AltWeeklies Wire
Rethinking Canada's Founding Fathernew
For many reasons, historians have been coming together recently in an effort to give Samuel de Champlain a greater place in world history.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
03-13-2009 |
Nonfiction
Lewis Hyde's Classic Manifesto 'The Gift' Gets a Timely Re-Releasenew
What this book conveys more than almost any other book I've read is the sense of abundance artists develop from grounding their sense of self in something other than money or "stuff." At this time, perhaps more than any other, this book will also speak to readers who don't necessarily consider themselves artists.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
12-15-2008 |
Nonfiction
Malcolm Gladwell Examines the Secret of Success in 'Outliers'new
Gladwell uses birthdays, tight-knit communities and circumstance to show why some make it and others don't.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
12-05-2008 |
Nonfiction
'The Boys in the Trees' Speaks of Small Town Tragedynew
For readers raised on the quick paced, urban true crime rhythm of Law & Order, Swan's book may often feel like a slow, dry read. But this is a short, subtle and ultimately searing book.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
11-07-2008 |
Fiction
Jonathan Ames Plays an Anti-Superhero in the Graphic Novel 'The Alcoholic'new
The Alcoholic is destined to become a classic, and Ames owes a large part of this to the graphic skills of Dean Haspiel. There's something irresistibly resonant about Haspiel's style, especially in Jonathan A.'s early years as an ordinary self-loathing teen.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
10-10-2008 |
Fiction
In 'American Wife,' the President's One Good Decision is Choosing His Wifenew
Curtis Sittenfeld's novel is based very loosely on Laura Bush's life. Here she's known as Alice Blackwell, and comes from small-town Wisconsin, not small-town Texas. But that's where the major differences end (unless you want to count the fact that, in the book, she marries a man who you somehow can't help liking).
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
10-06-2008 |
Fiction
'The Other Side of the Coin' May (or May Not) Help You Understand the Meltdownnew
People need to educate themselves in economics. Still, I'm not sure anybody this week needs to read a whole book to figure out that the rules of the game have changed, and that the time has come to have some serious talks about profit caps.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
09-26-2008 |
Nonfiction
P.J. Bracegirdle Gets Spooky in 'Fiendish Deeds'new
The book business has been buzzing like vultures over the fact that 9–12 year olds is the only demographic where reading is on the increase. Bracegirdle (his real name) is a witty, intelligent voice that reads like a not so bloodless Lemony Snicket.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
08-29-2008 |
Fiction
'Stuff White People Like' Goes from Blog to Booknew
Something about SWPL already feels stale, as though the big thing missing on this list of 150 things, is #151, Stuff White People Like.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
07-11-2008 |
Fiction
Your Favorite Sasquatch is Back with 'Bigfoot: I Not Dead'new
The grammatically challenged sociopathic hero returns in Graham Roumieu's sasquatch sequel.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
06-27-2008 |
Fiction
Adam Leith Gollner Talks About Hunting for Fruitnew
"Buying fruits is kind of like investing in stocks," Gollner explains, quoting wisdom he learned at the Orchard, New York City's fanciest fruit shop. "Without a guy on the inside, you have no way of knowing what to buy."
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
06-20-2008 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
Steven Kurutz Goes Behind the Scenes with Tribute Bandsnew
Like a Rolling Stone concerns itself largely with Kurutz's experience touring with two Stones tribute bands, Sticky Fingers and Canada's own Blushing Brides. The dramatic core of the book is the bitter and bizarre rivalry between two aging Mick-divas, Fingers' frontman Glen Carroll (pictured on the cover of the book) and Montreal-born Maurice Raymond.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
05-23-2008 |
Nonfiction
Lynda Barry Gives Us a Lesson on Writing in 'What It Is'new
What It Is is beautiful. If you've ever seen the illustrated version of William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience, you'll recognize the color scheme. Still, on my first reading of the somewhat murky, meandering opening section, I felt a vague unease.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
05-16-2008 |
Nonfiction
'Infidelities' Explores the Struggles of Croatians at Home and Abroadnew
Novakovich's collection of short stories represents a departure from the standard narrative of Eastern Europeans leaving the old country behind. It flows from a more fluid consciousness, able to shift between the horrors, joys and ordinary realities of both worlds.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
05-02-2008 |
Fiction
The Blue Metropolis Literary Festival Turns 10 Years Oldnew
The festival deserves a lot of credit for lasting this long and for bringing international writers to Montreal, which, because of its language quirks, remains off the beaten track for many book tours.
Montreal Mirror |
Juliet Waters |
04-25-2008 |
Books
