UNB Reading Series Presents Thomas King

The University of New Brunswick would like to invite you to hear a reading by the critically acclaimed writer, Thomas King, author of The Inconvenient Indian published in 2012 by Random House of Canada. Rich with dark and light, pain and magic, this book weaves the curiously circular tale of the relationship between non-Natives and Natives in the centuries since the two first encountered each other. In the process, King refashions old stories about historical events and figures, takes a sideways look at film and pop culture, relates his own complex experiences with activism, and articulates a deep and revolutionary understanding of the cumulative effects of ever-shifting laws and treaties on Native peoples and lands.

Thomas King is also the author of One Good Story, That One, Truth and Bright Water, and A Short History of Indians in Canada, which won the 2006 McNally Robinson Aboriginal Book of the Year Award. King’s A Coyote Columbus Story was nominated for the Governor General’s Award in 1992, and his Green Grass, Running Water was nominated the following year, and later chosen for inclusion in Canada Reads 2004. King is also known for his work writing and performing on the CBC radio show “Dead Dog Café.” In 2004 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada.

His reading will be held on Tuesday, October 8 at 8:00 pm in Memorial Hall on the UNB Fredericton Campus. This event is free and open to the public. We suggest coming early, as seats may fill up fast.

Upcoming in the UNB Reading Series: Wayne Johnston & Poetry Weekend

The University of New Brunswick would like to invite you to hear a reading by the critically acclaimed writer, Wayne Johnston. His latest novel, The Son of a Certain Woman, was published just last month and has already been long listed for the Giller Prize. It is the story of Percy Joyce, born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, in the fifties, who is an outsider from childhood, set apart by a congenital disfigurement. Soon on the cusp of teenagehood, Percy is filled with longing for what he can’t have, his disturbingly alluring mother, Penelope, whose sex appeal nearly leaps off the page. Everyone in St. John’s lusts after her—including her sister-in-law, Medina; their paying boarder, the local chemistry teacher, Pops MacDougal; and . . . Percy. The Son of a Certain Woman brilliantly mixes sorrow and laughter as it builds toward an unforgettable ending.

Wayne Johnston has an MA in English and Creative Writing from UNB and holds a UNB honorary doctorate. He is also the author of The Story of Bobby O'Malley, which won the WH Smith/Books in Canada First Novel award. Subsequent books consistently received critical praise, including The Divine Ryans, which was adapted to the silver screen, and Baltimore's Mansion, which won the most prestigious prize for creative non-fiction awarded in Canada - the Charles Taylor Prize. Both The Colony of Unrequited Dreams and The Navigator of New York spent extended periods of time on bestseller lists in Canada and Colony was identified by The Globe & Mail as one of the 100 most important Canadian books ever produced (including both fiction and non-fiction).

His reading will be held on Thursday, October 3 at 8:00 pm in Memorial Hall on the UNB Fredericton Campus. Admission is free and all are welcome to attend.

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The University of New Brunswick would like to invite you to the tenth Poetry Weekend.  This festival is legendary for its warmth and friendliness, and a few crazy parties. This is your chance to meet and talk with the best Canadian poets: Governor-General's Award and Griffin Prize winners. Join them for lunch and talk to them after readings. These are the kinds of events you talk about with your grandchildren.

The event will be Saturday and Sunday, October 5 and 6. Readings will be at 11am, 2pm, and 8pm both days and held in Memorial Hall on the UNB Fredericton Campus. Saturday’s 2pm reading will take place in Gallery 78. Readings will be given by Shane Neilson, Steven Price, Julie Bruck, Susan Glickman, David Seymour, Adam Dickinson, Carmelita McGrath, Lynn Davies, Jan Conn, Peter Richardson, Maurice Mierau, Sue Sinclair, and many more.

All readings are free of admission and all are welcome to attend.

Reminder: Douglas Glover Reads September 26!

The University of New Brunswick would like to invite you to hear Douglas Glover, our writer-in-residence for 2013-14, read from his new novel Savage Love, published by Goose Lane Editions.  He will be meeting with writers from the community and from UNB through the year, and if you would like to receive his feedback on your writing, you can contact him through the department of English.

Douglas Glover is an acclaimed writer whose stories have been frequently anthologized, notably in The Best American Short Stories, Best Canadian Stories, and The New Oxford Book of Canadian Stories. He was the recipient of the 2006 Writers’ Trust of Canada Timothy Findley Award for his body of work, and the Governor General’s Award for his bestselling novel, Elle, which was also a finalist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.  A Guide to Animal Behaviour was a finalist for the 1991 Governor General's Award, and 16 Categories of Desire was shortlisted for the 2000 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Award.

