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The Heart of a Peacock book cover
The Heart of a Peacock
1986
First Published
4.14
Average Rating
260
Number of Pages

A collection of short stories about people and animals by the legendary Emily Carr that mingle the sad and the joyous, the cruel and the tender, in her unique style. The Heart of a Peacock is a collection of 51 short stories by the legendary writer and painter Emily Carr. The stories are arranged in themes such as her experiences with Native people, her adventures with various beloved creatures (particularly birds), her love of nature, and a whole section of stories about her mischievous pet monkey Woo. Together, they underline Emily Carr’s place as a writer with the sharp yet tender eye of an artist, with a deep feeling for the tragedies of life and with a rich sense of the comic. The Heart of a Peacock has been in print ever since its publication in 1953, and, like her other books, has been read and loved by a couple of generations. The book is enhanced by seven of Carr’s own line drawings of scenes from nature. Carr’s first book, published in 1941, was titled Klee Wyck, won the Governor General’s Literary Award for non-fiction. Her writing is vital and direct, aware and poignant, as well regarded today as when first published.

Avg Rating
4.14
Number of Ratings
63
5 STARS
33%
4 STARS
48%
3 STARS
19%
2 STARS
0%
1 STARS
0%
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Author

Emily Carr
Emily Carr
Author · 16 books
Emily Carr (December 13, 1871 – March 2, 1945) was a Canadian artist and writer heavily inspired by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. One of the first painters in Canada to adopt a post-impressionist painting style, Carr did not receive widespread recognition for her work until later in her life. As she matured, the subject matter of her painting shifted from aboriginal themes to landscapes, and, in particular, forest scenes. As a writer, Carr was one of the earliest chroniclers of life in British Columbia. The Canadian Encyclopedia describes her as a "Canadian icon".
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