The Sunday Magazine

Guy Vanderhaeghe's (brief) writing crisis

Michael's conversation with the award-winning novelist ​Guy Vanderhaeghe ​about "Daddy Lenin" - his first collection of short stories in 23 years.
Michael Enright interviews author Guy Vanderhaeghe at the Toronto Public Library on April 28, 2015. (Credit: Clive Sewell)

When a bus ran over his favourite mechanical pencil - the one he used to write his first book - Guy Vanderhaeghe thought his career was over. Lucky for us, he was wrong. He's gone on to win two Governor General's Awards, and is one of Canada's most successful and best-known western writers.

Guy Vanderhaeghe was born in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan and his small town upbringing helps him create the madcap cast of characters in his novels. 

"If you grow up in a small town, you may have a wider acquaintance with human types than if you live in a big city where you can self-select", he says. 

He spoke to Michael Enright about Daddy Lenin, his latest book of short stories, in front of an audience at the Toronto Public Library.

.