His reading will be held on Thursday, September 26 at 8:00 pm in the East Gallery of Memorial Hall on the UNB Fredericton Campus.

Admission is free and all are welcome to attend.

While you wait for this reading, why not check out a recent interview with Douglas Glover at Whole Beast Rag. 

Douglas Glover to Kick Off 2013-14 UNB Reading Series

Douglas Glover

Douglas Glover is this year's UNB writer-in-residence, and he leads off the 2013-14 reading series with his new book Savage Love (Goose Lane Editions). Last week Glover was the guest editor of The National Post's Afterword, posting thought-provoking pieces on writing.

Monday, September 9: Building Sentences
Tuesday, September 10: Lists
Wednesday, September 11: Parallel Construction
Thursday, September 12: Epigrams

Glover will be launching Savage Love on September 26. There will also be more readings added to this page as details become available, including R.M. Vaughn and Bob Gibbs.

2013-14 UNB Reading Series
Douglas Glover	September 26, 2013	East Gallery
Wayne Johnston	October 3, 2013	Memorial Hall
Poetry Weekend	October 5-6, 2013	Memorial Hall
Thomas King	October 8, 2013	Memorial Hall
Anne Compton	October 22, 2013	East Gallery
Catherine Bush	November 19, 2013	Alumni Lounge
Bill Gaston & Mike Christie	February 4, 2014	Alumni Lounge
Rawi Hage	April 2, 2014

The Fiddlehead Summer Fiction Issue Celebration, Part 2

Soldiers' Barracks in downtown Fredericton

Despite the cooler temperature today in downtown Fredericton, fiction co-editor Mark Jarman entertained a small, but appreciative, audience from his Fredericton Arts Alliance artist-in-residence studio in the old soldiers' barracks.

Jarman has been sharing the studio this week with basket maker Katie Nicholas, chatting with tourists about his own writing, and promoting The Fiddlehead. As part of the residencies, Fredericton artists engage the public and tourists with outreach events over the lunch hour. Today, Jarman hosted a second celebration of The Fiddlehead's summer fiction issue.

Jarman in his FAA studio with Jack,
the Jack Russell terrier

Don't forget, Jarman is there for a second week starting this weekend, sharing the space with artist Samira Torabi, and he will be hosting another outreach event on September 7, in a finale of sorts, collaborating with Clarissa Hurley of Notable Acts Theatre Company for a short reading of his story "The Stewardess Swims Over the Sea."

Jarman has information about The Fiddlehead on site, along with copies for purchase. Stop by and see what he is up to!

Another Celebration for Our Summer Issue

Please join fiction co-editor Mark Jarman, next week's Fredericton Arts Alliance artist-in residence, for a  lunch-time celebration of a very special Summer Fiction Issue of The Fiddlehead. All through the summer, two artists of different disciplines share a studio in the Casemates (historic soldiers' barracks) in downtown Fredericton.

Drop by for brief readings celebrating the Summer Fiction Issue and take a look at the beautiful new issue of The Fiddlehead magazine, 12:45pm, August 29.

The issue boasts new stories from Dan Woodrell (writer of Oscar winner Winter’s Bone), Craig Davidson (writer of the film Rust and Bone and a UNB grad), local writers Raymond Fraser and Rob Gray, and stories from three accomplished Irish writers, Mary O’Donnell, Mike McCormack and Eoin McNamee, the last nominated for a Man Booker Prize.

This celebration is part of the FAA Artist-in-Residence Public Outreach sessions, which occur throughout the summer. They are free to attend and all are welcome. For more information visit the FAA Studio at the Casemates, by the College of Craft and Design, Monday to Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 12-5.

Jarman, available for consultations during the week at the Casemates, will be sharing the space with Katie Nicholas, who will host a demonstration of basket making on Wednesday August 28 at 2pm.

Summer Fiction Issue Launch

The Fiddlehead launched the Summer Fiction issue last Thursday, August 1 at Gallery 78 in downtown Fredericton. More than a dozen fiction lovers attended the festivities to hear readings from contributor Ray Fraser and samples from out-of-town contributors read by Fiddlehead editors. Many thanks to Gallery 78!

Fiction co-editor Mark Jarman hosted the launch.
Here, he reads from Eoin McNamee's story

Local writer and contributor to fiction issue Ray Fraser

Ian LeTourneau reads from Mike McCormack's story

Fiction co-editor Gerard Beirne rounded off the evening
by reading from Margaret Sweatman's story

The crowd