David Adams Richards Libros

Mercy Among the Children received widespread acclaim, including a Governor General’s Award nomination and the Giller Prize. It was recognized as one of the best books of 2000, achieving national bestseller status in hardcover and gaining publication in the US and UK. The novel's focus on good and evil and the human capacity for choice places Richards in the literary tradition of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. Author Wayne Johnston noted Richards' deep affection for his characters, even when such sentiment was deemed unfashionable. Editor Tony Tremblay describes Richards as the most misunderstood Canadian writer of the century, likening him to Morley Callaghan, Kafka, and Melville. The story follows Sydney Henderson, who believes he has killed Connie Devlin after a confrontation over a sandwich. Vowing to God to never harm another, Sydney's life becomes one of selfless goodness, despite his impoverished background hindering his acceptance into university. His kindness is met with suspicion, especially when he wins the love of Elly. As he refuses to defend himself against false accusations, he faces exploitation and is implicated in a boy's death. Meanwhile, his son Lyle, feeling betrayed by his father's passivity, embraces a life of violence and moral emptiness. Set in New Brunswick’s Miramichi Valley, the novel explores universal human struggles through the lens of a small community, emphasizing the interconnectedness of individual

Another story based in the fictional rural town in Miramichi.

Janie McCleary runs one of the first movie theatres in New Brunswick. A successful woman in a world of men, she is ostracised, a victim of double-dealing and overt violence. She trusts no one outside her family. Spanning generations, RIVER OF THE BROKEN HEARTED explores the life of this formidable woman, a pioneer before the age of feminism, and her legacy as it unfolds tragically in the lives of her son and grandchildren. Written with aching compassion and masterful sophistication, musing on the tyranny of memory and history, and peers into the hearts of these extraordinary characters. There Richards finds an alchemy of veniality and goodwill, of deceit and brotherliness, of cruelty and love. Once again, David Adams Richards has brought us a work of astonishing grace, rooted on the great Miramichi River of New Brunswick, but universal in scope.

"The Raskin brothers were once proud to be producers of a much sought-after material of great benefit to society--asbestos. But now their mine is under close scientific scrutiny, with reports of serious illness linked to the place. The world is changing, no doubt for the better... But in the shadow of the mine, the values of a whole community are transforming, in more sinister ways. The Raskins' nephew Byron, a war hero and man of wealth, urges the brothers to look for other, less toxic minerals to extract. But meanwhile his own world is unravelling in ways that are unlikely ever to be fixed. His wife Carmel, whom he vaingloriously believed he was rescuing with his marriage proposal, has become an intellectual and political poseur. She and her son Albert are contemptuous of the values of Byron and his kind, while still finding use for his wealth and property. Carmel and Albert, it seems, are heralds of a new world addicted to mimicry and empty self-promotion, to delusions and temptations. Its victims are growing in number: a college professor in town is falsely accused of sexual harassment; a young woman is slipped an hallucinogen at a party with appalling consequences for her and two boys. And what of poor, naive Eva Mott, the captivating beauty who wished to be like her talented cousin Clara? Her story and the book that bears her name will haunt you. The Tragedy of Eva Mott has all the power and brilliance--and many flashes of wry humour--of David Adams Richards at the very top of his form. It will attract controversy but its fierce authenticity cannot be denied."-- Provided by publisher