Man Descending
Encyclopedia
Man Descending is a collection of short stories
written by Saskatchewan
-born writer Guy Vanderhaeghe
. The book was first published by Macmillan of Canada in 1982 and Vanderhaeghe went on to become one of the few first-time authors to win the coveted Governor General's Award
for Fiction for this work. It also won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize
.
The book consists of 12 stories covering different ages in people's lives, ranging from teenage romance to the onset of Alzheimer's disease
. Among the more often-quoted stories in this work are "Sam, Soren and Ed" which introduced characters Vanderhaeghe would later feature in his first novel, My Present Age
, and "The Expatriates' Party" in which a high school teacher launches a profanity-laced tirade against a troublesome student.
Several stories in this collection were previously published in Canadian literary journals, magazines, and compilations. One story, "Reunion", was later reprinted in an edition of Best American Short Stories
, even though its author was Canadian.
A short film based upon the story "Man Descending" was nominated for a Genie Award
. Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge
's 2008 album Man Descending
was also named for the book.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
written by Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
-born writer Guy Vanderhaeghe
Guy Vanderhaeghe
Guy Clarence Vanderhaeghe, OC, SOM is a Canadian novelist and short story writer, best known for his two Western novels, The Englishman's Boy and The Last Crossing, set in the 19th century American and Canadian West...
. The book was first published by Macmillan of Canada in 1982 and Vanderhaeghe went on to become one of the few first-time authors to win the coveted Governor General's Award
Governor General's Award
The Governor General's Awards are a collection of awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, marking distinction in a number of academic, artistic and social fields. The first was conceived in 1937 by Lord Tweedsmuir, a prolific author of fiction and non-fiction who created the Governor...
for Fiction for this work. It also won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize
Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize
The Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize is a British literary prize established in 1963 in tribute to Geoffrey Faber, founder and first Chairman publisher Faber & Faber...
.
The book consists of 12 stories covering different ages in people's lives, ranging from teenage romance to the onset of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. Among the more often-quoted stories in this work are "Sam, Soren and Ed" which introduced characters Vanderhaeghe would later feature in his first novel, My Present Age
My Present Age
My Present Age is the title of a Canadian novel by Guy Vanderhaeghe which was first published in 1984.This was Vanderhaeghe's first full-length novel after his Governor General's Award-winning debut, the short story collection Man Descending...
, and "The Expatriates' Party" in which a high school teacher launches a profanity-laced tirade against a troublesome student.
Several stories in this collection were previously published in Canadian literary journals, magazines, and compilations. One story, "Reunion", was later reprinted in an edition of Best American Short Stories
Best American Short Stories
The Best American Short Stories yearly anthology is a part of The Best American Series published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Since 1915, the BASS anthology has striven to contain the best short stories by some of the best-known writers in contemporary American literature.-Edward O'Brien:The...
, even though its author was Canadian.
A short film based upon the story "Man Descending" was nominated for a Genie Award
12th Genie Awards
The 12th annual Genie Awards were held on November 26, 1991, and honoured Canadian films released in 1990. The awards were moved from their previous March date after the disastrous ratings of the previous awards. The format was also changed and the eligible voters reduced to 130. The ceremony was...
. Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge
Justin Rutledge
Justin Rutledge is a Toronto-based alt-country singer-songwriter signed to Six Shooter Records.Rutledge's musical style is often compared to that of American alt-country singer Ryan Adams. His influences, both of the literary and music world, include Leonard Cohen, Hank Williams, Richard Brautigan...
's 2008 album Man Descending
Man Descending (album)
Man Descending is the third album by Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge, released April 8, 2008 on Six Shooter Records.Rutledge has stated to CBC Radio 3 that the album is titled for, and to an extent thematically inspired by, Guy Vanderhaeghe's short story collection Man Descending.-Track...
was also named for the book.
Story list
- The Watcher
- Reunion
- How the Story Ends
- What I Learned from Caesar
- Drummer
- Cages
- Going to Russia
- A Taste for Perfection
- The Expatriates' Party
- Dancing Bear
- Man Descending
- Sam, Soren and Ed