Top 10: It’s My Party

Welcome to All Lit Up’s Top 10 – a literary list of ten things we’re thinking about right now.Tomorrow we celebrate our two years of internet life, and it has us wondering: how do other CanLit-ers get down? These ten books featuring party scenes and/or other literary bacchanals are sure to give us tips on what (or what NOT) to do for our second Birthday.* * *More the aftermath of parties than parties themselves, Gilbert’s poetic confessions of one-time lovers or pop-news happenings are alternately hilarious and heartfelt (sometimes on the same line: “I’ve never eaten pie as delicious as your smile / and never / put my hands in gooey fingerpaint as nice / as your curly / hair since General Franco gave up Spain”). Geneviève Pettersen’s Archambault Award-winning novel follows 14-year-old Catherine, who finds solace from her divorcing parents in PCP-variant mescaline and bush parties in rural Quebec. If you’re keeping score, this is a “don’t” for 2nd Birthday celebrations.

Ex-Playboy bunny Bunny (her name, at least for the purposes of this narrative) serves a lesson in gatecrashing in Alisha Piercy’s 2nd-person novel: even if someone tries to murder you and you get mauled by a shark, there’s still party dresses to steal and champagne to drink. This novella in verse recounts a meal between a twentieth-century, Montreal-dwelling, married Dionysus (Donny) and Ariadne (Ari), weaving in their mythology, children, pets, fights, and food.

This YA novel about 17-year-old Meg heading to dances as young men return from the Second World War overseas hits that classic tension: as a young lady, do you settle down and get married to a “safe” man or ignore the haters and follow your dreamzzzz? (The plethora of z’s clearly shows our preference.) Amanda Earl’s collection of poetry stars roaring twenties’ self-made star Kiki de Montparnasse; performer and artist, felon and fetish item. Her delicious collection indicts you in Kiki’s revelry, making you a willing participant before you even realize it. 

While the above Kiki made her own stardom, Lady Crawford in this collection of poetry marries into it – specifically, into gentry. The lavish parties mask Lady Crawford’s identity – like the many glasses of champagne she imbibes – fizzing away. Usually “loveable” means affable, adorable, and someone you want to speak down to. Not so with Cassie Stocks’ nonetheless loveable misfits (a failed painter, an addict screenwriter, a homeless teen, a rueful ghost) in Dance, Gladys, Dance, who band together when the local youth arts community centre is under threat.

 TBH we think that this one speaks for itself. This adorable picture book that starts with a party of dogs hanging out is not just for kids, because don’t you want to go to a party full of dogs? 

Exactly.* * *Love lists and gifs? Check out more Top 10 here.