Late Nights on Air
384
Novel • Fiction
Yellowknife, Canada • 1970s
2007
Adult
18+ years
Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay is set in 1975 Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and revolves around a group of employees at a local public radio station facing personal and professional challenges as their medium declines. The novel explores their complex relationships and the impact of an impending oil pipeline on Native lands and traditions, culminating in a transformative exploration trip. The book features domestic abuse and a complex affair involving a father-in-law.
Contemplative
Melancholic
Nostalgic
Emotional
Mysterious
12,557 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay transports readers to the Arctic, with its evocative prose and rich character development receiving widespread praise. However, some have noted a slow pace and occasional lack of plot momentum. Overall, it’s celebrated for capturing the rugged beauty and isolation of Northern life with emotional depth and authenticity.
Readers who relish character-driven narratives and evocative, atmospheric settings will enjoy Elizabeth Hay's Late Nights on Air. Similar to fans of Marilynne Robinson's Gilead and Annie Proulx's The Shipping News, lovers of reflective, deeply human stories set against rugged landscapes are ideal readers.
12,557 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Late Nights on Air was awarded the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2007, which is one of Canada's most prestigious literary awards.
The novel is set in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, providing a vivid backdrop that reflects Elizabeth Hay's own experience working at the CBC in that region during the late 1970s.
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384
Novel • Fiction
Yellowknife, Canada • 1970s
2007
Adult
18+ years
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