Earlier Work

During my writing career, I’ve explored different literary forms.  The general pattern is outlined in “The Author” but here is a compact list of the book-length works and chapbooks arranged by subject-matter, and with the publication dates included.  Chapbooks and other shorter works have been labelled as such, and all the others are book-length works.

I’m frequently asked what chapbooks are.  The origin of the chapbook goes back to the traveling peddlers of the eighteenth century (called “chapmen”) who often had a few books for sale: since they were carrying the merchandise on their backs, the books had to be small.  In modern times the term has been revived to refer to small volumes of poetry, essays, and other short literary forms.

Canadian history (fiction):

The Tinderbox (1982, 2003)

The Quarter-Pie Window (1985, 2003)

The Sign of the Scales (1990, 2003)

Fire Ship (1992)

Rebellion: A Novel of Upper Canada (1996)
 

English history (fictional biography):

Elizabeth, Duchess of Somerset (1989)
 

Modern times (fiction):

This Spring's Sowing (1970)

A Sense of Dust (1972) (short book)

Special Nests (1990)

The Christmas Candlestick (1993) (short book)

Swan Flying (2016)
 

Life-writing, non-fiction, and creative non-fiction:

Singularity (2000) (chapbook)

Making Light (2000) (chapbook)

Belongings (2004) (chapbook)

Finding Words: A Writer’s Memoir (2000)

Frontiers and Sanctuaries: A Woman’s Life in Holland and Canada (2006)

“Artist at Work: Gerard Brender à Brandis, Wood Engraver and Bookwright” (2009) (long article)

A Pebble’s Journey: The Grand River Observed By Two Artists (2010)

At This Point: a word-suite in six movements (2010) (chapbook)

Bill Brandis: A Green Old Age (2011) (chapbook)

With Books (2012) (chapbook)

The Grand River / Dundalk to Lake Erie (2015)

Under This Roof (2016) (short book)

Family Farm (2018) (short book)

Drawing with Light: Rosemary Kilbourn, Wood Engraver (2018) (published as an article and as a chapbook)

This Faithful Book: A Diary from World War Two in the Netherlands (2019)
(translated and edited by Marianne Brandis)

Wim and Bill: A self-portrait of Willem Jean Brender à Brandis (2020) (memoirs and genealogical writings edited and annotated by Marianne Brandis)

Memories and Family History (2021).  Written by Madzy Brender à Brandis and edited and annotated by Marianne Brandis

Books by Hand: Gerard Brender à Brandis, Wood Engraver and Bookwright (2021)

Pen and Trowel (2023) (short book)

Food, water, the developing world, and appropriate technology:

Thinking Big, Building Small: Low-tech Solutions for Food, Water, and Energy (2011)

For a list of articles and other shorter works, please see Articles.