Mordecai Richler

Mordecai Richler wanted to be “an honest witness” to his time, his place. He became one of the greatest novelists in Canada and the world. Born to an immigrant Jewish family in Montreal, he escaped early to the cultural hotbed of Europe. There he remained for 20 years until his work demanded a return to Montreal, the city of his inspiration. He struggled with his craft. “I want to always go deeper, get closer,” he said. His work — novels, essays, short stories, children’s books — was evocative and provocative. Though he made enemies, for many readers around the world his is the harsh, authentic voice of immigrant life in Canada.