Stepping Forward While Looking Back

Groovy Groups: Canada: My New Home—Literature, Art, Culture and Traditions

Hopefully these explorative blogs have thus far reached out to a vast audience, because this week I bring a writing opportunity that targets writers that are fairly new to the country. Run by the YMCA Newcomer Information Center, all newcomers are invited to the library to discuss the culture of Canada, and even bring stories from their own culture. Help diversify Canadian literature with your own take on creative writing.

When: Every Monday; from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm
Where: Centennial TPL branch; 578 Finch Avenue

Author’s Spotlight: Author Reading. Grace O’Connell reads from Magnified World

Released earlier this year was a particularly inspirational story of a daughter recuperating after her mother committed suicide by walking into the Don River, pockets filled with zircon. The author, Grace O’Connell, will be reading and discussing her novel in more detail. Hopefully this story will inspire all attendees, as it draws from a seemingly raw pain that many other great novels contain.

Upcoming dates: November 6; from 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
Where: Deer Park TPL branch: Program Room 2nd Floor; 40 St. Clair Avenue East

Inquisitions and Insights: The Curiosity of Schoolwith Author Zander Sherman

How have we been formed in our lives? Are there any particular moments that we can recall with which someone or some institution has tried to mould our future?

These are a few questions that Zander Sherman analyzes in his latest book. The educational institutions from the early-mid 19th century are analyzed, all the way to current standardized testing, and are brought together in a clever and rational light that will question the very idea of having an education. And just to be clear, he will not be saying that the education system is to warp our minds into stationary robots—no matter how bold and hilarious that would be. Hoping to one day become a teacher, I think that what Sherman has done is a great way to see how our society has viewed education over time, and how much the education process has actually developed over time.

When: November 13, 2012; from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
Where: Brentwood TPL branch: Program Room; 36 Brentwood Road North