Book News Vol. 9 No. 44

BOOK NEWS

Incite 2015
Join us for an evening of dazzling prose and dramatic tension with Linden MacIntyre (Punishment) and Michael Christie (If I Fall, If I Die).

FREE!
7:30pm, January 28
Alice MacKay room, VPL Central Library
Click here for details: https://www.writersfest.bc.ca/events/incite

Festivals Around Town

PuSh Festival January 20-February 8

PuSh presents groundbreaking work in the live performing arts, featuring artists from around the world. Vancouver-based Fight with a Stick makes its debut at PuSh with Steppenwolf, inspired by Herman Hesse's 1927 novel of self-reflection and transformation. Tickets/info: http://pushfestival.ca/shows/steppenwolf/

AWARDS & LISTS

Four Canadian titles have been recognized at the Digital Book Awards. Judged by a panel of 18 publishing design and production experts, the awards celebrate innovation and excellence in digital literary content.
http://www.quillandquire.com/awards/2015/01/15/digital-book-awards-recognize-four-canadian-titles/

YOUNG READERS

"The great novels for young readers all explore the same question: How do we respond to an unfair world? For the picture book crowd, unfairness and injustice can be tough topics for discussion." Here are three picture books that do just that.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/books/review/jane-bahks-junas-jar-and-more.html

NEWS & FEATURES

Chapters is closing its flagship downtown Vancouver location. According to CEO Heather Reisman, "a significant rent increase made it 'untenable' for the store to remain open, but that the company is 'actively pursuing another location to serve the Robson trade area which we fully intend to open in 2015.'"
http://www.quillandquire.com/bookselling-2/2015/01/20/chapters-to-shutter-flagship-vancouver-location/

Are you an animal lover as well as a book lover? Then you might appreciate this project. "Poetic Dogs" is an undertaking of photographer Dan Bannino, which features shelter dogs as famous authors (and raises money for an animal shelter.)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jen-reeder/these-photos-of-shelter-d_b_6452518.html

The University of British Columbia has acquired two rare 19th century novels "that scholars believe may have been written by Oscar Wilde. "The books are examples of early homosexual literature, and only a handful of the first editions exist in the world. The UBC Library bought Teleny (published in 1893) for about C$16,000, and Des Grieux (published in 1899) for about C$23,000."
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/international-book-news/article/65274-canadian-university-acquires-historical-novels-with-oscar-wilde-link.html

What happens when your favourite book follows you? In this piece, Julianna Haubner discusses how Richard Russo's Empire Falls "in a weird and fortuitous way, stalked [her] college and back."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/off-the-shelf-/when-your-favorite-book-f_b_6490376.html

How do telephones figure in literature? In celebration of the centenary of Alexander Graham Bell's transcontinental telephone service, the Guardian has created a "telephones in literature" quiz. Test you know-how here.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/quiz/2015/jan/20/telephones-in-literature-quiz

Which literary figure is overdue for a biography? Thomas Mallon and Ayana Mathis discuss Jonathan Franzen, Thomas Wolfe, Alice Munro, Albert Murray and a few more in this piece for the New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/25/books/review/which-literary-figure-is-overdue-for-a-biography.html

Many of this year's Oscar-nominated films were based on books. Here's the lowdown on 2014 greatest book-to-movie adaptations.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/20/oscar-book-adaptations_n_6489420.html

What are the 21st Century's twelve greatest novels? It's a difficult task, but the BBC has set out to the answer that question. Here's their list.
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150119-the-21st-centurys-12-best-novels

BOOKS & WRITERS

Canada Reads has just got underway, with several well-known Canadians defending their favourite homegrown books. In this video, Cameron Bailey (Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival) defends Ru, written by the Kim Thúy (who appeared at this past Writers Fest).
http://www.cbc.ca/books/2015/01/cameron-bailey-defends-ru-by-kim-thuy.html

Festival author Thomas King's book The Inconvenient Indian is another finalist on Canada Reads this year. Check out Craig Kielburger's defence, here.
http://www.cbc.ca/books/2015/01/craig-kielburger-defends-the-inconvenient-indian-by-thomas-king.html

In fact, if you missed the whole announcement for the competition's 2015 panelists, you can watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I8pqs-ADvc&feature=youtu.be

Speaking of local literature, there are lots of Canadian books to be excited about this year. Here's a month-by-month detailing of books to watch out for.
http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/books/2015+Canadian+novels+coming+your+year/10696904/story.html

