Mo Yan takes the cake Chinese author Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize for literature last week, and, despite criticism about his snug relationship with the Communist Party, promptly called for the release of fellow Nobel laureate, jailed activist Liu Xiaobo.

Can’t ask Alice Alice Munro’s appearance at the International Festival of Authors has been cancelled due to her fragile health (she’s 81 years old).

Toronto’s Tamil Literary Voices Hosted at the Malvern branch of Toronto Public Library this Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m., a discussion between a Tamil poet, playwright, writer and literary scholar explores their work, and their personal and political histories.

Halva for Sartre A handy list of ten authors and their favourite (and hilariously outdated) recipes. Tomato-soup cake, anyone?