetic, which was adapted into a feature film. He is honoured by the Writers’ Trust of Canada, of which he was a founding member, with the Matt Cohen Award, given out annually for lifetime achievement in Canadian literature. He also wrote several books for children under the pseudonym Teddy Jam. |
Written By |
MATT COHEN (1942–99) was an acclaimed author of adult and children’s literature. His final novel, Elizabeth and After, won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction. His other novels include The Disinherited and Emotional Arithmetic, which was adapted into a feature film. He is honoured by the Writers’ Trust of Canada, of which he was a founding member, with the Matt Cohen Award, given out annually for lifetime achievement in Canadian literature. He also wrote several books for children under the pseudonym Teddy Jam. |
“Cohen opens it up for you …” —Books In Canada