In Review: The Week of June 30th

On the Blog

~ In the new world of staying home, we armchair travel with author Trevor Carolan who chats with us about his new book Road Trips: Journeys in the Unspoiled World (Mother Tongue Publishing), what makes a good travel story, and some of his fave travel spots. “Serious travel writing is a kind of research journalism that above all depends on careful observation.”~ It’s #ALUbookclub time! Get to know our July book Polar Vortex by Shani Mootoo and read our interview with publisher Book*hug Press: “We knew just a few pages into reading the manuscript that we were going to make an offer to acquire the publication rights.”~ From award-winners to page-turning stories about friendship to books about burlesque, All Lit Up staffers share book picks for our social-distance summer reading.~ Poet and author Gary Barwin talks to us about writing rituals, the wonder of language, and his collection For It Is a Pleasure and a Surprise to Breathe (Wolsak and Wynn): “I used to sacrifice something before I started, but I found that I got blood on the keyboard. What is a ritual? I’ve found that I ritualistically try to be open to writing anywhere and at any time and try not to be too precious about it.”

~ CBC Books recommends 40 Canadian books to read this summer.~ The 2020 Atlantic Book Awards winners were announced and included some All Lit Up favourites: Nosy White Woman by Martha Wilson (Biblioasis); Almost Feral by Gemma Hickey (Breakwater Books); Dangerous Enemy Sympathizers: Canadian Internment Camp B, 1940-1945 by Andrew Theobald (Goose Lane Editions); Crow by Amy Spurway (Goose Lane Editions); and Belated Bris of the Brainsick by Lucas Crawford (Nightwood Editions). ~ And if you want to support Atlantic authors and publishers, check out Atlantic Books Today’s #ReadAtlantic campaign.

ICYMI (last week)

Long Reads to Fill Even Longer Summer Days

We like BIG BOOKS and we cannot lie. Check out some of our recommended reads that clock in around 400+ pages—all stories you’ll be happy to spend some extra time with!