What's On at the Library

This fall's lineup for The eh List Author Series includes household names and a few surprises.

The eh List is our way of finding some of the best books of the season and bringing the authors in for a chat. We hope this season’s crop of Canada’s A-List brings light into your world.

We kick off the series with Roy McMurtry, a public man whose impacts on Canadian life can be felt from the Gay Pride Parade (it was McMurtry’s ruling which opened the door to same sex unions in Canada) to the life and death debates over abortion, to the patriation of the national Constitution. Wherever one stands on these and the many other social changes he catalyzed, McMurtry is a undeniably a central figure in the recent history of Canadian law and society. Star writer Barbara Turnbull will be on hand to interview him about his new book, Memoirs and Reflections, at Toronto Reference Library on September 12 at 7 pm.

Mystery writer Louise Penny is back with another installment of her Inspector Armand Gamache adventures. In How the Light Gets In, Gamache becomes the subject of a manhunt and finds himself back in Three Pines looking for refuge. Join us for a discussion with Margaret Cannon at the Appel Salon on September 17 at 7 pm. Free tickets are required for this event. Get them HERE.  This title is also available in electronic format.

East Coast writer Wayne Johnston’s newest, sexiest, funniest novel yet comes to Northern District Library to kick off their fall season. The Son of A Certain Woman is a curious story of passion and misplaced love. Wayne will be on hand at Northern District on September 24th at 12:30 pm. Wayne will also join us for an electronic chat on Book Buzz, September 12 at 7 pm.

When a member of the Massey family was murdered in Toronto in 1915, it was pretty big news. When the accused murderer was a single woman who accused him of sexual assault and of having ‘ruined her life’, it became the biggest news of the season. Join author Charlotte Gray for a discussion of her new book, The Massey Murder: A Maid, Her Master and the Trial That Shocked a Country. Tues., September 14, 2 pm at Taylor Memorial and 7 pm at Runnymede.

If you have seen lawn signs around Toronto shilling for a mayoral candidate named Hap Charlton, don’t worry, you have not missed an important political headline. When you read Robert Rotenberg’s newest procedural, Stranglehold, then you understand that Charlton is the fictional Chief of Police in Rotenberg’s version of Toronto. He’s running for Mayor, and he’s might just run over Ari Greene, Rotenberg’s tough, Jewish detective. Join Toronto’s hottest new mystery writer at Barbara Frum branch on September 25th at 7 and at Toronto Reference Library on November 7 at 12:30. And vote for Hap.

When 19-year-old Mignion Lachapelle meets the middle aged hero of the French Air force and celebrated author, Antoine de Saint Exupére, she finds herself falling deeply into infatuation – perhaps even into love. Saint-Ex does not help matters; a master flirt and committed living legend, he turns her world upside down over a hastily sketched rose and the story of a little prince. Once his quixotic wife enters the triangle, we begin to see how author Ania Szado’s mind works. Join us for a reading and discussion of this delightful, imaginary romance, Studio Saint-Ex. Ania will also join us for an electronic chat on Book Buzz, September 18 at 7 pm. This title is also available in electronic format.

As the Canadian economy and centre of gravity inches ever westward, Mary Janigan puts the historical tension into context with her very readable examination of Canada’s East-West tug-of-war. Let The Eastern Bastards Freeze in The Dark: The West Versus the Rest Since Confederation looks at the reasons for western alienation, western separatist movements, and the struggle for power as ‘The West Wants In’. Join Mary for an informative evening at North York Central on October 2 at 7 pm. This title is also available in electronic format.

Say what you will about the stream of comedians emerging from Newfoundland, but Donna Morrissey can hold her own at comedy central. Her novels are poignant and revealing of the human soul, but her live library appearances are better than anything you will find on the tube. Come and hear Donna read from The Deception of Livvy Higgs in her own inimitable style. Come for the sophisticated literature, and enjoy the enchanting delivery. 2 pm at Taylor and 7 pm at Runnymede; both October 8.

The author of Funny Boy is back with a beautiful love story set in Sri Lanka’s Cinnamon Gardens. The Hungry Ghosts is a tale of greed, confusion, race and class set among the Tamil and Singhalese societies. Love, loss, and prejudice lay at the centre of this tender Canadian tale of love. Join Shyam Selvadurai at the Toronto Reference Library on October 17 at 7 pm. This title is also available in electronic format.

New Brunswick author Christine Eddie joins us with her award-winning story, The Douglas Notebooks; A Fable. This is a short and deep story of awakening and love. It is the story of Romain, the scion of a wealthy Quebec merchant who, upon coming of age, removes himself to the uninhabited forest where he enjoys the simplicity of his own company. As the tale unfolds, his world becomes populated with those who will introduce complexity to his simple world and challenge his ability to live alone and happily. Author Christine Eddie will join us for readings in both official languages: English at Northern District October 22 at 12:30 and in French October 23 at 7 pm. The translator of the book, the legendary Sheila Fischman will be on hand for both events to help us understand the challenge of creating a classic in our two linguistic solitudes.

