Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Ray Robertson in the Border City and Beyond

One of Canada's most acclaimed novelists, Ray Robertson, will be heading to the border city next month for the writer-in-residence gig at the University of Windsor.

With a view of the iconic Detroit skyline, UWindsor seems an apt place for Ray's brief tenure, as his latest novel, David, is now available in the U.S. for the very first time.  

David, which follows the life of the eccentric title character, born a slave in the mid-1800s and living as a free man and saloon keeper in Chatham, Ontario, is now also available for the first time in paperback in Canada and the U.S., and has been receiving a great deal of positive attention since its re-release by Biblioasis this winter.

Library Journal wrote, "This beautifully written novel with its discontinuous narrative, complex characters, and references to poets, philosophers, and other great thinkers is a challenging read that is well worth the effort. Although Robertson (Home Movies; Heroes; Moody Food; Gently Down the Stream) has won many Canadian literary awards, his work is unfamiliar to American readers. With this novel he has beautifully brought to life a segment of African-American history that is largely unknown in this country."

If that tickles your fancy and you're in the Windsor area in February, look out for a few Ray Robertson events (details to come!) in the city.


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