Spellbound Scholar by Christompher Stasheff

Spellbound Scholar by Christompher Stasheff

The image of the land is an ongoing trope in conceptions of Canada--from the national anthem and the flag to the symbols on coins--the land and nature remain linked to the Canadian sense of belonging and to the image of the nation abroad. Linguistic landscapes reflect the multi-faceted identities and cultural richness of the nations. Earlier portrayals of the land focused on unspoiled landscape, depicted in the paintings of the Group of Seven, for example. Contemporary notions of identity, belonging, and citizenship are established, contested, and legitimized within sites and institutions of public culture, heritage, and representation that reflect integration with the land, transforming landscape into landmarks. The Highway of Heroes originating at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Ontario and Grosse Ile and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site in Quebec are examples of landmarks that transform landscape into a built environment that endeavours to respect the land while using it as a site to commemorate, celebrate, and promote Canadian identity. Similarly in literature and the arts, the creation of the built environment and the interaction among those who share it is a recurrent theme.

This collection includes essays by Canadian and international scholars whose engagement with the theme stems from their disciplinary perspectives as well as from their personal and professional experience--rooted, at least partially, in their own sense of national identity and in their relationship to Canada.

Christopher Stasheff was a science fiction and fantasy novelist, as well as a teacher, actor, and technician. His career spanned four decades, with 44 novels (including translations into Czech, German, Italian, Russian, and Japanese), 29 short tales, and seven anthologies under his belt. His books are known for their wit (and poor puns), comparative political analysis, and philosophical undertones. He's always struggled to tell the difference between dream and reality, and he's tried to compensate by teaching college. He gave up teaching when it became too real for him, preferring to write full-time instead.

He has a habit of scripting his life, but he can't figure out why other people can't seem to get their lines straight. With his wife and four children, this produces a lot of misunderstanding. He writes novels because it's the only way he can direct, design, and cast all of the actors. Chris died of Parkinson's Disease in 2018.

His kind and kind attitude, eagerness to guide and advise anybody who asked, and sharp sense of humor will be cherished by his friends, family, admirers, and students. His horrible jokes, on the other hand, will be forgotten as quickly as possible.