On Nov. 19, esteemed Canadian poets Margaret Atwood and Lorna Crozier read from and discussed Atwood’s new poetry collection, Dearly: Poems, and Crozier’s autobiography, Through the Garden: A Love Story (with Cats). Broadcast over Zoom through Montreal-based bookstore Drawn & Quarterly, the two writers discussed cats, deceased husbands and poetry’s[Read More…]
Books
Kasia Van Schaik’s literary talents bridge separate spheres
Kasia Van Schaik, also known by her pen name Kasia Juno, is a McGill doctoral candidate whose work focusses on environmentalism, feminism, and physical spaces. Her writing has been featured in popular journals, including The Los Angeles Review of Books and The Best Canadian Poetry Anthology. Currently, Van Schaik straddles the[Read More…]
Avleen Kaur Mokha’s “DREAM FRAGMENTS” impresses with emotional depth
On Oct. 1, McGill alumna Avleen Kaur Mokha, also known as Mirabel, released the 40-page poetry chapbook DREAM FRAGMENTS through Cactus Press. A collection of personal poetry and confessional writing, Mokha’s chapbook highlights her journey growing up neurodivergent, processing trauma, and learning to find beauty in her dreams and darkest moments.[Read More…]
D&Q hosts celebrity cartoonists Jason Lutes and Sophie Yanow
On Oct. 1, Librairie Drawn & Quarterly hosted a virtual discussion between two distinguished comic book artists, Jason Lutes, author of Berlin, and Sophie Yanow, author of The Contradictions. Despite its virtual setting, the event provided an intimate look into the creative processes and relationship between the two renowned graphic[Read More…]
‘You Will Love What You Have Killed’ presents a haunted childhood
Content warning: Violence, child abuse, and sexual assault Murder, rape, and infanticide are not usually present in conventional coming-of-age novels. In Québecois author Kevin Lambert’s You Will Love What You Have Killed, however, these themes take center stage. Exploring individuality and childhood, Lambert’s novel is about children who are victims[Read More…]
Award-winning novel ‘The Dishwasher’ is a dark, nostalgic trip to a past Montreal
Stéphane Larue’s novel, The Dishwasher, begins with an all-too-familiar scene: Montreal in the dead of winter. However, the story that emerges from beyond the snowbanks is anything but ordinary. Larue’s novel is a masterful depiction of Montreal in all its dark, eclectic charm at the turn of the new millennium.[Read More…]
McGill hosts Montreal International Poetry Prize
The biennial Montreal International Poetry Prize is happening now, with submissions open until June 10, and this year, McGill’s Department of English is hosting. Known colloquially as the “Prize,” this competition was founded in 2010 as an initiative by Montreal poet and literary critic Asa Boxer. The Prize awards $20,000[Read More…]
Finding the right place to read
A university lecture or a book club: By way of discussion, both bring the personal act of reading into an academic or social realm. However, these cultural spaces don’t necessarily motivate the same types of discussion. Barring other factors, like contextual formality or accessibility, an individual moves through these spaces[Read More…]
Stuff we liked this break
Winter break is all about recovering from finals, spending time with your family, and updating your Goodreads and Letterboxd accounts. Here are the best from the A&E team’s period of rest and relaxation. Book: Jia Tolentino, Trick Mirror To those unacquainted with Jia Tolentino’s writing, it might seem like an[Read More…]
‘Find Me’ is stirring and lush
Andre Aciman’s new novel, Find Me, seems conscious of the burden of being a sequel to two works: It follows Aciman’s wildly popular Call Me by Your Name published in 2007, as well as Luca Guadagnino’s 2017 film adaptation. With the exception of choice passages and lines, Aciman resists allaying fans’ desire[Read More…]
