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LitTO: May 29–June 4
Spring launch season slows this week, but finishes strongly with new poetry collections by national treasures bill bissett and David McFadden. Tomorrow night, help David celebrate his Selected Poems: Why Are You So Sad?, edited and introduced by Stuart Ross. Here’s Stuart, from the intro:
“David’s poetry, like David, is social. It’s interested in people, and in trees, squirrels, dogs, and oceans. It’s also social in that it wants to be read, and it makes itself readable – not just to academics and to other poets, but to the convenience-store guy and the woman on the bus…There are few Canadian poets who offer as much pure pleasure as Dave. In fact, he forbids analysis of his poems.”
True words! Insomniac Press launches the Selected tomorrow evening with Roseanne Carrara’s A Newer Wilderness at The Dora Keogh Pub.
The Scream Literary Festival announced the mainstage line-up for its July 10th date in High Park. They’ve also concocted some marvelous events leading up to the big night. A must-see is Christopher Dewdney’s July 6th book-length reading of The Natural History at The Don Valley Brickworks: dinner and free shuttle bus to the site is included in the $35 ticket.
The second anniversary of Strong Words, Indiepolitik’s monthly reading series at The Gladstone Melody Bar, gets celebrated with an anthology of the year’s past readers this Monday. Congratulations to Moez Surani and Matt Blair for two solid years of programming, and thanks for raising awareness about the Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy. Boy reporter Ron Nurwisah is among the fabulous readers; please check out the event listing for more details.
Toronto’s literary listings for May 29 to June 4 are lit up after the break.
Photo of David McFadden at Bohemia Havana by Poetography.
May 29 to June 4 Literary Listings
Tuesday, May 29
ART BAR READING SERIES presents David Clink, John Barton, and Louise Bernice Halfe. 8:00 p.m.Victory Café, 581 Markham Street. Free.
bpNICHOL CHAPBOOK AWARD dinner & fundraiser. Drink and mingle at 6:00 p.m; dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Downtown Cervejaria, 842 College Street (at Ossignton) $75.
Wednesday, May 30
INSOMNIAC PRESS SPRING POETRY LAUNCH with books by David McFadden and Roseanne Carrara. 7:00 p.m. The Dora Keogh Pub, 141 Danforth Avenue. Free.
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE. A panel talk with Rune Anne Baron and Naseema Siddiqui, moderated by Elizabeth Bromstein. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. St Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front Street East. Free.
THE FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN. Marco Polo, author of The Prix de Rome on Architecture: A Retrospective, reads as part of Harbourfront Series. 7:30 p.m. Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West. Free.
ANITA RAU BADAMI. Don Mills Library, 888 Lawrence Avenue East. 6:30 p.m. Free.
AUSTIN CLARKE. Cedarbrae Library, 545 Markham Street. 7:00 p.m. Free.
ERIKIA DE VASCONCELOS. High Park Library, 228 Roncesvalles. 7:00 p.m. Free.
JL GRANATSTEIN. North York Library, 5120 Yonge Street. 7:00 p.m. Free.
NALO HOPKINSON. Runnymede Public Library, 2178 Bloor Street West. 7:00 p.m. Free.
TING-XING YE. 1:30 p.m. Fairview Library, 35 Fairview Mall. Free.
Thursday, May 31
BILL BISSETT launches his new poetry collection ths is erth thees ar peopul (Talon) at This Ain’t the Rosedale Library, 483 Church Street, 8:00 p.m. Free.
THE IMAGINED CITY features Amy Lavender Harris and Gary Michael Dault in a public talk exploring Toronto’s place in the literary imagination. Lillian H. Smith Library, 239 College Street. 7:00 p.m. Free.
POSTSECRET AT OCAD. Author Frank Warren is in town to show a multimedia presentation and to sign books. The Ontario College of Art and Design (100 McCaul Street), 8:00 p.m.
Friday, June 1
I.V. LOUNGE READING SERIES. Alex Boyd hosts poets Merle Nudelman (We, the Women), Glen Downie (Loyalty Management), and Susan Ioannou (Looking through Stone). 326 Dundas Street West, across from the AGO. 8:00 p.m. Free.
Sunday, June 3
EDIT YOUR OWN PROSE! A workshop with Stuart Ross, who has edited fiction and non-fiction for over two decades. This Ain’t the Rosedale Library, 483 Church Street. Noon to 5:00 p.m. Call 416-929-9912 for more info and to register. $60 (includes materials & light snacks).
Monday, June 4
NAIRNE HOLTZ’S THE SKIN BENEATH will be launched at Ciao Edie, 489 College Street (at Markham). Music by special guest Denise Benson. 7:00 p.m. Free.
STRONG WORDS. The second anniversary of Strong Words, Indiepolitik’s monthly reading series, gets celebrated with an anthology of the year’s past readers, including Sandra Alland, Aidan Baker, Kate Belcher, Emma Beltran, Tomy Bewick, Ryan Bigge, Jon Blair, Matt Blair, Spencer Butt, Chris Eaton, Cameron Gordon, Paul Hong, Brian McLachlan, Steve McOrmond, Grace O’Connell, Catherine Owen, Sofi Papamarko, a.rawlings, Dave Silverberg, Matthew Tierney, Myna Wallin, Gein Wong and Liz Worth. Readers are Emma Beltran, Bonnie and Kerre Briggs, Kat and Matt Collins, boy reporter Ron Nurwisah, and Dave Silverberg. Music will be provided by DJ Paul Gagnon of the New Pollution. The Gladstone Melody Bar, 1214 Queen Street West. 7:30 p.m. PWYC, and please bring new and used books in resalable condition for the Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy.