David Staines is een vooraanstaand Canadees literatuurcriticus en universitair professor met een diepgaande betrokkenheid bij zowel de middeleeuwse als de Canadese cultuur en literatuur. Zijn wetenschappelijke werk richt zich op de complexe ontwikkeling van de Canadese fictie, wat zijn toewijding aan het literaire erfgoed van het land onderstreept. Als gerespecteerd redacteur en schrijver vormen Staines' intellectuele bijdragen de Canadese literaire landschap aanzienlijk. Zijn toewijding blijkt verder uit zijn rol als voorvechter van opkomende schrijvers en zijn pleidooi voor literaire excellentie.
The first one-volume history of Canadian fiction covering its growth and development from earliest times to the present day. Recounting the struggles and the glories of this burgeoning area of investigation, it explains Canada's literary growth alongside its remarkable history.
"[A]n eminently readable text, done clearly and accurately... it gives as good an idea as a translation can of the complexity and subtlety of Chrétien's originals.... [T]his translation should attract a wide audience of students and Arthurian enthusiasts." Speculum "[A] significant contribution to the field of medieval studies [and] a pleasure to read." Library Journal "These are, above all, stories of courtly love and of knights tested in their devotion to chivalric ideals (with passion and duty often at odds); but they are also thrilling wonder stories of giants, wild men, tame lions, razor-sharp bridges and visits to the Other World." Washington Post Book World "This tastefully produced book will be the standard general translation for many years to come." Choice "... an excellent rendering of the texts... an eminently readable text, done clearly and accurately in an English style that presents few infelicities and that is just slightly more formal than that of Kibler's... it gives as good an idea as a translation can of the complexity and subtlety of Chretien's originals... The text is provided by a translator who understands the spirit as well as the letter of the original and renders it with style... this translation should attract a wide audience of students and Arthurian enthusiasts... " Speculum