Hugh Hood

Hood, Hugh John

Hugh John Hood, writer, academic (b at Toronto 30 Apr 1928; d at Montreal 1 Aug 2000). Hood's writings present a view of Canadian experience in this century realistic in detail and emblematic in intent. A Roman Catholic, he deals with characters and situations where ordinary life embodies religious, philosophical and allegorical themes. Numerous short stories have appeared in such volumes as Flying a Red Kite (1962), Around the Mountain (1967), The Fruit Man, the Meat Man, and the Manager (1971), Dark Glasses (1976), None Genuine Without This Signature (1980) and August Nights (1985). Selected Stories appeared in 1978, while volumes in a Collected Stories series appear at intervals.

Among his novels, White Figure, White Ground (1964) is noteworthy, and 10 of the projected 12-volume New Age/nouveau siècle series (12 vols) have appeared: The Swing in the Garden (1975), A New Athens (1977), Reservoir Ravine (1979), Black and White Keys (1982), The Scenic Art (1984), The Motor Boys in Ottawa (1986), Tony's Book (1988), Property and Value (1990), Be Sure to Close Your Eyes (1993) and Dead Men's Watches (1995). He has also published 3 essay collections and a sports biography, and he became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1988. Educated at the University of Toronto, he has taught in the English department of Université de Montréal since 1961.