Some Great Thing

Some Great Thing follows Mahatma Grafton, a young Black reporter starting his career at the Winnipeg Tribune in 1970s Manitoba. Through his work covering local news stories, he encounters the French-Canadian language rights movement and various immigrant communities in the city. Ben Grafton, Mahatma's father and a railway porter, provides a parallel narrative thread through his experiences on cross-country train journeys and his relationship with his son. Their diverging perspectives on race, ambition, and identity create tension as each man pursues his own path. Social and political issues of 1970s Canada form the backdrop of the story, particularly language rights, immigration, and race relations. The novel incorporates actual historical events and figures while maintaining its focus on personal stories and relationships. The novel examines how individuals navigate questions of belonging and purpose within larger societal movements and changes. Through its portrayal of journalists, activists, and everyday citizens, it explores the ways people choose to engage with or distance themselves from the defining issues of their time.

Readers appreciate Hill's portrayal of journalism, race relations, and French-English dynamics in 1980s Winnipeg. The newsroom scenes and journalistic details feel authentic according to reviewers with media experience. Common praise focuses on the character development of protagonist Mahatma Grafton and the complex family relationships. Multiple readers noted the book provides insights into Canadian multiculturalism and linguistic tensions. Key criticisms mention uneven pacing, particularly in the middle sections. Some readers found the romantic subplot unnecessary and underdeveloped. A few reviews note that the dialogue can feel stilted at times. Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (176 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (12 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.5/5 (8 ratings) Sample reader comment: "Hill excels at depicting newsroom dynamics and office politics, but the personal relationships between characters needed more depth" - Goodreads reviewer The novel has fewer online reviews compared to Hill's later works like The Book of Negroes.

Small Island by Andrea Levy The experiences of Jamaican immigrants in post-war London intersect with themes of racism, identity, and journalism.

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill A woman's journey from Africa through slavery to freedom connects to themes of Black history and documentation found in Some Great Thing.

Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson The story weaves Toronto's Caribbean immigrant experience with social issues and cultural preservation.

What We All Long For by Dionne Brand Four young people navigate Toronto's urban landscape while dealing with their immigrant parents' expectations and their own identities.

Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan A Black Canadian jazz musician's story spans decades and continents while exploring themes of race, art, and belonging.

✦ Lawrence Hill drew from his own experiences as a newspaper journalist in Winnipeg during the 1980s to create the authentic newsroom atmosphere in the novel. ✦ The book explores Franco-Manitoban language rights during a pivotal time in Canadian history, when language laws were causing significant social tension in Manitoba. ✦ Published in 1992, this was Lawrence Hill's first novel, though he would later gain international acclaim for "The Book of Negroes" (published as "Someone Knows My Name" in some countries). ✦ The title "Some Great Thing" comes from a quote by French poet Arthur Rimbaud: "Je est un autre" ("I is another"), suggesting the theme of searching for identity that runs throughout the novel. ✦ The protagonist's journey mirrors the real-life experiences of many young journalists in the 1980s who covered the growing multiculturalism and linguistic tensions in Canadian cities.