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Lusting after Literature at Coach House’s Spring Launch
Helen Guri reading from her debut poetry collection, Match, at the Coach House Books spring launch. Photo by Erin Balser/Torontoist.
Twice a year, the coolest members of Toronto’s literati gather to celebrate the upcoming books to be published by Toronto’s coolest independent press, Coach House Books. Such was the scene on Wednesday night, when over 100 book lovers packed Revival to celebrate the launch of Coach House’s five spring titles: Sean Dixon’s sophomore novel The Many Revenges of Kip Flynn; the “poetic reference guide” A Complete Encyclopedia of Different Types of People; Match, Helen Guri’s debut poetry collection; Monoceros, a novel from Suzette Mayr; and a re-issue of Daniel Jones’ cult classic collection of poetry, The Brave Never Write Poetry.
The theme of the night was pure, unadulterated “book lust.” There was a Missed Connections box at the front of the room, and all the connections are now up on the Coach House Books website. (If you’re a kitten lover with cute glasses, someone wants to connect with you.) Each book came with a handy “readHarmony” profile, and all the books were introduced by their likes and favourite things, mimicking the information found on an online dating profile. A Complete Encyclopedia of Different Kinds of People likes judging people, taxonomy; Monoceros likes unicorns and Ethiopian food; Match likes silicone rubber and internet shopping; The Brave Never Write Poetry likes drinking, (but not the vomiting that follows); and The Many Revenges of Kip Flynn likes backhoes and worms.
If you were looking for literary love and have a penchant for sex dolls or revenge fantasies, Revival on Wednesday night was the place to find it.
Why the book lust theme? Why not? A stolen repurposed romance comic cover served as inspiration for the invitations, and the concept spiraled from there, Coach House publicist Evan Munday admitted. But the theme felt apt, especially considering the love the Toronto literary community has for the press and their authors. “[I]t’s truly amazing to see so many people come out to our events; we at Coach House feel a lot of love from readers, booksellers, and fellow publishers,” Munday said. “So, our seasonal book launch is all about love … love of books.”
The readHarmony profile for The Many Revenges of Kip Flynn by Sean Dixon. Photo courtesy Coach House Books.
Gabe Foreman kicked off the evening of readings, and his deadpan delivery perfectly suited the dry humour of his poetry. One poem in particular, “Stephen,” had special (unintended) resonance thanks to the upcoming election. (Lines like “we are Stephen/we are one” make it too easy to imagine an army of Stephen Harper and his political allies.) Sean Dixon followed with a brief, but vibrant, reading from The Many Revenges of Kip Flynn, a mischievous and madcap tale about a girl seeking revenge for the death of her boyfriend, which just so happens to take place in Toronto’s Kensington Market. Helen Guri covered the weird and wacky with her reading, referencing blow-up sex dolls and presidential Russian nesting dolls during her ten minutes onstage. (Quirky charm was the night’s unofficial sub-theme.) Coach House’s poetry editor, Kevin Connolly was up next, reading from The Brave Never Write Poetry, originally published in 1985. “When it first came out, everyone hated it,” Connolly revealed. But the collection has stood the test of time, and Jones’ musing on life’s greatest vices got big laughs from the audience.
The night ended with a powerful reading from Suzette Mayr, whose novel explores the aftermath of what happens to a community when a gay teen commits suicide for being bullied, a poignant and quieting reminder that even though book launches are fun, and that serious books can be funny, fiction can eloquently and heartbreakingly capture cultural moments that shake readers to their core.
Readings are often hit and miss: authors need to find the right piece, the right voice, and perform for an audience that might be big, might be small, might be excited, and might not care to be there. But with the right crowd, the right venue and the right amount of alcohol, readings can feel like rock concerts. “It’s frightening,” Suzette Mayr admitted after surviving her time on stage, “but I enjoyed it.”
Coach House’s revolving-door style readings (each author was up on stage for less than ten minutes) gives their audience a small taste for each book, leaving fans wanting more. Which is exactly what a party about (literary) lust should do.