Paying Back Jack: Vincent Calvino Novel

Check out the book trailer for the latest novel by Christopher Moore in his Vincent Calvino series.

History of Communism in One Volume

The Red Flag: A History of Communism by David Priestland

“The best and the most accessible one-volume history of communism now available . . . A far-reaching, vividly written account.” —Foreign Affairs


In The Red Flag, Oxford professor David Priestland tells the epic story of a movement that has taken root in dozens of countries across two hundred years, from its birth after the French Revolution to its ideological maturity in nineteenth century Germany to its rise to dominance (and subsequent fall) in the twentieth century.

At a time when global capitalism is in crisis and powerful new political forces have arisen to confront Western democracy, The Red Flag is essential reading if we are to apply the lessons of the past to navigating the future.

Published by Grove Press

Available at your favourite local book store or:
Chapters.Indigo.ca
Amazone.ca

New and Noteworthy

New titles this month

My Life With Sudden Death by Michael Downing

Michael's father died suddenly when he was three. In 2003 one of his brothers died suddenly. No autopsy was performed. Alarmed, Downing pursued a diagnosis: he had inherited a mutant protein from his father, and the first symptom would be his sudden death. To save his life, a defibrillator was hard-wired to his heart. Within weeks, he needed emergency surgery to remove the device and the life-threatening infection he got with it. Two months later, he was re-implanted — only to read in his morning newspaper that the new wires anchored to his heart were prone to failure. His device might be powerless, or it might deliver a series of unwarranted, possibly fatal, shocks.

From a bedeviled boyhood in the Berkshires to a grim comedy of errors in one of Boston’s best hospitals, Life with Sudden Death is a wild ride.

Published by Counterpoint

Available now!

Amazon.ca
Chapters.Indigo.ca

Anniversary Edition

Naked Lunch: 50th Anniversary Edition

On the fiftieth anniversary of its first publication, Grove Press and PGC are proud to issue a special hardcover edition featuring the restored text that is faithful to Burroughs’s original composition, an introduction from David Ulin, book editor of the Los Angeles Times, as well as reproductions of original manuscript pages and drawings.

A must have for the Burroughs fan!

"Burroughs's voice is hard, derisive, inventive, free, funny, serious, poetic, indelibly American." --Joan Didion

Available at your favourite local book store or:
Amazon.ca
Chapters.Indigo.ca

In Town This Week

Sherman Alexie is in Toronto for IFOA this week!
He is here promoting his latest collection of short stories - War Dances published by Grove Press.

Sherman participates in a roundtable discussion Friday, Oct 23rd at 8:00pm and has a reading Saturday, Oct 24th at 8:00pm.

For more check out: Readings.org

Also in town for IFOA- Michael Thomas, author of the IMPAC Dublin Literary Prize-winning Man Gone Down. His reading takes place Friday, Oct 30th at 8:00pm
Readings.org

And finally, we are thrilled that Elina Hirvonen will also be in Toronto. Her novel When I Forgot published in the spring to much critical acclaim. She is from Finland. She participates in a roundtable Friday, Oct 30th at 8:00pm and a reading on Saturday, Oct 31st at 1:00pm. Readings.org

Go Wild!

It's here, it's here! The Wild Things by Dave Eggers is a novelization of the Where The Wild Things Are screenplay he co-wrote with Spike Jonze.

About:
The Wild Things — based very loosely on the storybook by Maurice Sendak and the screenplay cowritten with Spike Jonze — is about the confusions of a boy, Max, making his way in a world he can’t control. His father is gone, his mother is spending time with a younger boyfriend, his sister is becoming a teenager and no longer has interest in him. At the same time, Max finds himself capable of startling acts of wildness: he wears a wolf suit, bites his mom, and can’t always control his outbursts. During a fight at home, Max flees and runs away into the woods. He finds a boat there, jumps in, and ends up on the open sea, destination unknown. He lands on the island of the Wild Things, and soon he becomes their king. But things get complicated when Max realizes that the Wild Things want as much from him as he wants from them.


The movie opens in theatres everywhere Friday, Oct 16th and the book is now available at your favourite local book store or here:

Chapters.Indigo.ca
Amazon.ca

In the News

A great review of Guardians of Being in today's Shelf Awareness

A couple highlights:
". . . superb new picture book . . . packed with hilarious, big-hearted art by Patrick McDonnell, the creator of the comic Mutts."

and:
"According to Tolle, when I pet my cat, I'm participating in his "nowness," that my grumpy, comical, bossy feline friend is constantly teaching me and healing me, attuned to the moment, living effortlessly in the now. Proving this point are McDonnell's illustrations that are pure genius, achingly touching and quietly goofy and unpretentiously wise."