Books Rational with Anne Stone

Anne Stone in conversation with Betsy Warland about her new book, Breathing the Page: Reading the Act of Writing. In Breathing the Page, Warland finds the extraordinary in the seemingly every day materials with which writers work. She also conceptualizes the language and process of writing.

With book recommendations by Betsy Warland, Megan Turnbull, Gerry Kowalenko, and Anne Stone.

19 August 2010

Charlie Demers in conversation about his political background, the art of stand-up comedy and literature, and his latest books: The Prescription Errrors, a darkly comic novel, and Vancouver Special, an examination of “the who, what, where, when, why, and how of Vancouver."

From issues facing women in prison to a recipe for Jailhouse cookies (made with individual creamers & sugar packs), this issue of Books Rational is dedicated to Prison Justice Day.

August 10th is Prison Justice Day, an international day of solidarity with prisoners. Christine Lamont (Sisters in Action and Solidarity) and writer/performer Lora McElhinney (Joint Effort) discuss issues facing women in prison and preview a benefit performance for "The Word is Out" a prison writing newswire and zine that features the original writing and art of women in prison and former prisoners. For more information about this day, and the issues, go to prisonjustice.ca

Hiromi Goto in conversation about her new novel, Half World (Penguin 2009).

Japanese-born Hiromi Goto immigrated to Canada in 1969. She is the author of the award-winning novel Chorus of Mushrooms; a children's novel, The Water of Possibility; and, most recently, the short story collection Hopeful Monsters. The Vancouver Sun says Goto's Half World "rumbles with layered meanings and ignites exhilaration."

18 June 2009.

Aaron Peck in conversation about his new novel, The Bewilderments of Bernard Willis (Pedlar Press, 2008).

Aaron Peck's art criticism and journalism have appeared in Arcade, Canadian Art, Fillip, Open Letter, Matador, and the CBC Radio 3 Magazine. He currently teaches at Emily Carr University. The Agora Review calls Peck's Bewilderments "crystallized moments that pulse forward and back in the mind."

19 March '09

Jenny Sampirisi, author of Is/Was (Insomniac Press, 2008), in conversation with Arts Rational host Megan Turnbull and Anne Stone

Jenny Sampirisi is a Toronto writer and editor. She is the managing editor for the poetry publisher, BookThug, and the online vispo journal, Other Cl/utter. She is also an executive member of the Scream Literary Festival. Is/was is her first novel. The Globe and Mail praised Is/Was as “remarkable for its layered insights and depth of observing…."

19 March '09.

Aaron Peck in conversation about his new novel, The Bewilderments of Bernard Willis (Pedlar Press, 2008).

Aaron Peck's art criticism and journalism have appeared in Arcade, Canadian Art, Fillip, Open Letter, Matador, and the CBC Radio 3 Magazine. He currently teaches at Emily Carr University. The Agora Review calls Peck's Bewilderments "crystallized moments that pulse forward and back in the mind."

19 March '09

Hiromi Goto in conversation about her new novel, Half World (Penguin 2009).

Japanese-born Hiromi Goto immigrated to Canada in 1969. She is the author of the award-winning novel Chorus of Mushrooms; a children's novel, The Water of Possibility; and, most recently, the short story collection Hopeful Monsters. The Vancouver Sun says Goto's Half World "rumbles with layered meanings and ignites exhilaration."

18 June 2009.