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Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
Excerpted: Nauetakuan, a silence for a noise by Natasha Kanapé Fontaine, translated by Howard Scott
Take a beach walk in the Innu community of Pessamit with the protagonist of Natasha Kanapé Fontaine’s gorgeous novel Nauetakuan, a silence for a noise (Book*hug Press), translated by Howard Scott, in this snippet from the book.
Two Poems: Between the Bell Struck and the Silence
Pamela Porter’s newest poetry collection Between the Bell Struck and Silence (Caitlin Press) takes us into the scenic wilds.
ALU Summer Book Club: Team Discussion
The ALU team met to discuss what made Jade Wallace’s Anomia (Palimpsest Press) a book club hit. We chatted about the richness of the characters in world of Euphoria and agreed it was liberating to read a novel without gendered pronouns. Read on to catch some of the highlights of our discussion below, and use…
Writer’s Block: Makram Ayache
In his recently-published play The Green Line (Playwrights Canada Press), translated by Hiba Sleiman, Makram Ayache tenderly depicts intergenerational queer history in Lebanon. We ask Makram about what a writing day looks like, the relationship between “sensitivity” and art, and what he’s working on next.
Excerpted: Bruise by Adrian Markle
Today’s featured excerpt is from Adrian Markle’s debut novel Bruise (TouchWood Editions). Markle channeled his own martial arts knowledge into this fierce story of an injured MMA fighter with his life and future – literally – on the ropes.
Poetry in Motion: Courtney Bates-Hardy + Anatomical Venus
Referencing botany, the tarot, history, monsters, and more, Courtney Bates-Hardy’s poetry collection Anatomical Venus (Radiant Press) is a visceral examination of the queer, disabled self. Today, Courtney reads two poems from the collection.
ALU Summer Book Club: An Interview with Jade Wallace, author of Anomia
This week of ALU Summer Book Club we chat with author Jade Wallace of the innovative, heart-rending novel Anomia (Palimpsest Press) about their approach to writing reality-adjacent worlds, one “where the forest at the edge of town seems to speak to you, though you can never quite be sure it’s not your own voice you’re…
Writer’s Block: Nora Decter
In our interview with Nora Decter, author of the recently published novel What’s Not Mine—a darkly funny story of family, addiction, and survival—Nora tells us about the rare and elusive “perfect-writing” days, rewarding writerly moments, and why writing helps to regulate her emotions.
Excerpted: Sugar Kids by Taslim Burkowicz
If you’re feeling a little nostalgic for 1990s club counterculture, read today’s featured excerpt from Taslim Burkowicz’s new novel, Sugar Kids (Fernwood Publishing).
ALU Summer Book Club: Intro to Anomia
This summer’s book club kicks off with an innovative and skilful twist on a traditional murder-mystery. Jade Wallace’s Anomia is an atmospheric novel set in a small, fictional town where a couple has vanished from their home, and the only person to have noticed is an estranged friend. Today we chat with the publisher of…
ALU Staff Summer Reads 2024
What books are at the top of our summer reading piles? Peek them below!
Summer Book Club: Ready for More in 2024
It’s hot, the days are long, and this can mean only one thing: our summer book club is back! This year, we’re reading Jade Wallace’s Anomia (Palimpsest Press) in July and Kama La Mackerel’s translation of Valérie Bah’s The Rage Letters (Metonymy Press) in August. Read on for more about these exciting picks, and for…
Excerpted: The Years Shall Run Like Rabbits by Ben Berman Ghan
Called a “technicolour acid trip” by The Miramichi Reader, Ben Berman Ghan’s The Years Shall Run Like Rabbits (Wolsak & Wynn) is a feat of literary speculative fiction. We’re thrilled to be sharing an excerpt from the book for your reading pleasure, below.
Poetry in Motion: John Brady McDonald + The Glass Lodge
It’s been 20 years since the first release of award-winning poet and writer John Brady McDonald’s collection The Glass Lodge. In advance of August’s launch of a 20th Anniversary Edition from Shadowpaw Press, McDonald joins us to reflect on the poetry he was writing back then and its continued relevance for Indigenous youth, and reads…
Field Trip: Muslim Literary Festival
Earlier this month, we took a Field Trip to the inaugural edition of the Muslim Literary Festival, held in Toronto on June 8, 2024. We chat with the organizers about bringing Muslim writers – and culture more broadly – to the fore and what’s coming up for the MLF. All photos credit Hana Clicks Photography.
Got any book recommendations?