Robertson Davies

Robertson Davies was a highly accomplished Canadian author, born in 1913 in Renfrew, Ontario. His career spanned various fields, including playwriting, criticism, journalism, and professorship. Davies was well-educated, having attended Upper Canada College and Queen's University in Kingston before traveling to England, where he earned a Bachelor of Letters degree at Balliol College, Oxford. It was during his time in England that he met his wife, Brenda.

As a prominent figure in the literary world, Davies was known for his prolific output, with over 80 distinct works to his name. His novels, in particular, have left an indelible mark on Canadian literature. Some of his most notable works include the Salterton Trilogy, the Deptford Trilogy, the Cornish Trilogy, and the Toronto Trilogy. His writing is often classified as literary fiction, and he is widely regarded as one of Canada's best authors.

In addition to his accomplishments as an author, Davies made significant contributions to the education sector. He was the founding Master of Massey College, a graduate college at the University of Toronto, where he helped to shape the next generation of scholars. Davies was also a widely read professor who enjoyed passing on his knowledge to his students.

Davies was a distinguished "man of letters," although he is said to have detested the term. He had three daughters and four grandchildren, and he passed away in Orangeville, Ontario. Davies' legacy as a writer and educator continues to be celebrated and studied, and his work remains an important part of the Canadian literary canon.
The Cornish Trilogy Books
# Title Year
1 The Rebel Angels 1981
2 What's Bred in the Bone 1985
3 The Lyre of Orpheus 1988
The Deptford Trilogy Books
# Title Year
1 Fifth Business 1970
2 The Manticore 1972
3 World of Wonders 1975
The Salterton Trilogy Books
# Title Year
1 Tempest-Tost 1951
2 Leaven of Malice 1954
3 A Mixture of Frailties 1958
Toronto Trilogy Books
# Title Year
1 Murther and Walking Spirits 1991
2 The Cunning Man 1994
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 A Masque of Mr. Punch 1963
2 Stephen Leacock 1970
Collections
# Title Year
1 The Enthusiasms of Robertson Davies 1979
2 High Spirits 1982
3 At My Heart's Core Overlaid 1991
4 Fortune, My Foe and Eros at Breakfast 1993
5 Hunting Stuart and The Voice of the People 1994
6 A Gathering of Ghost Stories 1995
7 Modern Classics Selected Works On the Art of Writing 2008
8 Selected Works on the Pleasures of Reading 2008
9 A Celtic Temperament: Robertson Davies as Diarist 2015
Non-Fiction Books
# Title Year
1 A Voice from the Attic 1960
2 One Half of Robertson Davies 1978
3 The Well-Tempered Critic 1981
4 The Mirror of Nature 1983
5 The Papers of Samuel Marchbanks 1985
6 The Merry Heart 1996
7 For Your Eye Alone 1999
8 Happy Alchemy 1999
9 Robertson Davies Discoveries: Early Letters 1938-1975 2002