Weekend Reads: 3 Picks to Indulge your Winter Hibernation

Paper Houses by Dominique Fortier, translated by Rhonda Mullins (Coach House Books)As we celebrate Emily Dickinson’s 189th birthday this week, it only seemed right to bring you Dominique Fortier’s Paper Houses, a poetic re-imaging of Emily’s life as she reflects on her childhood and her family, tracking her slow transition into a recluse. This book is a beautiful blend of whimsy and misanthropy that will appeal to those who have vowed to spend all 48 hours of the weekend indoors and away from the troubles of the outside world.

Float and Scurry  by Heather Birrell (Anvil Press)Turn an ordinary day spent indoors upside down with Heather Birrell’s Float and Scurry. Joni Mitchell, Mr. T and Fidell Castro moonlight in this surreal collection of poetry that playfully looks at the absurd lengths we’ll go to maintain relationships with friends and family – encouraging us to accept and embrace the strangeness we encounter within this world we find ourselves stuck in.

Straight Jacket Winter  by Esther Douquette and Gilles Poulin-Denis (Playwrights Canada Press)Straight Jacket Winter shows us the harsh reality of cabin fever turned ugly. After Esther and Gilles make a difficult move from Montréal to Vancouver, they quickly find themselves isolated both socially and within their own home. Struggling with the city’s unrelenting rain, the trapped couple faces a divide that threatens their relationship at the same time as their situation drives them closer together. ###Spice up your weekend with more new reads on All Lit Up >>