这是一部将个人的情感纠葛与一个家族乃至整个民族的痛苦历史联系在一起的家史式小说。主人公亚当·威伯生活富足、安逸，但自己小家庭的舒适却抑制不住他那颗躁动的心，他不顾妻子、儿女的反对，放弃了收入丰厚的医生职业，浪迹天涯，踏进了自己门诺教家族厚重的历史当中。从此，不安的情感开始了另一种探求。500年弹指一挥间，他发现静默的尘世原有一群与自己血脉相连的人。恰如吉普赛式的行者，他们执著于坚忍与非攻的操守，流浪在冷漠而善变的尘世，他们曾承受水与火的考验，亦曾在暴政和战争中苟延。他们的心灵之旅原本为寻找梦想的乐土，寻到的却是宏大历史中无奈生命的短暂与脆弱。自我放逐的灵魂踏上了返乡之路，岁月中涤净的心也放下了曾经的躁动与不安。虽然无人可以逃脱吞噬一切的时间，但他也懂得了，博爱无限的天国会永恒于此岸中最甜蜜的一刻。

Rudy Wiebe （1934- ）

Edmonton, Alberta

Rudy Wiebe has been professor emeritus, Department of English at the University of Alberta since 1992.

Works published:

Peace Shall Destroy Many (1962)

First and Vital Candle (1966)

The Blue Mountains of China (1970)

The Temptations of Big Bear (1973)

Where is the Voice Coming From? (1974)

The Scorched-Wood People (1977)

Alberta/A Celebration (1979)

Far as the Eye Can See (1979)

The Mad Trapper (1980)

The Angel of the Tar Sands and Other Stories (1982)

My Lovely Enemy (1983)

Playing Dead (1989)

A Discovery of Strangers (1994)

River of Stone (1995)

Stolen Life: The Journey of a Cree Woman, with Yvonne Johnson (1998)

Selected Publications:

River of Stone. Toronto: Knopf Canada, 1995.

A Discovery of Strangers. Toronto: Knopf Canada, 1994.

Playing Dead. Edmonton: NeWest Publishers Ltd., 1989.

Awards:

Edmonton Cultural Hall of Fame, 1995.

Governor General's Award, for Fiction: A Discovery of Strangers, 1994.

L.L.D. Wilfred Laurier UWL, 1991.

Governor General's Award, for Fiction: The Temptations of Big Bear, 1973.