Happy Birthday, Bibbi—From the 49th Shelf

Today in anticipation of our IFOA Anniversary Bash—happening TONIGHT, btw, at Harbourfront, #hiphip #PSyoushouldGO—Kerry Clare of the 49th Shelf has listed her ten favourite Biblioasis titles of all time. It's a great survey of titles both new and old, poetry and prose, fiction and non. Many thanks to Kerry for her birthday wishes and support over the years. We couldn't ask for a better present!!

Ondjaki Appearing at IFOA

Join Host Grace O'Connell as she welcomes Ondjaki, Miriam Toews and Evie Wyld to present their latest works at Toronto's International Festival of Authors on Wednesday, April 30th.

Ondjaki was named one of The Guardian's Top Five African Writers in 2012. His most recent novel translated to English, Granma Nineteen and the Soviet's Secret, was shortlisted in 2010 under the Best Book of the Year category of the São Paolo Prize for Literature. In 2013 Ondjaki won the José Saramago Prize for Literature.

Miriam Toews, 2004 Governor General's award winner and Giller Prize finaliast, will be celebrating the launch of her newest book All My Puny Sorrows. Evie Wyld will be reading from her second novel All the Birds, Singing. Her first novel, After the Fire, A Still Small Voice won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize.

Host Grace O'Connell has been nominated for the RBC Browen Wallace Award and two National Magazine Awards for fiction. Her novel Magnified World is a national bestseller.

The event begins at 7:30 pm in the York Quay Centre Brigantine Room, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto.

For more information visit the IFOA website here.

Presenting Ondjaki and Granma Nineteen

Next week we're delighted to announce that Ondjaki, one of Angola's best-known and most beloved authors, will embark on a cross-country Canadian tour. Are you in Ottawa? Toronto? Montreal? Windsor? Vancouver? Come out and hear the voice that has captured over a dozen international prizes and earned praise around the globe. For his complete tour schedule, read on! We'll have more about Granma Nineteen in the coming days.

1. Ottawa Writers Fest, OTTAWA

Tuesday, April 29 – 8:30pm 

"Another Word for Nothing Left" 

with Padma Viswanathan, Ondjaki and Nadia Bozak

hosted by CBC's Adrian Harewood 

(location: Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Lisgar Street at Elgin)

2. International Festival of Authors (IFOA), TORONTO

Wednesday, April 30 – 7:30pm

Reading with Ondjaki, Miriam Toews and Evie Wyld 

(location: York Quay Centre, Brigantine Room)

3. Blue Metropolis Festival, MONTREAL                        

                           Friday, May 2^nd – 7pm – 7:20pm

                            Book signing (location: Las Americas)

Saturday, May 3^rd – 3:30pm – 4:30pm 

“Memory, family lore and fiction” 

with Luis Alberto Urrea, David Homel, and Ondjaki

(location: Las Americas)

Saturday, May 3^rd – 5pm – 6pm

“Cara a Cara Com Ondjaki” Portuguese language event 

(location: Las Americas)

Saturday, May 3^rd – 8pm – 9:30pm

“Face to Face With Ondjaki” Interview

hosted by CBC's Paul Kennedy 

(location: Salle Godin)

4. Biblioasis Spring Fiction Launch, WINDSOR

Tuesday, May 6 – 7pm

Reading with Ray Robertson, C.P. Boyko, K.D. Miller and Ondjaki 

(location: Biblioasis bookshop)

5. Incite: Vancouver International Writers Fest, VANCOUVER

Wednesday, May 7 – 7:30pm

Reading with Ondjaki, Claire Battershill and Sean Michaels 

(location: Alice MacKay Room, Central Library)