C.C. Humphreys is, I confess, a favourite of mine. His novels are born in paperback. People die. Sometimes lots of people die. But his action and scenes of violence are never gratuitous and always exciting. Humphreys delivers the action, but his characters are intelligent and humanly drawn. His biographical novel after the life of Vlad Tepes (Vlad: The Last Confession) is as full of gore as it needs to be, but his novel helps us to understand – perhaps even sympathize – with this most bloodthirsty of historical killers. In this newest novel, Shakespeare’s Rebel, we follow the troubled days of John Lawley, England’s finest swordsman and unwilling defender of Robert Deveraux, the Earl of Essex. All Lawley wants is to get sober and get back into Shakespeare’s Globe. The plot gallops, the swords ring, and the author provides an entertaining romp through 16th century British history. Join C.C. Humphreys for an engaging afternoon at Northern District on October 29th at 12:30, and again at North York Central on October 30 at 6:30.

Christian Cameron is best known for his epic tales out of ancient Greece. His Tyrant series follows generations of warlords and fighters through five novels and counting; his Long War series follows a professional killer through three thrilling Bronze Age adventures. His most recent book is a change of pace: The Ill Made Knight is set in France during the Hundred Years War and shimmers with Cameron’s patented intelligent action scenes. Less known is that Cameron was a US Naval spy, is an historical re-enactor, and is a master of the very swords and shields about which he writes so convincingly. Join Christian and C.C. Humphreys for a demonstration of their martial skills with both the sword and the pen at North York Central Library on October 30 at 6:30 pm. Demo at 6:30, reading at 7 pm.

Don Gillmor is best known for his epic Kanata, a novel based on Canadian history and for his two-volume history of Canada, Canada: A People’s History. He is also the author of many children’s books – two of which were nominated for Governor General’s awards. He joins The eh List with a dark comedy based in Toronto’s WASP precincts, where address is everything in life. And after life. Named after the famous cemetery, in Mount Pleasant, Gillmor has given us Harry Salter – a Rosedale old boy whose fortunes and family prestige are slipping at approximately the same rate as his line of credit is climbing. Join Don at Northern District Library November 5 at 12:30 for a taste of this terrifically familiar new novel. This title is also available in electronic format.

Classical guitar can be soothing. But not so soothing if you are competing in an international competition demanding your every fibre of focus. Ann Ireland’s newest novel, The Blue Guitar, gives us a story of artistic persistence, love and genius. Ann will be joined by guitarist Patrick Teggart and interviewer Michelle Berry for a gala event at North York Central Library on November 6 at 7 pm. You can also meet Ann on Book Buzz on Wednesday, October 16 at7pm. This title is also available in electronic format.

If you read widely enough, every once in a while, you might come across a surprising new writer. If you are the programmer for The eh List, you just might get to bring that new writer to visit a library. Ayelet Tsabari is that surprising new writer for me. If you only read one new writer this season, you might want to make it Ayelet Tsabari. She is awesome. In her collection The Best Place On Earth, she explores her homeland, Israel, where she finds as many questions as answers, and where she creates the most eclectic collection of characters imaginable. Challenge yourself. Read one of these stories and then see if you can resist reading more of them. Then come and meet her at Barbara Frum branch on November 13th at 7 pm. This title is also available in electronic format.

Lily Poritz Miller is back with us for the sequel to her novel, A Pale Blue Light. The Newcomers picks up among the Jewish South African community just about where the Blue Light ended. Poritz Miller is a very well-storied fiction editor who has edited many of Canada’s best known authors, from Leonard Cohen to Mordecai Richler. We have teamed her with up-and-coming ‘newcomer’ Ayelet Tsabari for an evening of entertaining reading and talk about writing. Join us at Barbara Frum branch on November 13 at 7 pm.

Canadians are nice. We don’t expect to be called ‘Barbarians’ by the French from France, or by anyone else. But in Todd Babiak’s thriller, Come Barbarians, Canucks become the could-be killers. This novel is a stunning departure for Babiak, but he has produced a convincing thriller which criss-crosses France from Provence to Brittany and into the very centre of French power and politics. Come and meet this versatile and fascinating prairie scribbler. Northern District branch on November 19 at 12:30 and at Taylor Memorial November 19 at 7 pm.

Author and journalist Susan Delacourt follows Ottawa politics for the Toronto Star. For years she has documented the emerging politics of the endless campaign. In her new and thoughtful look at our current democratic processes, she looks at how corporate political parties slice and dice their message, their constituencies and their versions of reality. Join us for an entertaining and informative chat about the pulse of our electoral system in Shopping For Votes: How Politicians Choose Us and We Choose Them. November 20, 7 pm at North York Central and November 21 at Runnymede at 7 pm. Susan will also be on Book Buzz Thursday, November 7 at 7 pm.

You’ve seen the movie, The Great Escape, with Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson… remembering this historical event is very much on our radar this November. Author and historian Ted Barris, whose patented first-person interviews have given so much insight into Canada’s martial history joins us with his own Canadian version of the escape from Stalag Luft III. Tyler Trafford is an Alberta writer with a curious relationship to the escape. Following the death of his mother, Trafford pieced together clues she left for him. It turns out that the young Montreal debutante was engaged to be married to a Norwegian pilot who was one of three men who managed to escape through the tunnel and into Allied territory. In Almost A Great Escape, we follow star-crossed lovers whose lives were forever changed by Stalag Luft III and The Great Escape. Join Trafford and Barris at Barbara Frum branch on November 26 at 7, or at Toronto Reference Library November 28 at 12:30. Trafford will also pay an electronic visit to Book Buzz on Thursday, November 14 at 7 pm.

Remember that the University of Toronto Bookstore will be on hand at all of The eh List events to provide you with your own copy to be signed by the author.

The eh List is partially funded through grants from The Canada Council and the Friends of Toronto Public Library – South Chapter.

See you between the covers,

Joseph.