John Raulston Saul gets literary on your ass

Credit: Kate Szatmari

Fall Guide: Reading Listings

It seems as the leaves fall, pages begin to turn here in Victoria, and we’re prepping ourselves for a busy author-filled autumn. If your thoughts are turning to warmer climes, don’t miss Vivien Lougheed and Martin Mitchinson, who will be visiting local libraries to read from their books Understanding Bolivia: A Traveller’s History and The Darien Gap: Travels in the Rainforest of Panama on October 2 (Bruce Hutchinson and Emily Carr) and October 4 (Oak Bay). Munro’s is keeping it local this fall with British Columbia: Spirit of the People author Jean Barman and Victoria Underfoot: Excavating a City’s Secrets editors Brenda Clark and Nick Russell doing book signings at the store on October 4 (and a bigger launch on October 16 at Camosun College) and acclaimed poet Patrick Lane launching his first novel, Red Dog, Red Dog, on October 8 at Alix Goolden. They widen the regional scope to include John Ralston Saul at the Goolden on October 9, when the essayist and former Massey lecturer will be reading from his latest, A Fair Country: Telling Truths about Canada. Close to home, Victoria News reporter Patrick Blennerhassett will be launching his first novel, Monument, on October 16 at Lucky Bar.

Bolen’s fall lineup includes everyone from kids to poets to world travellers. Highlights include John Schreiber reading from his Chilcotin travel memoir Stranger Wycott’s Place October 6, European travel expert Rick Steves’ October 11 visit to Alix Goolden, Orca’s children’s book launch November 4 and the Rocksalt poetry anthology launch November 15. On the lighter side, if you’re looking for a sip of Victoria’s olde British charm, Sarah Amos is launching her new book, Sarah’s Tea Time, on October 5 at Emily Carr House, complete with tea and afternoon nibbles made from the book’s recipes.

Saucy spoken word ensemble Tongues of Fire are back in action come October 9, featuring Sean McGarragle and Sasha Langford, and again with the Victoria Slam Team on October 23, both at Solstice Cafe.

Some heavy-hitting women will be speaking around town this fall, including Dr. Sara Sutler-Cohen, a veteran of the early 1980s East Bay punk and metal scenes. She’ll be doing two lectures on October 6 and 7 up at UVic covering topics such as the politics of underground music and mixed-blood identity. Also on campus on October 8 is local columnist Jody Paterson, presenting a lecture entitled “Talking About What Matters: The Promise of Community Media in an Age of Disconnection.” Camosun College’s Insight Speaker Series brings anti-nuclear activist Dr. Helen Caldicott to the McPherson on October 9, where she’ll be speaking on the dangers of living in a nuclear age.

Of course, all the usual weekly literary events continue into the colder months, with Planet Earth Poetry and Cafe Philosophy both having launched their new seasons. PEP’s lineup includes a birthday reading by Barbara Pelman (October 17) Governor General Award-winning poet Pam Porter (October 31), performance poet Shayne Koyczan (November 7) and a reading by poets from the Glenairley Centre (November 21). Cafe Philosophy has made a slight shift in its approach this season by providing resources on its website (cafe-philosophy.com) to help discussion participants brush up on topics, which include a series on drug use and homelessness in Victoria (October 15 and 22) marriage and family (November 19 and 26) and religion (December 3 and 10).

If all those readings have motivated you to brush up on your own writing skills, be sure to check out some of the fall courses at the Victoria School of Writing, which include a six-session course with Daniel Griffin starting October 6, as well as a series of Saturday workshops: Writing the World: Re-enchantment with Nature, Pen to Podium: Public Reading and Speaking for Writers and Developing a Graphic Narrative: A Brief but Intense Immersion.