“This is one of the cruelties of the theatre of life; we all think of ourselves as stars and rarely recognize it when we are indeed mere supporting characters.”
– Robertson Davies, Fifth Business
“… however fashionable despair about the world and about people may be at present, and however powerful despair may become in the future, not everybody, or even most people, think and live fashionably; virtue and honour will not be banished from the world.”
– Robertson Davies, The Manticore
Happy Canada Day!
June has gone and July is coming as we hold our collective breaths and wait for the warm weather and sun we are used to by this time of year. On the other hand, it is a great time to start a late garden if you haven’t yet!
In honour of Canada Day, Book Clubbish mentioned Danila Botha’s new novel, Too Much on the Inside, as a noteworthy summer read! Danila and Showey Yazdanian, author of Loopholes, have been having some summer fun, and read from their new books recently in Guelph. Ian Burgham, Keith Garebian, Kate Marshall Flaherty and Anita Kushwaha also recently launched and celebrated their new books in Ottawa the second week of June. Check out all of Quattro’s newest titles and find more information HERE.
Phlip Arima has a reading at Vino Rosso in Toronto at 1:30 on Saturday, July 4th, and Ian Burgham and Kate Marshall Flaherty will be featured in the Art Bar Poetry Series on Tuesday, July 28th.
In the spirit of national and literary pride, I would be remiss not to share my most recent and profound literary discovery, The Deptford Trilogy by Robertson Davies. Initially I purchased Fifth Business four years ago upon the recommendation of one of the wonderful professors I had while studying Canadian Literature. Only recently did I decide to read it, and I found it was beautifully written, and that it moved me in a way I hadn’t known was possible. Despite one local bookshop indicating that they were ‘antiquated’ or ‘out of style’, I am determined to find World of Wonders, the final book in the series. While feeling a little deflated at having been told classic Canadiana was no longer relevant, I would urge anyone to give Fifth Business a try. There were many insights which I would argue are not only relevant, but important and eye-opening, for anyone, of any age, at any time. In that vein, follow THIS link to check out some of the best offerings for Canadian fiction and non-fiction.
While Quattro’s Spring books are fresh on the market, we are eager and excited for our Fall books and are in the thick of our summer reading period.
We are excited for Word on the Street this year, and are happy to announce that both Keith Garebian, author of Georgia and Alfred, and Showey Yazdanian, author of Loopholes, will be featured! Keep in mind that this year WOTS will be taking place at Harbourfront, and make sure you mark September 27th from 11am-6pm on your calendar. You can check out the events right HERE.
I like to think of publishers as the supporting characters in the theatre of literacy, and now couldn’t be a more exciting time or place to celebrate it, and all of those who work behind the scenes to honour literature every day.
Kristen
