By: Deanna McFadden
One of the most poignant and ever-present parts of the IFOA is the empty chair placed on stage at every reading that signifies writers who are imprisoned and therefore unable to attend world literary events. The importance of PEN Canada is furthered by the petition to free the chosen writer for that year's IFOA, which everyone should sign during their visit to the festival. The visibility of PEN Canada at the festival remains one of the most important aspects to each reading, and brings attention to the issue of imprisoned writers worldwide. However, it's also key not to forget that PEN Canada's work continues throughout the entire year, and not just for those 10 or so days that the IFOA runs in Toronto. That said, there's an event on February 29th at 7:30pm that's not to be missed. Three dedicated and worthy partners, PEN Canada, Toronto Public Library and Freedom to Read have put together a literary soiree that would tickle any booklover pink. Taking place at the Toronto Reference Library's Atrium (789 Yonge Street), tickets to “Writers Under Siege” are a mere five to ten dollars and will be taken at the door on a sliding scale.
Fifty contributors from over twenty countries contributed to the PEN UK anthology of the same name being celebrated in part by such luminaries like Thomas King, Shirley Douglas, Jill Carter and Clayton Ruby, who will read from the book. PEN Canada writers in exile Jackleen Hanna and Benedicta S. Madawo will also lend their talents. Garvia Bailey, the host of CBC's Big City, Small World, will do emcee duties for the evening, which also presents performances by Waleed Abdulhamid Kush and Laurence Stevenson.
February also marks the beginning of the TPL's Keep Toronto Reading program. A whirlwind month-long celebration of the book in all its forms, over thirty events will take place in libraries across the city on wide range of topics: Afua Cooper, Nick Davis, and Dalton Higgins and more present From the Page to the Stage that celebrates Black History Month (also at the Reference Library) on February 7th at 7:00pm; have lunch with Ray Robertson as he discusses Jack Kerouac, Jim Morrison and his own book What Happened Later: A Novel on February 13th at the Deer Park Branch; bring your kids along at various times during the month to hear TVO host Gisèle read from her favourite books; make some time over lunch to hang out with Ken Babstock and Souvankham Thammavongs at the Runnymede Branch on February 27th; and then Think Globally and Act Locally in Riverdale on February 28th before attending the cornerstone event on February 29th mentioned above.
All of the Keep Toronto Reading events are free unless you want to buy your lunch, which costs a whopping five dollars (seriously, where else could you eat so cheaply in this magnificent city of ours?). And what complaints can be made about the weather, about the business of everyone's lives when the libraries are local to so many neighbourhoods across Toronto. And speaking of five or ten dollars, can you afford not to take it out of your pocket for such a good cause as the Writers Under Siege event on February 29th?
Here are the crucial event details:
PEN Canada Profiles Writers Under Siege
Friday February 29, 2008
7:30pm
Tickets $5.00 - $10.00 sliding scale
The Toronto Reference Library: Atrium
789 Yonge Street
http://www.pencanada.ca
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