Halifax Herald Book Reviews
2016
January 18: Clarke: Kavanagh captivates; Choyce delights
January 4: Clarke: Books offer gospel talk, victim’s voice
2015
December 21: Clarke: The passion of Rita Joe
December 7: Fun with Ghosts and Girls; Teacher’s Pets score
November 23: Clarke: Garebian’s art forays hit-and-miss
November 9: Clarke: Two poets not afraid to say the necessary things
October 26: Clarke: Lista pretty grim; Jorgenson just pretty
October 12: Clarke: Offering study in poetic opposites
September 28: Clarke: Chinese-Canadian poets offer work that’s visionary, fierce
September 14: Clarke: Ian Fleming explores risqué pathways
August 24: Clarke: Zolf is daunting but rich; Meyer deals in passion
August 10: Clarke: Bowering’s poetic palette dazzles
July 27: Clarke: Gasparini’s collection an excellent read
July 13: Clarke: Ruffo’s work shakes with thunder, shimmers with light
June 29: Clarke: Goyette uses the surreal to invoke a tragic story
June 15: Clarke: Canadian poets respond to nature
June 1: Bowling, Zwicky offer disparate selected works
May 18: Clarke: Clifford, bp mesh well; Shook rocks
May 4: Clarke: Tamil poetry illuminates difficult themes
April 20: Clarke: Two fine debuts to mark Poetry Month
April 6: Clarke: From stillness to jazzy outbursts, Munro and Fazzini poems excel
March 23: Powerful images of Basquiat: African-American artists’s work illuminated at AGO
March 8: Clarke: Poems of notoriety and simplicity
February 22: Clarke: Greek myth visits Barbados
February 8: Kuwabong’s poems work best in raw images of human suffering
January 24: Clarke: Souster’s final work retains style
January 10: Clarke: Collections offer important voices on war
2014
December 20: An ode to traditional art of the printer’s trade.
November 29: Clarke: Insights on Alex Colville
November 15: Shillington, Paré serve up paternal poetry
November 1: El Jones’ poems make powerful impact
October 18: Clarke: Derksen iffy; Enns shines quietly
October 11: Ruby courts cliché in faith-based work
September 20: Fall reading guide
September 6: Clarke: Translations offer range of sensibility
August 23: CBU prof Mark Silverberg captures Siegel work in Believing the Line
August 9: Smart, readable works
July 26: Clarke: Poets offer two takes on clarity
July 12: Brazen Halifax poet set to rise from obscurity
June 28: Wry wit from Jaffe, sharp insight from Bowling
June 14: Clarke: Study of execution lacks depth
May 31: Hamilton and Joudry impress
May 17: Clarke: Radical and energetic, Rhodes forces us to face our sins
May 3: Clarke: JFK leaves legacy of contradictions
April 19: Clarke: Cracking Devlin’s code; basking in Bowness
April 5: Clarke: Linguistic masquerades to savour
March 22: Powerful, divergent poetic visions
March 8: Clarke: Meeting of cultures leads to fine poems
February 22: Clarke: D’Aguiar dazzles in latest poetry; Hopkinson offers prose grab bag
February 8: Book explores Malcolm X as icon
January 25: Authors show theirs strengths in racy writing
January 11: Factual faith; mind as dream
2013
December 28: Graham’s fine; Greene’s a master
December 14: Sander essay offers insights
November 30: Poets conjure Halifax Common
November 16: Promise cut tragically short
November 2: Clarke: Yin’s fine talent needs discipline
October 19: No finer Choyce
October 5: Langille offers a superb outing
September 21: Clarke: Musing on muses
September 7: Mooney fails to grasp meaning of Swissair disaster
August 24: Tattrie tangles with difficult hero
August 10: Reibetanz offers transformative poems
July 27: McGiffin evokes nature; Priest inspires kids
July 13: Clarke: Cayley adopts historic voices
June 29: Summer with a good book
June 15: Clarke: Poetry in mourning and revenge
June 1: It’s easy to sink into Ocean.
