Don Coles Reax, Ctd

The fine UK poet John McAuliffe seems very taken with Don Coles' Where We Might Have Been.

"Born in 1927, Don Coles began publishing poems in 1975 and over the past 35 years has produced ten books which possess a distinctive tone, both casual and observant, while fiercely arranging and sequencing those seeming casual observations to make beguiling poems which combine artifice and spontaneity with unusual conviction."

Read the rest here.

Susan Briscoe Reading

Our very own Susan Briscoe will be reading this Sunday at 9pm at The Sparrow (5322 Boulevard St.Laurent), along with Antony Di Nardo, Jacob McArthur Mooney and Richard Van Camp.

Don Coles Reax

I sometimes feel one of my most important jobs as an editor is to lower expectations. This is especially true with regards to reviews, which have all but evaporated for poetry books. When I started writing in the late nineties, a collection of joe-ordinary poetry could expect to get at least 5-6 reviews across the country in the dailies and lit mags. Today even one review is enough to cause a publicist to run around the office dousing themselves in champagne. But sometimes a book breaks through and reminds you (almost) of the good old days. Where We Might Have Been, Don Coles' tenth book of poetry, is one of those books. Review-wise, the collection has put up some decent numbers since it was published last October. Roundup below

"It is difficult to think of another poet whose style is so unmannered, whose tone is so engagingly true." Kenneth Sherman, The Globe and Mail.

"The climax of a singular reign as one of this country’s major lyricist." Jacob McArthur Mooney, Quill & Quire

"A restrained reflection on living...heart-piercing." Amanda Jernigan, Arc Magazine (unavailable online).

"A limitless range...a body of poetry that is highly personal but that also keeps a distance from the self." Alex Good, goodreports.net

"a powerfully hypnotic memory-weave of doubt and universal revelation." Brian Palmu

"The epitome of good ideas well executed"

I know, it's been yonkers since the last posting. But with a major project finally tucked into bed, I'm hoping to get back to my semi-regular pace. To start myself off, here's a great interview with the man who turns out our brilliant covers, David Drummond.

My wife works as a horse groom for a big show barn and gets up at 5:00 in the morning to get ready for work. Consequently I start my day around the same time. It’s funny — I live in farm country and basically keep farmer’s hours. The lights are also on in the neighbouring barns when I start my day.

Marcel Trudel Dies at 93

The great Harvard-trained historian, Marcel Trudel, passed away on January 11 at the age of 93. He influenced a generation of Quebec historians. He strove for intellectual freedom, first scandalizing the French-Canadian religious and academic establishment in 1945 with a ground-breaking book on Voltaire. In 1960, he shocked readers when his book, Deux siècles d'esclavage au Québec, revealed the prevalence of slavery in New France. His uncompromising research earned him much criticism as he fearlessly demolished the mythic versions of New France's heroes (i.e. Dollard-des-Ormeaux).

In 2002 Véhicule Press published Memoirs of a Less Travelled Road: A Historian's Life, translated by Jane Brierley, which won the Governor General's Award for Translation. In fall 2011 the press will be publishing the first English translation of Deux siècles d'esclavage au Québec by George Tombs.

Canadian Poetry Rebooted

It's finally here. Very happy to announce the Montreal launch of the controversial new anthology, Modern Canadian Poets, edited by Evan Jones and Todd Swift.

The evening will include readings by Evan Jones, Norm Sibum, Robyn Sarah, Anne Compton, Mary Dalton and David McGimpsey.

As anthologies go, this one is a big deal -- the first international one devoted to Canadian poetry in a half a century. Drop by and see what all the fuss is about.

Thursday January 13th 2011 from 7pm

Librairie Drawn & Quarterly

211 Bernard Ouest

Order of Canada

I'm delighted to announce that Christopher Wiseman -- author of 36 Cornelian Avenue, published in 2008 by Signal Editions -- has been named to the Order of Canada "For his contributions to the development of creative writing as a poet and professor." What a wonderful way to ring in the new year. (In fine western-Canadian newspaper fashion, the Herald chose to run this item in the Sports section.)