Thirsty

Back from a much needed break: both in terms of a holiday -- Ottawa, and camping with my family, and from Thirsty itself. The latter break was not intentional: I just could not manage the pace, and found the good weather, wine, kids, and books so much more enticing than sitting any longer at this damn computer.

So, if there are any readers still out there, please keep checking in occasionally.

A few quick words on sundry matters. CNQ 71 is out, and if you have not received your copy, you will soon. Canada Post gave me a host of headaches with this issue -- our largest, and I think best yet. They're ironed out, and the issues are on their way. The CNQ website has been updated, with a couple of articles from the magazine and some web-only exclusives, so please check it out. (www.notesandqueries.ca) One article in particular, Alex Good's Adventures in the Reviewing Trade, has been hit more than 2000 times in the 2 weeks it's been up: a bunch of literary blogs and news sites linked to it, making it likely the most widely circulated CNQ article in the magazine's history. A fine and important piece as well. One would hope that it would engender a bit of discussion. Have an issue with anything he said? Want to elaborate on some point? Please let us know. Write a letter to the magazine: we'd like to see a bit more of that.

Please also check out Mike Barnes' Libraculture piece, also online. It's a very good essay on the state of public libraries.

If you haven't yet subscribed to CNQ, please do so. At 14.84 (w/GST) a year (2 issues), t'is a bargain. You won't be disappointed. If you haven't seen a copy since Biblioasis took it over, please check out the nearest newsstand: I think you'll be very surprised.