Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Montreal is blue again

The 9th Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival takes place April 25-29, 2007. This year's theme: free spirits.

The programme is now online.

Margaret Atwood is to be honoured with the 2007 Blue Metropolis International Literary Grand Prix.

Other writers participating in on-stage interviews, panel discussions, and readings include David Bezmozgis (who stood us up last year), Lydia Davis (she who translated Proust), Barbara Gowdy (author of, among other things, The White Bone, one of the saddest books I've ever read), Michael Ondaatje (launching his new book, Divisadero), Michael Redhill, and Jane Urquhart, along with dozens of names I've never heard of. (My foray last year led me to discover José Carlos Somoza, who himself was charming and whose excerpt was fascinating, from a book I later hunted down and loved.)

I'll be pressed for time because of my work deadlines, but I hope to squeeze in an event or two. How to choose?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! It looks amazing. Lucky you! So will you give Bezmozgis a second chance? He's very thoughtful and articulate, and kinda cute, too. Don't stay mad!

Re: White Bone by Gowdy. I've read all her early stuff, and loved it all. Got to White Bone and could not finish it, because like you said, so very, very sad. I guess I'm a wimp. Have you read The Romantic or Helpless? I'm curious about the both of them...

Anyway, do give us one of your wonderful reports when you get back, and have a great time!

Isabella K said...

Patricia: I forgive Bezmozgis. If I don't see him this year it's because there's too little time.

White Bone is the only Gowdy I've read. The others never had the same pull as elephants do for me, but I admit in part I've stayed away from them for fear of being devastated.