Canada and the Idea of North examines the ways in which Canadians have defined themselves as a northern people in their literature, art, music, drama, history, geography, politics, and popular culture. From the Franklin Mystery to the comic book superheroine Nelvana, Glenn Gould's documentaries, the paintings of Lawren Harris, and Molson beer ads, the idea of the north has been central to the Canadian imagination.

Sherrill Grace's introductory essay describes the influence of Lowry's work on artists working in other media. She also includes an important letter from Lowry to the Norwegian writer Nordahl Grieg, published here, with annotations, for the first time. Jan Gabrial, Lowry's first wife, provides an intimate glimpse of Lowry in a biographical story which has been out of print for more than forty years, Hallvard Dahlie documents the connection between Lowry and Nordahl Grieg, and David Falk conjures up an image of Lowry "groping his way through a labyrinth of paper" in an attempt to salvage...