The Republic of Nothing

The Republic of Nothing is a novel by Lesley Choyce, published in 1994 by Goose Lane Editions. Set on the fictional Whalebone Island off the coast of Nova Scotia, the novel follows the coming-of-age story of Ian McQuade and his experiences with his eccentric family and island residents over the course of roughly 30 years. The novel's themes surrounding environmentalism and the Vietnam War are informed by Choyce's own experiences growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, participating in protests against the war.

Characterized as a combination of magic realism, parody, and bildungsroman, the novel is regarded as one of Choyce's most well-received works, and was praised by critics for its engaging plot and poetic style of prose. A Reader's Guide Edition of the book was published in 2007 in celebration of its 10 year anniversary, with the addition of an afterword by Neil Peart, drummer and lyricist for Rush. While the book has received little academic attention, it has been included in the high school curriculum in Nova Scotia and Alberta. The novel was the winner of the Dartmouth Book Award for Fiction at the Atlantic Book Awards in 1995.