Based on his correspondence, books, and review columns, the biography views Deacon’s life in terms of this involvement and in the context of the cultural and political forces of his time. Deacon’s early years as a lawyer, his self-imposed literary apprenticeship, and his break with the law as a profession concurred with the sense of mission and destiny that were part of his Methodist family background and his personal theosophical beliefs. Coming to Toronto in 1922, he quickly established himself as the country’s premier literary reviewer and poured his energies into that role. In that decade he also published Pens and Pirates, Poteen, The Four Jameses, and the appreciative monograph Peter McArthur.
Deacon’s dismissal from Saturday Night and the Depression years tempered his zeal and broadened his awareness beyond literary horizons, although they were still the focus of his energies. His nationalism and pacifism were articulated in My Vision of Canada (1933). He also found himself more aware of the importance of literary community as he became deeply involved in the survival of Canadian writers and publishers. Deacon’s years with the Canadian Author’s Association, first as member, then as Toronto branch president, and finally as national president, witnessed the establishment of the Canadian Writers’ Foundation, the Governor-General’s Awards, the Standard Writers’ Contract, and the recognition by the federal government of special tax arrangements for Canadian writers.
The list of those who enjoyed Deacon’s friendship and support reads like a who’s who of Canadian literature, and his associations with French-Canadian writers after the Second World War broadened the cultural awareness of his readers.
His service to both reader and writer and to the culture on which both depend was without parallel – as this volume vividly reveals.
Based on his correspondence, books, and review columns, the biography views Deacon’s life in terms of this involvement and in the context of the cultural and political forces of his time. Deacon’s early years as a lawyer, his self-imposed literary apprenticeship, and his break with the law as a profession concurred with the sense of mission and destiny that were part of his Methodist family background and his personal theosophical beliefs. Coming to Toronto in 1922, he quickly established himself as the country’s premier literary reviewer and poured his energies into that role. In that decade he also published Pens and Pirates, Poteen, The Four Jameses, and the appreciative monograph Peter McArthur.
Deacon’s dismissal from Saturday Night and the Depression years tempered his zeal and broadened his awareness beyond literary horizons, although they were still the focus of his energies. His nationalism and pacifism were articulated in My Vision of Canada (1933). He also found himself more aware of the importance of literary community as he became deeply involved in the survival of Canadian writers and publishers. Deacon’s years with the Canadian Author’s Association, first as member, then as Toronto branch president, and finally as national president, witnessed the establishment of the Canadian Writers’ Foundation, the Governor-General’s Awards, the Standard Writers’ Contract, and the recognition by the federal government of special tax arrangements for Canadian writers.
The list of those who enjoyed Deacon’s friendship and support reads like a who’s who of Canadian literature, and his associations with French-Canadian writers after the Second World War broadened the cultural awareness of his readers.
His service to both reader and writer and to the culture on which both depend was without parallel – as this volume vividly reveals.
William Arthur Deacon: A Canadian Literary Life
398
William Arthur Deacon: A Canadian Literary Life
398Paperback
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781487585068 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | University of Toronto Press |
| Publication date: | 12/15/1982 |
| Series: | Heritage |
| Pages: | 398 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.82(d) |