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Total humanity: A review of Mad Hope
Reviewed in this essay: Mad Hope by Heather Birrell. Coach House Books, 2012. Mad Hope, by Toronto writer Heather Birrell, is a collection of 11 short stories that gives the unshakable sense that life, death, love, and grief are being felt and experienced at the highest pitch, all around you. From family relationships, to lovers’…
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Why I am an Abortion Doctor, by Dr. Garson Romalis
In the last few weeks we’ve seen Canadian Members of Parliament reward crimes against abortion providers with Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals and try to re-open the discussions defining life in the womb. Meanwhile, an American Presidential Candidate with a very real chance of winning next Tuesday describes himself as Pro-Life and wants to ban abortion.…
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Bookishness: October 29, 2012
All of the books “Saddling another person with a book he did not ask for has always seemed to me like a huge psychological imposition, like forcing someone to eat a chicken biryani without so much as inquiring whether they like cilantro.” Joe Queenan’s 6,128 favourite books. (image via flickr user zen) Poems for Pussy…
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A monthly dose of culture: Reviewing the AGO’s First Thursdays
If a regular person ever wanted the chance to feel like a cultural blue blood, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)’s First Thursdays are the time to do it. The series, which began in October and will continue the first Thursday of each month, is an after-hours gallery party complete with music, special exhibits, talks…
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The End of an Institution: Saying Goodbye to the Toronto Women’s Bookstore
After withstanding protests, a bombing and two recessions, the Toronto Women’s Bookstore is one tough broad. But on Oct. 9, it was announced that the store would shut its doors for good after 39 years. At the end of November, Toronto will lose a space that has been precious to many. “Harbord street is very…
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Indigenous Writers’ Gathering A Smashing Success
Renowned authors Lee Maracle, Daniel Heath-Justice, Richard Wagamese and award winning Metis poet Marilyn Dumont all descended on the U of T campus for the one-day Indigenous Writers’ Gathering last week. After a breakfast with the writers, panels kicked off with traditional Metis Rogarou stories. Other workshops included discussing fiction with Richard Wagamese, “Declaring and…
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IFOA: Round Table on Social Critique in Literature
[View the story “IFOA: Round Table on Social Critique in Literature” on Storify]
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Sci-lenced: A PEN Canada Evening on Scientists’ Freedom of Expression
Wednesday evening, October 17, marked the end of the 2012 edition of PEN Canada’s “Non-Speak Week,” a series of events on the role of freedom of expression in Canada. Together with the Canadian Science Writers Association (CSWA), PEN had invited a panel composed of Professor Danny Harvey from Department of Geography, University of Toronto, Stephen Strauss,…
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Record Store Review: Viva La Vortex
Nestled in the heart of Midtown (2309 Yonge Street, 2nd floor), Vortex Records and its owner, Bert Myers, have been supplying Torontonians with second-hand CDs and vinyl for almost 30 years. The store carries all kinds of music but specializes in rock and pop and is currently building up its jazz and country stock. They…
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With voices raised: Tamil artists get their due at the TPL
It is appropriate that Saturday’s event was named Tamil Literary Voices, in the plural, because in a cross-section of some of the language’s more prominent Torontonians, it was indeed a remarkable spectrum of voices—both in terms of political perspective and artistic media alike.
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TRB Issue Five Launch Party!
Issue Five of The Toronto Review of Books is soon to make its appearance. Subterranean book markets in Armenia, tiny model ships at the AGO, Internet maps, and David Foster Wallace all take the stage in this most auspicious of issues. We’ll toast its arrival on November 13, 8pm until late, at the Poetry Jazz Café (224…
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Bookishness: October 22, 2012
The Toronto Reference Library has binders full of women too Catalogued and everything. Another thing they’ve got? Study carrels for exhibitionists. Scribbles In recent Internet meanderings I came across this little app and subsequently lost hours making little drawings that looked suspiciously like art. 10 best films of the 90s Alas, no Clueless. It’s the best films…