Open Book Toronto - Events Feed

Stories That Bind Festival - Harbord House Pub & Grill

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:54:04 -0600

Start: 11/19/2008 - 19:30

End: 11/19/2008 - 19:30

The KCLF-21 Press is proud to host the Stories That Bind Festival, Celebrating the multicultural voices and stories of Canada.

A FREE EVENT on Wednesday Nov 19 from 7:30 to 9:30 at Harbord House Pub & Grill.

Come celebrate this multicultural event with the KCLF-21 Press!

Readings with
Christopher Doda,
Karen Connelly,
Halli Villages,
and Leigh Nash.

Draft Reading Series

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:12:12 -0600

Start: 11/19/2008 - 20:00

End: 11/19/2008 - 20:00

DRAFT 4.2

Including new work by:

Chris Canniff
Rosemary Clewes
Farzana Doctor
Steven Heighton
Leanna McLennan

With the $5 admission fee you get a copy of Draft, a limited-edition publication available only at these readings.

For further information please call 416 433-4170 or email draftreadings [at] gmail [dot] com

With financial assistance from the Writers Union of Canada and the Canada Council.

David Hackett Fischer and Peter MacLeod at U of T Bookstore Reading Series

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:32:22 -0600

Start: 11/20/2008 - 19:30

End: 11/20/2008 - 19:30

David Hackett Fischer (Champlain’s Dream) and Peter MacLeod (Northern Armageddon) will be at the U of T Bookstore Reading Series at Robert Gill Theatre, 214 College Street (St. George entrance, 3rd Floor), Toronto, on Thursday, November 20 at 7:30 p.m. Free (limited seating).

David Hackett Fischer’s Champlain’s Dream is the enthralling story of an adventurer who was also an able leader with a rare vision for a new world founded on harmony and respect – where Europeans and Aboriginals would cooperate for mutual benefit. Rooted in original research, featuring quotations and images that have never appeared before, Northern Armageddon immerses the reader in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham through the eyes of dozens of participants.

Stories That Bind Festival - Main Event

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:47:23 -0600

Start: 11/22/2008 - 11:00

End: 11/22/2008 - 11:00

KCLF-21 Press celebrates it's 10th Anniversary with a multicultural festival, Stories That Bind.

On Saturday November 22, Hart House will host authors, poets, storytellers, presenters, performances and other events that celebrate the diversity of Canada.

Whether you want to listen to up and coming authors present their craft, dance to the sounds of the Fitzroy Terrors, take in multicultural dance and martial arts performances, listen to a favourite author read from their latest book, or contribute your own story on our Story Thread. There is plenty to see and do at the Stories That Bind festival all for FREE!

Main Event
Date: Saturday November 22, 2008
Location: Hart House, University of Toronto
Time: 11:00am - 6:00pm

Readings with:
Priscila Uppal,

Publication Demystification - Workshop wth Karen Connelly

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:26:57 -0500

Start: 11/22/2008 - 13:00

End: 11/22/2008 - 13:00

Toronto Public Library's Writer in Residence, Karen Connelly (The Lizard Cage), will be leading a workshop on Publication Demystification. In the Beeton Auditorium of the Toronto Reference Library. On Saturday, November 22 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Darkstar Fiction Gala Evening

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:42:18 -0500

Start: 11/24/2008 - 19:00

End: 11/24/2008 - 19:00

Napoleon & Company celebrates Darkstar Fiction, their newest imprint of urban edgy fiction, with a gala evening which will introduce two first time Toronto authors. There will be nibbles and readings and a cash bar and an opportunity to mingle with young people who love the latest fiction which Darkstar represents. On November 24 at 7:00 p.m. at the Gladstone Hotel in the upstairs ballroom. Readings begin at 7:45 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Maurice Vellekoop’s PIN-UPS Book Launch

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:49:27 -0500

Start: 11/25/2008 - 18:30

End: 11/25/2008 - 18:30

Maurice Vellekoop’s PIN-UPS Book Launch is on Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 @ 6:30 p.m. atBuddies in Bad Times Theatre. FREE (18+, Please)

The Beguiling is teaming up with the fierce folks at Green Candy Press to present Maurice Vellekoop’s Pin-Ups! It’s a cross between his most recent collection, “A Nut At The Opera,” and his most infamous collection, “ABC: A Homoerotic Primer,” featuring tributes to hundreds of years of gay imagery from film to fashion to fantasy, all rendered in Maurice’s trademark style.

The event will feature a gallery show, presentation from the book, and some fantastic music too. If you’ve ever thought about coming out to one of our events, this one guarantees a fabulous time.

