Klee Wyck
Publisher Description
An Apple Books Classic edition.
One of Canadian artist Emily Carr’s paintings sold for more than $3.3 million in 2013, setting a record for work by a Canadian woman. And Carr was just as gifted as an author as she was a painter.
In Klee Wyck she shares literary sketches of her experiences among the First Nations of Canada’s west coast. We travel alongside Carr as she meets generous and curious people who, despite their initial distrust, open their hearts and minds to Klee Wyck (the "Laughing One"), as they call her. Carr describes the poverty and challenges these indigenous communities face, and she marvels at their pride, traditions, and the artistry of their totem poles. Be on the lookout for sections of Carr’s memoir that were originally removed, including a portrait of a mixed-race family and vignettes condemning European missionaries. These deleted passages were finally released in 2004.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Canadian painter Emily Carr chronicles her time with First Nations people in these light-hearted vignettes from 1941, after she turned to writing in her final years. The title Klee Wyck translates to “Laughing One,” the nickname given to her by the native people based on the preserved national parkland of Vancouver Island. In episodes often just a few pages long, Carr captures the Pacific Northwest’s majestic landscape and untamed wilderness with conversational persuasiveness. Short yet soulful, this is a lasting snapshot of meaningful cultural intersections related by a sensitive and curious guide.
