Swann: A Mystery is a novel by the late Carol Shields

Carol Shields

Carol Ann Shields, CC, OM, FRSC, MA was an American-born Canadian author. She is best known for her 1993 novel The Stone Diaries, which won the U.S. Pulitzer Prize for Fiction as well as the Governor General's Award in Canada.-Biography:Shields was born in Oak Park, Illinois...

 which details the impact of an obscure Canadian

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...

 poet, Mary Swann, upon four individuals: a feminist literary critic, the poet's biographer, a small-town librarian, and a crusty, brilliant newspaper editor. The book is divided into five sections, the first four each centering on one of the characters, and the last detailing (in screenplay format) what happens when all congregate for a conference on Swann.

First published by Stoddart Publishing in 1987, the novel was inspired by the 1975 murder of Canadian poet Pat Lowther

Pat Lowther

Patricia Louise Lowther was a Canadian poet. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, she grew up in the neighboring city of North Vancouver.-Life:...

.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

The novel served as the basis of a 1996 feature film, Swann, directed by Anna Benson Gyles and starring Miranda Richardson

Miranda Richardson

Miranda Jane Richardson is an English stage, film and television actor. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and has won two Golden Globes and a BAFTA during her career....

, Brenda Fricker

Brenda Fricker

Brenda Fricker is an Irish actress of theatre, film and television. She had appeared in more than 30 films and television roles...

, Sean McCann

Sean McCann (actor)

Sean McCann is one of Canada's most successful character actors and has been in the business for over 40 years. Winner of the prestigious Earle Grey Award for his lifetime achievement in television, Sean McCann has appeared in over 150 movies, television shows and plays.- Notable roles and awards...

, Michael Ontkean

Michael Ontkean

Michael Leonard Ontkean is a Canadian actor. He is best known for the 1970s crime drama The Rookies, the film Slap Shot , and the cult-favorite TV series Twin Peaks .-Life and career:...

 and John Neville. Written by David Young

David Young (Canadian playwright)

David Samuel D'Arcy Young is a Canadian playwright, novelist, and screenwriter.Born in Oakville, Ontario, Young studied at the University of Western Ontario...

, it was nominated for five Genie Awards.