Short Story Discussion: "The Boat" (1968) by Alistair MacLeod
Details
Alistair MacLeod (1936–2014) was a celebrated Canadian author best known for his short stories and his 1999 novel No Great Mischief, which won the 2001 International Dublin Literary Award. Before the award, MacLeod had been largely unknown outside his native country where his stories were widely read and acclaimed. Born in Saskatchewan and raised in rural Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, his writing is deeply rooted in the rugged landscape, rhythms, and Gaelic heritage of Cape Breton Island. His major works include the short story collections The Lost Salt Gift of Blood (1976) and As Birds Bring Forth the Sun (1986), noted for their lyrical style and rich portrayal of working lives shaped by the sea, tradition, and memory in the midst of unremitting change.
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This is a series of occasional meetups (hosted by the Toronto Philosophy Meetup) to discuss short stories by various authors. Since 2023, we have read stories by James Joyce, Haruki Murakami, Anton Chekhov, Alice Munro, James Baldwin, Feng Menglong, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Raymond Carver, and others.
This time we will discuss "The Boat", a 1968 short story by the acclaimed Atlantic Canadian author Alistair MacLeod. The story portrays a son reflecting on his father’s life as a fisherman and the quiet tensions within their family.
Please read the story in advance (about 25 pages) and bring your thoughts, reactions, queries, and favourite passages to share with us at the discussion. A pdf of the text will be posted on the main event page.
Note: We'll be joined by many other participants from the Toronto Philosophy Meetup at this meeting – https://www.meetup.com/the-toronto-philosophy-meetup/events/313772486/
Check out other literature, music, film, and poetry discussions in the group every Sunday and occasionally other days.
Stories by MacLeod we've previously discussed in this group:
- The Tuning of Perfection (1984)
- Island (1988)