Northern Review
Encyclopedia
Northern Review was a Montreal
-based literary magazine
published in Canada
between 1945 and 1956. It resulted from the merger between two earlier magazines, Preview and First Statement
, both of which were also Montreal-based. Poet and literary critic John Sutherland
, who founded First Statement, became the managing editor
of Northern Review. A number of well-known Canadian writers, including Patrick Anderson, A. M. Klein
, Irving Layton
, P.K. Page, F.R. Scott, and A.J.M. Smith also served as editors
for various periods. In 1947, Sutherland's scathing review of Robert Finch
's Governor General's Award
-winning book, Poems, caused all of the latter-named editors, with the exception of Layton, to resign from the magazine's editorial board. Finch was a generally respected writer at the time who had co-published with Klein, Scott, and Smith in the 1936 poetry anthology New Provinces, so Sutherland's denouncement of Finch hit a sore spot with his elder colleagues.
In spite of the controversy, Northern Review was the most significant Canadian literary magazine of its day, providing a forum for new Canadian poets with an ear for modernism
, a mode toward which many longer-established and conservative magazines, such as Canadian Poetry Magazine, were reluctant. Northern Review was also an important source for Canadian literary criticism, at a time when few critics, including Canadian ones, regarded Canadian literature
as a distinctive and worthwhile body of achievement. For all his irreverence and bluster, Sutherland distinguished himself as a perceptive voice for literary development in Canada, as did many others who contributed articles to the magazine.
By the late forties, Sutherland had established a small press
called First Statement Press as a sideline to regular issues of Northern Review. Layton's first book, Now is the Place
, (1948) was among a handful of significant books published by the press, although Layton himself left the editorial board of Northern Review that same year. The Sutherland-edited Other Canadians: An Anthology of New Poetry in Canada, 1940-46, the first major collection devoted exclusively to modern Canadian poetry, was also issued by First Statement Press.
Sutherland converted to Catholicism
in the early 1950s, and as a result Northern Review became more conservative in its editorial vision. Although Northern Review appeared destined for the more mainstream status and wider readership enjoyed by other Canadian magazines such as Canadian Forum
and Macleans, Sutherland's early death from cancer
in 1956 put an end to Northern Review. In total, forty issues of the magazine were published, enough to make it a relative success story in an era of short-lived Canadian periodicals.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
-based literary magazine
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
published in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
between 1945 and 1956. It resulted from the merger between two earlier magazines, Preview and First Statement
First Statement
First Statement was a Canadian literary magazine published in Montreal, Quebec from 1942 to 1945. During its short life the magazine, along with its rival publication Preview with which it often shared contributors, provided one of the few publication avenues for modernist Canadian poetry at a time...
, both of which were also Montreal-based. Poet and literary critic John Sutherland
John Sutherland (Canadian writer)
John Sutherland was a Canadian poet, literary critic, and magazine editor based in Montreal, Quebec. Although he published numerous poems of his own, he was perhaps better known as the founder and editor of two important Canadian literary magazines, First Statement and Northern Review...
, who founded First Statement, became the managing editor
Managing editor
A managing editor is a senior member of a publication's management team.In the United States, a managing editor oversees and coordinates the publication's editorial activities...
of Northern Review. A number of well-known Canadian writers, including Patrick Anderson, A. M. Klein
A. M. Klein
Abraham Moses Klein was a Canadian poet, journalist, novelist, short story writer, and lawyer. He has been called "One of Canada's greatest poets and a leading figure in Jewish-Canadian culture."...
, Irving Layton
Irving Layton
Irving Peter Layton, OC was a Romanian-born Canadian poet. He was known for his "tell it like it is" style which won him a wide following but also made enemies. As T...
, P.K. Page, F.R. Scott, and A.J.M. Smith also served as editors
Literary editor
A literary editor is an editor in a newspaper, magazine or similar publication who deals with aspects concerning literature and books, especially reviews. A literary editor may also help with editing books themselves, by providing services such as proof reading, copy-editing, and literary...
for various periods. In 1947, Sutherland's scathing review of Robert Finch
Robert Finch (poet)
Robert Duer Claydon Finch was a Canadian poet and academic. He twice won Canada's top literary honor, the Governor General's Award, for his poetry.-Life:...
's 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...
-winning book, Poems, caused all of the latter-named editors, with the exception of Layton, to resign from the magazine's editorial board. Finch was a generally respected writer at the time who had co-published with Klein, Scott, and Smith in the 1936 poetry anthology New Provinces, so Sutherland's denouncement of Finch hit a sore spot with his elder colleagues.
In spite of the controversy, Northern Review was the most significant Canadian literary magazine of its day, providing a forum for new Canadian poets with an ear for modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
, a mode toward which many longer-established and conservative magazines, such as Canadian Poetry Magazine, were reluctant. Northern Review was also an important source for Canadian literary criticism, at a time when few critics, including Canadian ones, regarded Canadian literature
Canadian literature
Canadian literature is literature originating from Canada. Collectively it is often called CanLit. Some criticism of Canadian literature has focused on nationalistic and regional themes, although this is only a small portion of Canadian Literary criticism...
as a distinctive and worthwhile body of achievement. For all his irreverence and bluster, Sutherland distinguished himself as a perceptive voice for literary development in Canada, as did many others who contributed articles to the magazine.
By the late forties, Sutherland had established a small press
Small press
Small press is a term often used to describe publishers with annual sales below a certain level. Commonly, in the United States, this is set at $50 million, after returns and discounts...
called First Statement Press as a sideline to regular issues of Northern Review. Layton's first book, Now is the Place
Irving Layton
Irving Peter Layton, OC was a Romanian-born Canadian poet. He was known for his "tell it like it is" style which won him a wide following but also made enemies. As T...
, (1948) was among a handful of significant books published by the press, although Layton himself left the editorial board of Northern Review that same year. The Sutherland-edited Other Canadians: An Anthology of New Poetry in Canada, 1940-46, the first major collection devoted exclusively to modern Canadian poetry, was also issued by First Statement Press.
Sutherland converted to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
in the early 1950s, and as a result Northern Review became more conservative in its editorial vision. Although Northern Review appeared destined for the more mainstream status and wider readership enjoyed by other Canadian magazines such as Canadian Forum
Canadian Forum
The Canadian Forum was a left-wing literary, cultural and political publication and Canada's longest running continually published political magazine.It was founded in 1920 at the University of Toronto as a forum for political and cultural ideas...
and Macleans, Sutherland's early death from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in 1956 put an end to Northern Review. In total, forty issues of the magazine were published, enough to make it a relative success story in an era of short-lived Canadian periodicals.