Category: Literary
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TPFF 2024: Some things about living, talking and resisting with Lena Khalaf Tuffaha
The Palestinian poet’s words craft an important conversation on love and oppression
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Four bone-chilling horror books by Canadian authors to read this Halloween
Writers up North know how to spook
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7 YA books by Indigenous authors you should read
In light of TDSB’s new initiative to feature more Indigenous authors, we’ve compiled a list of writers and novels to start adding to your bookshelves
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What is dark academia and what does it have to do with social media?
A deep dive into the genre and why it has become so popular.
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The complicated ethics of digital piracy
People have seen online piracy as a victimless crime for decades— which couldn’t be further from the truth By Hannah Mercanti Did you know that in 2022, 22.4 per cent of Canadians committed an indictable offense? It’s true— despite our reputation as toque-wearing, maple syrup-drinking sweethearts, nearly a quarter of us accessed online pirating services. …
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Community, Creativity and Representation: The Case for Fanfiction
Fanfiction picks up the slack where mainstream media lacks By Hailey Ford Ah, fanfiction. If you’ve ever logged on to Tumblr.com, you’ve likely come across a piece of fan-written content in your days—particularly if Superwholock was your vibe. Fanfiction often gets a bad rap, typically associated with amateurish content that displays the weirdest parts of…
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8 Upcoming Canadian novels we can’t wait to get our hands on
TBR needs an update? No problem. By Hannah Mercanti Ah, springtime. The beginning of a new season: birds singing, buds on the trees, shining sun and… a whole new array of Canadian books being released! But don’t worry, there’s no need to be overwhelmed by choice. We’ve gone through the best of the best to…
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Saeed Teebi’s ‘Her First Palestinian’ Explores Tales of Loss, Belonging and the Palestinian Perspective
His debut collection weaves a Palestinian perspective into the narrative, offering a nuanced portrayal of characters navigating the challenging terrain of dual identities. By Nageen Riaz Canadian immigrants and those who have experienced displacement are intimately familiar with the feelings of loss, betrayal and helplessness. For some, the struggle to feel at home between two…
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Palestinian protesters removed from Scotiabank Giller Prize Ceremony
Palestinian protesters decide to make a stand as Canada continues to ignore the genocide in Gaza. By Hannah Mercanti It’s a still November evening at the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize. Authors, readers, and Canadian visionaries stream into the glamorous Four Seasons Hotel in Yorkville in downtown Toronto, sheathed in an array of fine fabrics and…
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The journey to find Toronto’s best discount bookstore
We toured four local bookstores with bargain prices to find the very best options for readers on a budget By: Lama Alshami It’s no secret that in Toronto and other major cities across Canada, money can be tight for university students. Rent, food and transportation take priority, so spending on our hobbies is relegated to…
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Books to read to radicalize yourself
Ready to start your literary journey into social change and politics? Look no further. By: Sharon Arulnesan Books have always been a way for people to kick back and slip into a relaxing fantasy world, but literature can be used for much more than just chilling after a long day. It can also be an…
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Loving and Living Anew: Humble the Poet’s ‘How to be Love(d)’
Canadian poet, rapper and spoken word artist Humble the Poet writes on the plurality and deep implications of love By: Harleen Grewal How to be Love(d) is about engulfing yourself within love, around love and “being love,” an act that Toronto artist and author Kanwer Singh, commonly known as Humble the Poet, described as the…
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Book review: A ‘strange’ take on the complexities of family, love and desire
Liz Harmer celebrates the launch of her sophomore novel, Strange Loops, at Flying Books this February By: Hannah Mercanti Liz Harmer is not the first author to brave the murky waters of mutually destructive relationships. Many writers have tackled interpreting messy connections between lovers, siblings and families in their own ways. Though, in the acclaimed…
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Three new poetry collection debuts bring creative communities together
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) hosted poets Britta Badour, Aaron Boothby and Eva H.D. to read from their new anthologies By: Harrison Clarke Poetry lovers gathered with three talented writers for an evening of creative inspiration, laughter and genuine connection through a shared appreciation for poetic artistry. In an event held by publisher McClelland…
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Love, loss and dead cats jammed into the freezer: Margaret Atwood in Toronto
Margaret Atwood spoke about her newest release of short stories, Old Babes in the Wood, to a packed Hot Docs Ted Rogers Theatre By: Anna-Giselle Funes-Eng There are few names more synonymous with the realm of Canadian literature than that of Margaret Atwood, the unequivocally brilliant author whose widely anticipated collection of short stories, Old…
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3 independent magazines challenging traditional media in Canada
Bring life to your sub inbox by adding these unique publications that tackle topics like colonization and its generational effects, lesbian culture and feelings of love and anger By: Julia Lawrence The journalism industry wouldn’t be what it is today without the work and dedication of independent publications. Often referred to as indie publications, these…
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Balancing autonomy and dependency – Where’s the line?
