Happy 10th: Douglas Glover on Adderson, Barnes, Blaise, Flood, Helwig, Jernigan, Rooke, Smith and ... well ... Biblioasis

Below in the first of a series of appreciations that have begun to come in from readers as part of Biblioasis's 10th anniversary highlighting the important writers and books from Biblioasis's past.  More will follow, at 2-3 per week, over the next several months.

Biblioasis is a life boat, rescuing passengers from the sinking (always) ship of a culture steering headlong towards the tsunami of our murky future (the new). Some of the passengers rescued mean a lot to me as a writer, person and thinker. John Metcalf's hilarious early fiction, anything by the astonishing Leon Rooke, David Helwig (poetry, fiction, and that amazing Chekhov translation), Clark Blaise -- to tell the truth, not much of the new stands up to these giants. Of the newer variety, Caroline Adderson and Cynthia Flood will be read long after the deluge. I deeply admire the elegance and wit of Russell Smith and, of course, there is the often overlooked Mike Barnes, a Canadian original, a world original. And the holy poetry of Amanda Jernigan. These are my companions in the night. --Douglas Glover

Further appreciations can be sent to Dan Wells at dwells@biblioasis.com, and will be published on Thirsty and elsewhere in due course.

Russell Smith Leads Luminato's Literary Walk this Sunday

Yesterday we brought the Luminato Festival's Literary Picnic to your attention, and it's sure to be one of the most fun outdoor books-based events of the summer. For those of you looking to make an occasion of this Father's Day Sunday, the ante just got upped. Directly on the heels of the picnic, none other than Russell Smith will be leading the festival's Literary Walk, which provides  a rare opportunity to glimpse the undercurrents, secrets and hidden narratives of Unseen Toronto and the places that have inspired some of Canada's leading writers. The walk begins at 3:00PM at the corner of Spadina and Queen Street West, and participants can either meet there or take a shuttle at the corner of Trinity Bellwood Park gates @ Queen Street West, which will be departing a 2:45PM on the dot. Tickets are available online  or by phone at 416-368-3100, and if you mention this post and the code "middlespace", they are available at the reduced cost of 15$. See you there!