ECW Press Fall Lit Party

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:50:34 -0600

Start: 11/25/2008 - 19:00

End: 11/25/2008 - 19:00

ECW Press invites you to join us at a party to celebrate our literary titles on Tuesday, November 25. The fun will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Supermarket (268 Augusta Avenue, Toronto) and the night will include short readings from the following ECW authors:

-Jonathan Bennett (Entitlement)
-Daccia Bloomfield (Dora Borealis)
-Asher Ghaffar (wasps in a golden dream hum a strange music)
-Martin Hunter (Young Hunting)
-Derek McCormack (The Show that Smells)
-Alessandro Porco (Augustine in Carthage)
-Robert Priest (Reading the Bible Backwards)

There will also be an appearance by a surprise special guest.

Annual TSAR Book Launch

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:23:48 -0500

Start: 11/25/2008 - 19:00

End: 11/25/2008 - 19:00

The TSAR Fall 2008 Book Launch is on Tuesday, November 25 at 7:00 p.m. at The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West, Toronto.

Celebrate the launch of:
The Fourth Canvas by Rana Bose
Shopping for Sabzi by Nitin Deckha
In a Boston Night by Sasenarine Persaud
Caribbean Blues and Love's Genealogy by Dannabang Kuwabong
Belonging and Banishment: Being Muslim in Canada by Natasha Bakht

Author readings, signings, food, and cash bar

David Seymour, Karen Solie and Paul Dutton at the Grey Borders Reading Series*

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:11:20 -0600

Start: 11/25/2008 - 19:30

End: 11/25/2008 - 19:30

David Seymour, Karen Solie and Paul Dutton are reading at The Niagara Artists' Centre, 354 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines on Tuesday, November 25 at 7:30. No cover. Donations are encouraged. Time: Doors open at 7:30 pm, readings begin shortly thereafterCost: no cover, donations encouraged. This is a licensed event by the LCBO. More details here: greyborders.blogspot.com.

George Amabile, Mike Spry and Robert Priest at the Art Bar Poetry Series

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:59:21 -0600

Start: 11/25/2008 - 20:00

End: 11/25/2008 - 20:00

George Amabile, Mike Spry and Robert Priest are reading at the Art Bar Poetry Series at Clintons, 693 Bloor Street West, Toronto, on Tuesday, November 25 at 8:00 p.m.

George Amabile holds a PhD in literature and has taught at universities since 1960. Recently retired, he currently resides in Winnipeg. He has won the Canadian Authors Award, the Sidney Booktown International Poetry Award and the CBC Literary Competition. His first book was Blood Ties (Sono Nis Press, 1972) and his most recent book is Tasting the Dark (The Muse's Company, 2001).

John Hodgman at This Is Not A Reading Series

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:20:00 -0600

Start: 11/25/2008 - 20:00

End: 11/25/2008 - 20:00

Judith Keenan and Paul Quarrington at TINARS with Moving Stories Films

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:01:16 -0500

Start: 11/26/2008 - 19:30

End: 11/26/2008 - 19:30

Want to see some of this season's hottest titles on the big screen before they are turned into feature length blockbusters? MovingStories Films (BookShorts) is a hilarious, odd and poignant collection of short films based on recent books from all over the world. Some are faithful to the page and others treat the source text as a starting point for cinematic invention. Judith Keenan and Paul Quarrington curated the program. Several of the featured authors will be in attendance.

At the Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen St W, Toronto
Wednesday, November 26 at 7:30 p.m. (doors 7:00 p.m.) free

Dave Carpenter and Jack MacLeod Double Book Launch

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:17:17 -0600

Start: 11/27/2008 - 17:00

End: 11/27/2008 - 17:00

Two native sons of Saskatchewan will launch their new novels published this
month by the Porcupine's Quill! David Carpenter will be launching his newest novel, Niceman Cometh. Jack MacLeod will be launching his newest novel Uproar. Thursday, November 27 at 5:00 p.m. at Ben McNally's, 366 Bay Street, Toronto.

Please RSVP to michelle.belle [at] sympatico [dot] ca.

Launch for Breaker by Sue Sinclair

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:44:04 -0600

Start: 11/27/2008 - 18:30

End: 11/27/2008 - 18:30

Brick Books invites you to celebrate the launch of Breaker by Sue Sinclair at TYPE Books, 883 Queen Street West, Toronto on Thursday, November 27 at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Sue Sinclair has written three previous books of poetry, Secrets of Weather & Hope, Mortal Arguments and The Drunken Lovely Bird. Her work has been nominated for awards including the Gerald Lampert and Pat Lowther Awards and the Atlantic Book Prize for Poetry. Secrets of Weather & Hope was a Globe 100 title.

