What's On at the Library

The eh List Author Series lineup for September

Here at 'eh List Central' we are keen to provide Toronto with the finest festival of Canadian letters anywhere in town. The fall 2012 list is pretty close to our model season: mystery, local flavour, literary titles, expert interviewers, some of the country's best mystery writers, great comedy... in all, a wide swath of Canadiana with enough variety to keep even the most critical minds happy.

There is a lot on offer, and so, I'm going to give it to you in three separate blogs. We'll start today with September.

The eh List for Fall: Author Visits in September

This fall, we are bringing a fantastic lineup of authors and books to libraries across town. We hope you enjoy our selection of some of the best books of the season and the authors who wrote them. Come on out and hear a short reading, ask some questions, and buy or borrow a copy of the book! Previews will be available in several branches. Check the website for specifics. http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/programs-and-classes/featured/eh-list.jsp 

The eh List returns to Taylor Memorial branch at Warden Ave. and Kingston Road, and we kick off the season  on Sept. 11 at 7 pm with Cordelia Strube’s newest novel, Milosz. This is a book with a cast of very quirky
 characters and more twists than a bowl of noodles.  Everything is not what it seems. Strube’s characters come to life in surprising ways, and they learn very deep and difficult lessons about life, love and how a son ought to be with his mother. Come and meet the author. Be prepared to laugh and cry.

  

Barbara Frum branch presents Edeet Ravel, back on The eh List with a new and poignant novel. Ravel will be with us on S
ptember 12 with The Cat, the story of a grieving mother and the burden which saves her life. Ravel will also visit Northern District library on Thursday, September 27 at 2 pm.

Katrina Onstad will visit Northern District on Sept. 18 with her hit novel, Everybody Has Everything, a heart-rending story of commitment and the challenge of instant parenthood. The novel asks tough questions about life, parenthood and the challenges we all face. Onstad will also visit Runnymede branch on October 11 at 7 pm.

Emma Donoghue is back. Following her major success with Room, she presents a collection of historical curiosities collected and presented as Astray. These short stories are polished little gems. Built on historical events and people, all of them reveal characters who have gone off track in some way.  Come and meet Emma Donoghue at the Appel Salon at The Toronto Reference Library on September 19th. Free tickets are required for all events in the Salon. Head here to get yours:  http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Em=1&Entt=RDM117307&R=117307

The Western Light is a wonderful tale spun by veteran CanLit scribbler Susan Swan. While this delightful coming-of-age story is a prequel to The Wives of Bath, it certainly stands on its own and may well enter the cannon of Canadian classics. Great characters, wonderful historical gems and enough mystery to keep you guessing, this is a terrific read from one of our national favourites. Join us for a reading and discussion between Swan and novelist Elizabeth Ruth at Toronto Reference Library on Sept. 27 at 7 pm.

 Coming in October: Leo Panitch and Sam Gindin; Kamal Al-Solaylee; Farzana Doctor; Jan Wong, Peter Robinson, Scott Fotheringham...

Culture Days @ the Library--Fall 2012

Culture Days @ the Library is back in a big way for Fall 2012. Now in its third year, Culture Days is a massive country-wide celebration of arts and culture with many thousands of activities in towns and cities across Canada. The range of activities is immense and includes dance, music of all kinds, theatre, film, literature and even culinary arts. Culture Days is also a vast cultural mosaic of artists and performers including indigenous peoples, Québécois, Indian, Korean, Chinese, Caribbean and many more.

The big thing about Culture Days is that it is interactive and offers a way for the audience to literally get in on the act.  Culture Days @ the Library features some 40 activities and they will all let you experience the arts in a very direct way. Do you want to learn guitar? Find out if there is a sinuous bellydancer hiding behind those blue jeans? Be the storyteller? Compose a song? Create a webcomic?

There are also many hands-on arts and crafts events, from Origami to wire weaving, tapestry, bookmaking, felting and much more. Virtually all the programs are great for kids and families.

Just click on  Culture Days @ the Library to see the possibilities. Let your imagination go wild!

Above, left to right: Lizardo Carvajal and the Bird of a Thousand Songs, Bloor/Gladstone, Fri. Sept 29, 1:15; Jauna Selzer teaches the Art of Tapestry (Leaside, Fri. Sept. 28, 2 pm and Northern District Sat. Sept. 29. 10-12); Bellydancer Evyenia Karmi (Highland Creek, Fri. Sept. 28, 2 pm, and Agincourt, Sat. Sept. 29, 10:30 am).

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Culture Days @ the Library is a partnership between Toronto Public Library, Culture Days and the Neighbourhood Arts Network.

NAN is a community-engaged network of over 750 artists providing support to artists with in-person networking, professional development events, promotional materials, advocacy, shared resources, research, and on-going partnerships.

For all Culture Days activities, go to the Culture Days website.

 

PLANET INDIGENUS at Toronto Public Library

Starting tomorrow, Harbourfront Centre hosts a citywide celebration-–the largest multidisciplinary, contemporary, international Indigenous arts festival in the world. There will be visual arts exhibitions, dance, theatre and an immense variety of musical performances. This remarkable festival is a chance to see and hear performers from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries. For the full array of events--all free of charge--go to Harbourfront's website.

As in 2009, with the help of Harbourfront, Toronto Public Library is again able to host a series of events at five branches. They are free of charge, and everyone is welcome.

	Joe Harawira: Maori Storyteller Mon Aug 13, 2012, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Morningside Tue Aug 14, 2012 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Spadina Road Joe Harawira has taken his Maori storytelling and oratory to indigenous and storytelling festivals around the world. Come and experience this extraordinary storyteller from New Zealand.
	Pacific Curls: Music in the Maori Tradition Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Malvern With their backbeat Pacific rhythms, vivacious fiddle playing and evocative Maori instrumentation and lyrics, Pacific Curls have pioneered a fusion sound that seamlessly blend their indigenous roots.
	Polytoxic—Dance Theatre Fri Aug 17, 2012 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Parliament Street Polytoxic is a dance-theatre company based in Brisbane, Australia, whose work is inspired by the traditions of the Pacific, the guts of physical performance and the crimes of pop culture. Meet Lisa Fa’alafi and Leah Shelton from Polytoxic and learn about their work and create an origami boat to be set afloat at their performances at the Planet IndigenUs festival.
	Rabbit & Bear Paws Fri Aug 17, 2012 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. North York Central Library Concourse This series is set in 1750s colonized North America and features the comical adventures of two brothers, Rabbit and Bear Paws. Using traditional native teachings and humour, the stories are based on the seven fire prophecies and the seven grandfathers. Drop in. Ages 3-12 yrs.

Celebrate international indigenous cultures with events at Malvern, Morningside, North York Central, Parliament and Spadina. This program has been made possible thanks to the generosity of Planet IndigenUs (August 10-19), Harbourfront Centre and Creative New Zealand. For all Planet IndigenUs events, go to http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/planetindigenus.