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Social Issues Are The New Black |
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Literary Scene -
Write Around Town
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By: Deanna McFadden
May 2008
 There's so much going on in the city in May that it's kind of impossible to pick just one event to highlight. I could be selfish and say without a doubt that if you have the chance to see either Simon Winchester (The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom) or Barbara Kingsolver (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle) while they're here at the end of the month, you should. Of the many books by Kingsolver that I've read, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, changed my life in ways that books should change you. By making someone think, by mixing up their beliefs, and by opening up a whole world of possibility that wasn't there before.
But if there's a theme to how to approach book events this month, it might be social responsibility. In addition to Barbara Kingsolver, TINARS also presents Taras Grescoe, author of Bottomfeeder, on Tuesday May 20th, at 7:30pm. And then, on May 8th, it's Alan Broadbent, author of Urban Nation: Why We Need to Give Power Back to the Cities to Make Canada Strong. Did I mention the other people on stage for TINARS and Alan Broadbent? Mayor David Miller. That's right, the mayor. How often do you get to hear his thoughts first-hand about the state of Toronto? Exactly. Hence, the Gladstone at 7:00pm might be the best seat in the socially responsible house this May.
Other events to raise your awareness about certain issues include: Talking Architecture with Mark Kingwell at IRAH on Wednesday May 14th at 7:30pm; Rabih Alameddine, whose new book, The Hakawati takes place in a war-torn Beiruit, in Conversation during a Ben McNally Books and Brunch on Sunday May 4th at 10:00am; and the launch for My Life as a Dame: The Selected Writings of Christina McCall taking place Tuesday May 13th at 5:30pm at Alumni Hall, Victoria College, 73 Queen's Park Crescent.
And while it might not necessarily be politically motivated, the Toronto Women's Bookstore, one of my favourite independents, presents a book launch for Chandra Mayor's All the Pretty Girls on Thursday May 8th at 7:00pm. Authors Debra Anderson, Code White, and Zoe Whittall, Bottle Rocket Hearts, are also reading. How can you resist an event with a tagline like this: "Come for a kick ass night of Winnipeg and Toronto literature and lip gloss." While we're all out saving the world this month, it's also important to make room in your social calendar for some art on art. Mike Hoolboom's Practical Dreamers: Conversations with Movie Artists launches on May 13th (it's also a month of great TINARS events).
Lastly, everyone needs to publish a first book, and it's a hard racket, being a first-time novelist. So kudos goes out to the writers who are reading on Monday May 12th at 7:00pm at the Supermarket in Kensington at the Toronto Fiery First Fiction event. Fiery First Fiction is a 'national reading campaign to promote first-time fiction' across Canada. Seven books, seven readings, seven authors... and beer.
So there's not one, not two, and definitely more than three amazing events to fill up your literary coffers this month. A few of the books might even change your mind along the way.
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