Launch for The Bewilderments of Bernard Wills by Aaron Peck

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:01:20 -0600

Start: 11/27/2008 - 19:30

End: 11/27/2008 - 19:30

Aaron Peck launches his debut novel, The Bewilderments of Bernard Wills (Pedlar Press) on Thursday, November 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Supermarket (NOTE: VENUE to be confirmed), 286 Augusta Avenue in Kensington Market, Toronto.

Toronto Launch of Tender Buttons and Every Way Oakley

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:17:34 -0500

Start: 11/27/2008 - 19:30

End: 11/27/2008 - 19:30

Join BookThug for the release the first ever Canadian edition of Gertrude Stein's Tender Buttons (with introduction by Steve McCaffery) and of Every Way Oakley by Steve McCaffery. McCaffery will read from both texts. At This Ain't the Rosedale Library, 86 Nassau Street (in Kensington Market), Toronto. Thursday, November 27 at 7:30 p.m.

A Reading and Book Signing with David Carpenter

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:44:09 -0600

Start: 11/29/2008 - 14:00

End: 11/29/2008 - 14:00

Acclaimed author David Carpenter will read from his new book, Niceman
Cometh at David Mirvish Books on Art, 596 Markham Street in Mirvish Village, Toronto, on Saturday, November 29 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Niceman Cometh is the story of one year in the life of Glory Sacher, and of the men that covet her. The year is centred around Christmas, and the Niceman is Santa Claus.

Mike Barnes Reading at Different Drummer Books

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:43:19 -0500

Start: 12/02/2008 - 09:00

End: 12/02/2008 - 09:00

Mike Barnes, author of The Lily Pond (Biblioasis), will be reading at Different Drummer Books, 513 Locust Street, Burlington, on Tuesday, December 2 at 9:00 a.m. The Lily Pond is a memoir which chronicles the author's 30-plus years living with bipolar disorder.

Mike Barnes is the author of six previous books: the novels Catalogue Raisonné and The Syllabus, the short fiction collections Aquarium — winner of the 1999 Danuta Gleed Award — and Contrary Angel, and the poetry collections Calm Jazz Sea and a thaw foretold. Born in Minneapolis, a joint U.S.-Canadian citizen, Mike Barnes lives and writes in Toronto.

Hindsight: Historical Fiction in Canada at the TPL with Katherine Govier

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:19:41 -0600

Start: 12/02/2008 - 14:00

End: 12/02/2008 - 14:00

Katherine Govier, author of Three Views of Crystal Water (HarperCollins Canada), will be reading at the Richview Branch of the Toronto Public Library on Tuesday, December 2 at 2:00 p.m.

Hindsight: Historical Fiction in Canada at the TPL with Jan Rehner, Allan Levine and Morley Torgov

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:10:56 -0600

Start: 12/02/2008 - 14:00

End: 12/22/2008 - 14:00

Three Jewish wrtiers of historical mysteries, Jan Rehner, (On Pain of Death, Sumach Press), Allan Levine (Evil of the Age: The Charles St. Clair Chronicle, Heartland Assoc. Inc) and Morley Torgov (Murder in A-Major, Rendez-Vous Crime), will be at the Barbara Frum Branch of the Toronto Public Library on Tuesday, December 2 at 2:00 p.m. for a reading and talk. All three will read from their new titles and discuss them in a moderated panel.

White Album Multimedia Book Launch Party: Poetry, Art and Live Music

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:10:18 -0600

Start: 12/02/2008 - 19:00

End: 12/02/2008 - 19:00

The launch for White Album (Inanna Publications), poetry by Rishma Dunlop, art by Suzanne Northcott, is on December 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Gladstone Hotel.

Peter Robinson at York's Canadian Writers in Person Lecture Series

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:59:36 -0600

Start: 12/02/2008 - 19:00

End: 12/02/2008 - 19:00

Peter Robinson (Piece of My Heart, McClelland & Stewart) will be reading at the Canadian Writers in Person Lecture Series in the Accolade West Building, Room 109, York University, on Tuesday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m. The series is free and open to the public.

Eric Ripert at This Is Not A Reading Series

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:30:30 -0600

Start: 12/03/2008 - 19:30

End: 12/03/2008 - 19:30

How does Le Bernardin maintain its status as one of the premier restaurants in New York? At the launch of On the Line: The Stations, the Heat, the Cooks, the Cost, the Chaos and the Triumphs (Artisan/Thomas Allen), celebrated chef Eric Ripert will discuss, with food writer and novelist Shaun Smith, what goes on behind the scenes at this Michelin 3-star restaurant. Curious foodies will have an opportunity to sample some of Ripert's recipes.

