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Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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First Fiction Friday: Railroad of Courage
Railroad of Courageย (Ronsdale Press) isย a gripping fictional story about the Underground Railroad for young readers. In it, a twelve-year-old girl convinces her family to risk it all to find freedom from a plantation in South Carolina.ย
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Quoted: Randall Maggs’ Night Work
It’s the 10th anniversary of the release of poet Randall Maggs’ย Night Work: The Sawchuk Poemsย (Brick Books). Hockey and non-hockey, poetry and non-poetry fans have fallen for this collection about storied Leafs goalie Terry Sawchuk for the past decade, and we talked to Randall about his own “team effort” that went into the book, the influences…
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Test Kitchen: Food and Family
In her award-nominated food memoirย Apron Stringsย (Goose Lane Editions), journalist Jan Wong serves up witty, thought-provoking observations around the food culture and customs of some of the world’s best food destinations.ย As epicurious ALU-ers, we were inspired to share some of our own favourite family memories involving food and feasting.
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Where in Canada: Camping in the Prairie Grasslands
Naturalist Trevor Herriot and nature photographer Branimir Gjetvag join forces in Islands of Grass (Coteau Books) to paint a picture of the majestic Prairie Grasslands that while once rivalled the African savannah for wildlife are now vanishing to our footprint. Publisher John Agnew of Coteau Books recounts his memorable camping trip to the Grasslands National…
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This Week in Lit Events: January 29-February 4th
After running this weekly column since our opening in 2014, This Week in Lit Events is retiring in favour of a sleek newย events calendar! The best part: you get to submit literary happenings in your area.Are you hosting an event featuring an author whose titles are available on All Lit Up? Use ourย new events formย to…
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In Review: The Week of January 22nd
This week we continued the discussion around ableism with a fierce essay from author and disability activist Dorothy Ellen Palmer and got silly with a book about culture and creativity.
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When Buildings Do the Dirty Work, CanLit Hands Arenโt Clean
Like all those of its vintage, my old elementary school in Torontoโs west end had separate โBoysโ and โGirlsโ entrances chiseled in stone. Historically, many Canadian buildings have regulated, or denied, entrance to women, Indigenous people, people of colour, targeted nationalities, and faith groups. But by the time I reached Grade Three, all students used…
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Writer’s Block: Mark Wagstaff
In today’s Writers’ Block, we talk with author and winner of the 3-Day Novel Writing Contest forย Attack of the Lonely Heartsย (Anvil Press), Mark Wagstaff โ he tells us about writing jealousy, laments the loss of “olden times,” and explains how a snarky protagonist can keep you writing confidently (even on a three-day deadline).
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Under the Cover: Culture and Creativity in But It’s So Silly
Award-winning author JonArno Lawson spent a decade researching fun and games. In his new book But It’s So Silly (Wolsak and Wynn Publishers), JonArno looks at how culture and creativity meet, where imagination comes from, and how children around the world play. In this edition of Under the Cover, he tells us how this project…
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This Week in Lit Events: January 22-28th
Lots of reading series to hit this week, plus our first festival of the year: the SPARKS Literary Festival in St. John’s Newfoundland!Are you hosting an event featuring an author whose titles are available on All Lit Up? Send the event details, including author, book, date, time, and address toย ย hello@alllitup.caย to be included in our listings.
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In Review: The Week of January 15th
This week we gave ableism a hard stare in the ism with an insightful essay from poet and physician Shane Neilson, served up five books for more intersectionally feminist reading, and made Books and Bingo a thing.
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Do-Lit-Yourself: Indie Literary Bingo to Keep Your Reading Goals on Track
Contrary to some, we think it’s super-importantย to read widely (it’s also FUN, and interesting, and makes you a better person, but we could go on all day). Introducing All Lit Up Indie Literary Bingo cards for Fiction, Poetry, and dealer’s choice: 24-48 reading suggestions to challenge you to keep your TBR pile fresh for 2018.
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Letโs Not Have a Drink: Ableism, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
ALU note: Last year, we ran a Chappy Hour column about Shane Neilson’sย Dysphoriaย that was insensitive to the very serious themes about disability and mental health in his collection. (It has since been removed from ALU.) We were wrong, and Shane was kind enough to call us in and let us know why. We invited him…
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