Category Archives: Uncategorized

Steven Temple in Interview with Don McLeod, on Bookselling

McLeod, Don. “An Interview with Stephen Temple – Collecting English-Canadian Literature: Boom or Bust?” CNQ 56 (1999): 4-11. CNQ: So what’s the problem with CanLit? ST: The problem with CanLit is Canadians. That’s the problem! It’s not the books, it’s Canadians. It’s the Canadian character. CNQ: They don’t appreciate their own literature? ST: Canadians tendContinue reading “Steven Temple in Interview with Don McLeod, on Bookselling”

In/Words: the longpoem envelope (2008)

2013 has seen a run of short memoirs by former In/Words editors, most of them to do with the few years that I was lucky enough to be involved (2006-2009, approximately). A profile by rob mclennan at Open Book: Ontario in February seems to have been what sparked the nostalgic wave, followed up with piecesContinue reading “In/Words: the longpoem envelope (2008)”

William Hoffer on Canadian Literature (2)

Hoffer, William. List 75: Canadian Literature. Vancouver: William Hoffer Bookseller, Limited, 1990. Occasional lists of Canadian literature will be published, but in future we will prefer to respond to lists of books required. There isn’t very much Canadian literature, and most of it is garbage. It is the junk literature of a junk age. ItContinue reading “William Hoffer on Canadian Literature (2)”

Two Small June Updates

Apt. 9 Press is gearing up to launch three new titles in two short weeks. We’ll have new books from Christine McNair, Stephen Brockwell and Jeff Blackman on our table at the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair on June 15, before launching them formally on June 17 at 8:00pm at the fabulous Raw Sugar Cafe.Continue reading “Two Small June Updates”

Henry Morgentaler (1923-2013) – Poet

Henry Morgentaler’s death at age 90 on May 29, 2013, prompted the expected dual response. The complexity of his public reception while alive was mirrored following his death. For my part, as for millions of Canadians, Dr. Morgentaler unequivocally left this country a better place than he found it and all Canadians should be gratefulContinue reading “Henry Morgentaler (1923-2013) – Poet”

On Bernard Amtmann and Bookselling

Mappin, John and John Archer. Bernard Amtmann, 1907-1979: A Personal Memoir. Toronto: The Amtmann Circle, 1987. Bernard Amtmann enjoyed the theatrical aspects of bookselling, a field that lends itself naturally to the pyrotechnical. He understood instinctively the marketing principle that it is not the streak that sells, it’s the sizzle […]

William Hoffer on Canadian Literature

Hoffer, William. “Cheap Sons of Bitches: Memoirs of the Book Trade.” Canadian Notes & Queries 51:1 (1997): 25-30. I became a dealer in Canadian literature somewhat opportunistically, and because, when I first commenced bookselling, I was worried that I wouldn’t want to sell books that I actually liked. Canadian literature recommended itself. There was aContinue reading “William Hoffer on Canadian Literature”

Errata Slips

File Under: Tales from the Errata Slips of Canadian Literature Wright, Richard and Robin Endres, eds. Eight Men Speak and Other Plays from the Canadian Workers’ Theatre. Toronto: New Hogtown Press, 1976. New Hogtown Press wishes to note that the Preface to this book was published without the knowledge or consent of co-editor Robin EndresContinue reading “Errata Slips”

Conferences

I’m very excited to be heading to this cool looking conference at Concordia this afternoon–Approaching the Poetry Series: Using Literary Recordings as Scholars and Digital Designers. The digital/technical side of things will be brand new to me, and the range of theoretical approaches to studying poetry readings (and reading series) as literary artifacts is rightContinue reading “Conferences”