Gladstone Hotel 2nd Floor Gallery, 1214 Queen St W, Toronto
Wed, Dec 3 at 7:30pm (doors 7pm) free

Launch for is/was by Jenny Sampirisi

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:26:29 -0600

Start: 12/03/2008 - 20:00

End: 12/03/2008 - 20:00

The launch of is/was (Insomniac Press) by Jenny Sampirisi is on Wednesday, December 3 at 8:00 p.m. at the Cameron House (408 Queen Street West, Toronto). The launch will feature an interview of the author by Jude MacDonald, as well as a brief reading from the book.

Jenny Sampirisi is a Toronto writer and editor. She is the managing editor for the poetry publisher, BookThug, and the online vispo journal, Other Cl/utter. She is also an executive member of the Scream Literary Festival. is/was is her first novel.

Pat Mattaini Mestern at Guelph Book Fair*

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:49:56 -0600

Start: 12/04/2008 - 10:00

End: 12/04/2008 - 10:00

Meet Pat Mattaini Mestern, author of Granite (Dundurn Press), at the Book Fair where she will be selling books. Saturday December 6 and Sunday December 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the West End Community Centre, 21 Imperial Road South, Guelph.

Pat Mestern is the author of eight previous books, including No Choice but Freedom and Magdalena's Song. She writes travel, lifestyle, and local history columns for a variety of national and international publications. She lives in Fergus, Ontario.

Hindsight: Historical Fiction in Canada at the TPL with Steven Galloway

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:23:19 -0600

Start: 12/04/2008 - 14:00

End: 12/04/2008 - 14:00

Steven Galloway, author of The Cellist of Sarajevo (Knopf Canada), will be reading at the Northern District Branch of the Toronto Public Library on Thursday, December 4 at 2:00 p.m.

Steven Galloway was born in Vancouver, and raised in Kamloops, British Columbia. He attended the University College of the Cariboo and the University of British Columbia. His debut novel, Finnie Walsh (2000), was nominated for the Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award. His second novel, Ascension (2003), was nominated for the BC Book Prizes' Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, and has been translated into numerous languages. His newest novel, The Cellist of Sarajevo, was published in spring of 2008, has garnered attention both in Canada and abroad.

Mark Osbaldeston Presents an Illustrated Lecture at the Royal Ontario Museum

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:37:49 -0600

Start: 12/04/2008 - 19:00

End: 12/04/2008 - 19:00

Mark Osbaldeston presents an illustrated lecture in the Signy and Cleophee Eaton Theatreat the Royal Ontario Museum on Thursday, December 4 at 7:00 p.m. Free admission. His lecture will be based on his book Unbuilt Toronto: A History of the City that Might Have Been, Mark Osbaldeston discusses never-realized architectural schemes in and around Toronto.

Nathalie Stephens' Toronto launch of At Alberta

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:20:27 -0500

Start: 12/04/2008 - 19:30

End: 12/04/2008 - 19:30

Nathalie Stephens (Nathanaël) will read from At Alberta (BookThug 2008) at the Toronto Free Gallery, 1277 Bloor Street West, Toronto. December 4th at 7:30 p.m.

This is the official launch of the Department of Critical Thought (now part of BookThug Nation).

Claudia Dey, Zack Wells and Julie Morstad at TINARS for Tots

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:13:16 -0500

Start: 12/06/2008 - 09:00

End: 12/06/2008 - 09:00

Award-winning playwright and novelist Claudia Dey hosts a Holiday Bonanza!

We gather some of the most innovative, celebrated titles of the past few months in time for the holiday season. Zack Wells will share his tale of a pig that needs a name, Anything But Hank (Biblioasis). BC artist Julie Morstad will launch her exquisite ABC Card Deck (PGC). Partners: Biblioasis and Publishers Group Canada.

At the Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen St West, Toronto
Saturday, December 6 at 9:00 a.m. (doors 8:30 a.m.) free

Kramer's Ergot Tour @ The Beguiling

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:52:23 -0500

Start: 12/11/2008 - 19:00

End: 12/11/2008 - 19:00

Kramer's Ergot World Tour featuring Sammy Harkham, Seth, Shary Boyle, and Friends is on Thursday December 11th, 2008 @ 7:00 p.m. at The Beguiling, 601 Markham Street, Toronto. FREE

The newest issue of alt/art anthology Kramer’s Ergot is a monster. It’s gonna be the size of those super-huge LITTLE NEMO reprints, and will feature dozens and dozens of the best cartoonists in the business. Editor Sammy Harkham and Publisher Alvin Buenaventura will be touring in support of the massive tome, and bringing tons of contributors along with them.