Alex Boyd's Blog, page 19

The Drunkard's Walk

Seems we're all lurchy. A review of a new title The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, takes time out to consider it from a literary point of view, with some encouraging words for writers:

"Failure happens, and doesn't necessarily mean you're on the wrong path. The reader is presented with examples of famous books that were repeatedly rejected, and of an amusing case where London's Sunday Times sent the first chapters of two Booker Prize-winning books — under pseudonyms — to...

It's a Good Life, if You Don't Weaken

Catching up with an original, sincere and acclaimed 1996 Canadian graphic novel in 2010 is better late than never, I guess. Written and illustrated by Seth, It's a Good Life, if You Don't Weaken takes its title from the old song by Maurice Chevalier(the author comments he often heard his mother repeating the line) though I'd swear it's a line in a Graham Greene novel somewhere too.

The plot is a fairly straightforward one involving a somewhat displaced character who loves old things, finding d...

Anthill: A Novel, and Lean on Pete

A review of Anthill, by biologist Edward O. Wilson describes an "ant's-eye-view" of epic battles, and a book that has the potential to relate the need for environmental justice, doing for the environment what To Kill a Mockingbird did for social justice. It's a noble idea, though to reach the masses these days I'm afraid we'll need Anthill: The Movie. Still, it sounds like a good gift for those more environmentally conscious, or even those who could use a wake-up call.

Meanwhile, Willy...

One Question Interview: Carey Toane and Elisabeth de Mariaffi

Toronto writers Carey Toane and Elisabeth de Mariaffi recently began a project called Toronto Poetry Vendors, and celebrated the launch of poetry vending machine in This Ain't the Rosedale Library.

It's a great idea. What do you think is the appeal of a poetry vending machine and what kind of response have you had?

Elisabeth: Well, there's the novelty factor, that's kind of the first thing you think of. The broadside is a very old tradition, and at the same time what could be moremodern than...

NPR update: Matthew Tierney interview, Steven Heighton poems, new reviews

Northern Poetry Review is four years old this month, and celebrates the anniversary (and poetry month) in the usual manner — the site is updated with a Matthew Tierney interview, poems by Steven Heighton from his new book of poems, and reviews of books by Jennica Harper, Damian Rogers and Moez Surani.

Many thanks to Alessandro Porco, Ingrid Ruthig, and Gillian Wigmore for the reviews.

Gone, but five feet away

Canadian writer Lisa Moore has an excellent personal essay on family, grief and lasting ties over at the Guardian site. And like a true professional, her final anecdote connects up nicely with her theme and closing words, which I often think is the literary equivalent of putting a bow on a package as the finishing touch. It has me wanting to go back to all my writing about my family and make it more concise and detailed. Read the essay here.

Five Feet Away

Canadian writer Lisa Moore has an excellent personal essay on family, grief and lasting ties over at the Guardian site. And like a true professional, her final anecdote connects up nicely with her theme and closing words, which I often think is the literary equivalent of putting a bow on a package as the finishing touch. It has me wanting to go back to all my writing about my family and make it more concise and detailed. Read the essay here.

Backing Into Forward

Nancy Rommelmann writes a thoughtful review of a new illustrated memoir by cartoonist, playwright and author Jules Feiffer, Backing Into Forward. She begins with a statement describing the artist as "happy bomb thrower," and concludes that as times change and print declines, "television's screaming heads" cannot replace the kind of witty and politically engaged stuff we've seen in editorial cartoons for decades. At 80 years old, Feiffer must have quite a trove of material to choose from...

Blankets

Blankets, by Craig Thompson, is certainly now among my favourite graphic novels. It's the most autobiographical one I've read so far, telling the story of a young man torn between his strict Christian upbringing in a small town and the desire to be free to pursue drawing creatively. But it also manages to tell a story of first love, and for that matter work in some personal philosophy and Socrates along the way, blending a current reality with flashbacks, the real world with an imagined one, ...

One Question Interview: Alessandro Porco

Alessandro Porco is the author of two collections of poetry: Augustine in Carthage, and Other Poems and The Jill Kelly Poems. He's also the editor of the new critical study, Population Me: Essays on David McGimpsey.

You're the editor of Population Me: Essays on David McGimpsey.  Was there much consensus between Canadian poets writing about this particular Canadian poet?

Thanks for the question, Alex.  First, I should clarify that only a couple of contributors to the collection are "Canadian ...