There are also some small press books worth a look. Here are three recommended by The Globe and Mail.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/three-small-press-books-worth-a-read/article22488641/

Miranda July's debut novel, The First Bad Man, "mesmerizes." According to book editor Alexandra Molotkow, July "'describes feelings as plainly as objects'…The latter is absolutely true for The First Bad Man, the story of Cheryl, a grey-haired, emotionally wobbly woman looking for something beyond the mundanity of her everyday life."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/miranda-julys-debut-novel-mesmerizes/article22494682/

In her review of Claudia Rankine's Citizen: An American Lyric, Erica Hunt gets to the real matter at hand: you. "In Claudia Rankine's new collection, Citizen, "you" is used to index, with a restraint that almost hums with tension, race, and racism in America."
http://lareviewofbooks.org/review/all-about-you

Of course, racial tension is not unique to America. French writer Michel Houellebecq's novel, Submission, in ensconced in that very subject (even more so after the Charlie Hebdo massacre). But is he a pundit or a provocateur, a progressive or a reactionary? Either way, his new novel is "an adventure."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/pundit-or-provocateur-houellebecqs-new-novel-is-an-adventure/article22491093/

COMMUNITY EVENTS

NANCY LEE
Nancy Lee discusses her latest novel, The Age. Thursday, January 22 at 7:00 PM. Christianne's Lyceum. 3696 W. 8th Ave. $22 (includes refreshments). To reserve your space call 604.733.1356 or email lyceum@christiannehayward.com. More information at www.christiannehayward.com.

TO BUILD A FIRE
A dynamic interdisciplinary performance in which piano, cello, and ukulele music compliments and responds to vital, eclectic literary works. Featuring Christine Fellows, Miriam Toews, and Erik Rutherford. Friday, January 23 at 7:00pm. Gessler Hall, UBC School of Music, 6361 Memorial Road.

HALF OF A YELLOW SUN
The film adaption of Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Orange Prize-winning novel, set during Nigeria's bloody Biafran civil war of the late 1960s, makes its Vancouver premiere this month: http://www.thecinematheque.ca/half-of-a-yellow-sun.

POETIC JUSTICE
Features Kennedy Arbor and Jenni Madison with host Franci Louann. Sunday, January 25 at 3:00pm. The Heritage Grill.

YOUTH SLAM
Featuring 2014 Youth Slam Grand Slam champion Sebastian Wen. Monday, January 26 at 7:00pm. Cost: $4-$10. Cafe Deux Soleils, 2096 Commercial Drive, Vancouver. More information at vancouverpoetryhouse.com.

ERIN MOURE
Author reads from her work. Tuesday, January 27 at 5:00pm. Coach House, Green College, UBC.

A NOVEL IDEA
Janine Alyson Young, author of Hideout Hotel, will be joined by former Caitlin Press publicist, Rebecca Hendry. Wednesday, January 28 at 6:00pm. Gibsons Library, 470 Fletcher Rd. S., Gibsons, BC. More information at 604-886-2130.

SOME SORT OF LIFE
Naomi Waken, Nanaimo's first Poet Laureate, shares her latest novel, Some Sort of Life. Wednesday, January 28 at 7:00pm. Welsh Hall, West Vancouver Memorial Library.

EVANGELINE LILLY
Meet Evangeline Lilly as she reads and signs her new book, The Squickerwonkers. Thursday, January 29 at 7:00pm. Chapters Robson, Vancouver. More information at chapters.indigo.com.

IF I FALL, IF I DIE
Launch of Michael Christie's new novel. Thursday, January 29 at 7:00pm. Antisocial, 2337 Main Street, Vancouver. For more information and to RSVP, email pkells@penguinrandomhouse.com.

TWISTED POETS LITERARY SALON
Features Leah Horlick and Heather Haley with open mic. Thursday, January 29 at 7:00pm. The Cottage Bistro, 4468 Main Street, Vancouver. Suggested donation at the door: $5. Sign up for open mic at 7 pm. More information at www.pandorascollective.com.

Upcoming

GALIANO LITERARY FESTIVAL
6th annual festival featuring Theodora Armstrong, George Bowering, Bill Gaston, Elizabeth May, Spider Robinson and others. February 20-22, 2015. Complete details at galianoliteraryfestival.com.