Laura Goodman Salverson (December 9, 1890 – July 13, 1970) was a Canadian author.[1] Her work reflected her Icelandic heritage. Two of her books won Governor General's awards for literature.
Laura Salverson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Laura Goodman December 9, 1890 Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Died | July 13, 1970 (aged 79) Toronto, Ontario |
| Genre | Novel |
Early life
editSalverson was born Laura Goodman in Winnipeg, Manitoba,[1] the daughter of Lárus Guðmundsson and Ingibjörg Guðmundsdóttir who immigrated to Winnipeg in 1887 from Grundir in Bolungarvík, Iceland. She married George Salverson in 1913.
Career
editWhile a young housewife and mother, Salverson began writing poetry. Several of her poems were published by local newspapers.[2]
In 1923 Salverson published her first novel. The Viking Heart.[3] She went on to write several novels based on Icelandic sagas and themes. Many of the characters in her stories were Scandinavian and German.[4]
Salverson wrote about her experiences with poverty and racial prejudice.[5] Her writings reflected her belief that Icelandic immigrants to Canada should maintain and support their Icelandic culture.[6] In 1939 she wrote an autobiography.[7]
Works
edit- The Viking Heart (1923)
- When Sparrows Fall (1925)
- Wayside Gleams (1925)
- Lord of the Silver Dragons (1927)
- The Dove (1933)
- The Dark Weaver: Against the Sombre Background of the Old Generations Flame the Scarlet Banners of the New (1937), winner of a 1937 Governor General's Award
- Black Lace (1938)
- Confessions of an Immigrant's Daughter (1939), winner of a 1939 Governor General's Award
- Immortal Rock: The Saga of the Kensington Stone (1954), winner of the 1954 Ryerson Fiction Award
References
edit- ^ a b Laura Salverson in The Canadian Encyclopedia.
- ^ Merna Forster (12 November 2014). Canadian Heroines 2-Book Bundle: 100 Canadian Heroines / 100 More Canadian Heroines. Dundurn. p. 210. ISBN 978-1-4597-3087-8.
- ^ George Melnyk (1998). The Literary History of Alberta: From Writing-on-Stone to World War Two. University of Alberta. pp. 103–. ISBN 978-0-88864-296-7.
- ^ Terrence Craig (30 October 2010). Racial Attitudes in English-Canadian Fiction, 1905-1980. Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-55458-661-5.
- ^ Julie Rak (2 August 2009). Auto/biography in Canada: Critical Directions. Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-55458-771-1.
- ^ Daisy Neijmann (1997). Icelandic Voice in Canadian Letters: The Contribution of Icelandic-Canadian Writers to Canadian Literature. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. p. 183. ISBN 978-0-88629-317-8.
- ^ Norah Story (June 1967). The Oxford companion to Canadian history and literature. Oxford University Press. p. 744.
External links
edit- Works by Laura Goodman Salverson at Faded Page (Canada)
- Works by Laura Salverson at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
- Laura Goodman Salverson fonds, LMS-0016 are held at Library and Archives Canada. There are other complementary material in Laura Goodman Salverson fonds (R5600)