A Parent’s Greek Tragedy By: Kyana Alvarez If you’ve heard the saying, “don’t fly too close to the sun,” but don’t fully understand the context, this short story and poem will teach you where it came from. They’re both based on the Greek myth of Icarus. After creating the formidable and intricate labyrinth to contain…
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The infinite methods of the writing process
What is their writing routine? What do they do when they’re in a funk? These are the questions writers know best By: Apurva Bhat Each writer has their own working pattern. Some write in chaos, while others prefer silence. Some have a disciplined routine and some can’t get themselves to produce content unless they have…
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Epitaphs Of The Heart: A Lover’s Anthology
This poetry collection is not only a celebration of love, but an embrace of what has once been and what will come again SHAMROCK SUN By: Miranda Kanter @miranda.kanter I think of you as the colour yellow. Those specs and spatters of dust suspended in light; hushed yellow as it breaks through your window. Your…
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Everyone deserves a happily ever after: Canada’s first romance bookstore
A look into Canada’s first bookshop catered exclusively to the romantic By Zoie Karagiannis What’s not to love about romance novels? From love-at-first-glance to enemies-to-lovers, there’s a trope out there for everyone. The suspenseful plots have readers captivated and swooning, and above all, it has them rooting for characters to fall in love and find…
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Top Canadian books to watch out for in 2023
A new year means the earth has begun a new orbit around the sun — but for readers it means new worlds of words await By: Melanie Nava Urribarri In most parts of Canada, January always brings a familiar, freezing breeze that seeps through thick coats and tickles the nerves on our skin as we…
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A literary world of wonder: The 2022 Toronto Book Awards
After a 2-year hiatus, the 48th Toronto Book Awards returns in-person to celebrate this year’s 5 shortlisted books By: Shaki Sutharsan The Toronto Reference Library has always been a safe haven for me. I can lose myself among the stacks for hours or scatter my creative menagerie out onto one of the tables by the…
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Queer Bookclub Toronto: Diversifying the LGBTQ community with books
How one group of bookworms is changing the queer literary scene in Toronto By: Hannah Mercanti One by one, a small group gathers around an empty bar table, antsy for the insightful discussion to begin. Each of them clutches their own copy of the chosen book-of-the-month in their arms tightly, every one annotated with a…
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Toronto bookstores to support this holiday season
Five independent and local bookstores with different genres for all types of readers By: Allison Baldwin During the holiday season, you may be asking yourself what the book lover in your life would appreciate as a gift. It can be a challenge to find the right story with innumerable genres and pieces of literature available…
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Zines: A nuanced gateway for artists
Dynamic and culturally significant, artists have come together since the 1930’s to create zines for their niches By: Melanie Nava Urribarri Art has always been ever-changing. From the ancient civilizations carving stone statues, the paintings of the renaissance, to the digital work easily published on our various social media platforms, art has never been able…
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Write On! Write Now: How this literary open mic night is making its mark
The host of a weekly creative exhibition has designed a safe space for writers to express themselves By: Zoie Karagiannis As an accomplished author, screenwriter and musician, Jen Frankel has a lot on her resume. She has written several novels spanning across all genres, including horror, fantasy, science fiction and the supernatural. Beyond her creative…
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Pongapalooza: Ping-pong players rally in support of children’s literacy
First Book Canada’s ninth annual ping-pong fundraiser returns in all its pong-tacular glory to promote higher education and literacy access for children By: Anna-Giselle Funes-Eng Neon-orange ping-pong balls whirl around the room at lightning speed as triumphant cheers break out. In an epic table-top battle, teams duke it out at Pongapalooza, First Book Canada’s ninth…
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Healing as an act of resistance: Reclaiming ourselves through art
Living Hyphen launches its third magazine issue, ‘Healing Across Generations’ By: Anna-Giselle Funes-Eng Content Warning: This piece discusses generational trauma. There is an ever-present longing for what has been taken away and left behind that Canadian immigrants and people who have experienced displacement know well. It runs deep through generations, and many of them turn…
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Community in vulnerability: Celebrating intergenerational stories in Generation Women Canada launch
Women from across generations share insightful stories about their ever-changing relationship with their bodies By: Natalie Vilkoff This article contains mentions of sexual assault. Six women of six different generations shared their stories about their relationships with their bodies in an honest and touching night of performances — the first night of many to come.…
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TMU students’ most loved gothic and thriller books this Halloween season
Immerse yourself in worlds where superstitions come to life and the dark talks back to you By: Melanie Nava Urribarri As the final days of October set in, with the air getting colder and the nights getting darker, the need to curl up and read a good goosebump-inducing novel under the eerie moonlight may just…