May 4: Clarke: Longtime friends trade verse coast to coast
April 20: Clarke: Odes of experience; stream of talent
April 12: The grime of the oil-lease Maritimer
March 17: Clarke: Strong poetry volumes launched by South Asian Canadian writers
March 3: Clarke: A different take on Mary; new Nova Scotian poetry
February 17: Slave insurrection had wide-ranging results
February 3: Clarke: Much to learn from histories of N.S. black churches
January 20: Clarke: Plain, self-published and worthwhile poetry
January 6: Clarke: Bucolic calm and medieval bloodlust
2012
December 16: Clarke: James Brown: Papa’s got a brand new book
December 2: Clarke: New poets bring Layton to mind
November 18: Clarke: An oratorio to radium workers
November 4: Clarke: Showing no mercy for the criminal
October 21: Excellent works showcase poets Gibbs, Fetherling
October 7: Clarke: Todd Swift poignant, piercing
September 23: Two new poets off to strong starts
September 9: King turns back the clock to save JFK
August 26: Tale of serial killer gruesome, fascinating
August 12: A tale of two Davids
July 29: Book offers illuminated view on dynamics of imperialism
July 15: Vividly painted poetry both strength, weakness of Hiemstra-van der Horst
July 1: Kidd’s Handfuls of Bones vivid; Quon’s poems deserve honour
June 17: Dylan bio delves into history, culture
June 3: Sanger’s lyrics whittled to a fine point
May 20: Ode to the King of the Paperbacks
May 6: 9/11 poems take on horror, aftermath of terror attacks
April 15: Poets imagine 1912 disaster
April 1: Cinema Italiano tome loving look at era’s heyday
March 18: Easy to get lost with Persaud, Rahim’s odyssey more accessible
March 4: Swift: Smart, sassy, and erudite
February 19: History prof successfully deconstructs Malcolm X
February 5: Vermont prof dispels myths of black refugees to Canada
January 22: Scholarly look at slavery in Montreal exhaustive
January 8: Hitchcock taught public how to understand cinema
2011
December 18: Poets, artist show Fredericton’s beauty
November 27: From despair to rapture
November 13: Barry’s Bishop rooted in N.S.
October 30: Fair sociology, foul theology
October 16: McLennan a bit opaque; Manuel breathlessly honest.
October 2: Davis’s lyricism won me over
September 18: Big Town could be set anywhere, not just Africville
September 4: Zwicky’s Forge mystical
August 28: Swedish schlock study lots of fun; Vaira’s poetry needs a few good verbs
August 7: Photos showcase last film by Hollywood greats
July 24: Old-fashioned reader makes peace with wired world
July 10: Precise images poets’ strengths
June 26: Lost Gospels borders on sacred
June 12: Bond pleasures us so many ways
May 29: Pachai returns to South Africa homeland in his first novel.
May 15: Monsters can tell us much about ourselves
May 1: In the hands of a master
April 17: Ye olde poetry translated
April 3: Very fine verse of Heller, Holt
March 20: Lack a sense of humour? Avoid this comic book
March 6: Poet pays tribute to Homer; MacLaine employs minor characters, silences Odysseus.
February 20: Stories made more powerful with Africadian vernacular
February 6: Bailey ambitious, ponderous; Boicel a witty storyteller
January 23: In memory of horror comics and the fear they wreaked
January 9: Di Nardo’s poetry sings for Beirut
2010
December 26: Kennedy novel counts laurels and warts
November 21: Author misses own clues in Glenn Gould biography
November 7: Poems, cover art, show passion
October 24; Wordplay shows poets’ power
October 10: Borden is Africadian poet
September 26: 80-year-old poet laureate reflects on family, friends
September 12: Origins of scandal sheets
August 29: The glories of pulp fiction
August 15: Seeing Red over being British
August 1: The long and winding road of comix, graphic novels
July 18: 100 voices celebrate 10th year of Jamaican literary festival
July 4: Steffler casts cold eye on nature, reality
June 20: Great tales told in pictures
June: 6: From headlines to poetry
May 23: Verse shows love for homelands
May 9: Fetherling unjustly overlooked; Bringhurst dons literary masks
April 25: Starnino builds on his talent
April 11: Skibsrud translates pain into art
March 28: Dabydeen’s verse analytical; Bitar plays with black humour
March 21: Graphic novels reach universities’ hallowed halls
March 7: Conn shines in travel poems when she moves inward
Feb. 21: Obama: First insurgent candidtate since 1976
Feb. 7: Black women’s hair tangled in politics
Jan. 24: Zieroth’s poems quiet, disciplined
Jan. 10: A poem a day may keep blues away
2009
Dec. 27: Nin broke literary ground with diaries
Dec. 20: Reissued classics feature depraved characters
Nov. 29: Appeal for Africville church echoed in print and film
Nov. 15: Autobiography recounts Obama’s search for identity
Nov. 1: Sadu, Elliott fine storytellers
Oct. 18: Avant-garde jazz musician leaves revolutionary legacy
Oct. 4: Modern age ‘began’ in 1959
Sept. 20: Gutsy poet shares ancestry
Sept. 6: D’Aguiar offers powerful elegy to Virginia Tech dead
Aug. 23: Norman lyrical yet preachy; Lam’s poems accomplished
Aug. 9: Poet grieves for friend
July 26: Locheads’s poems on love somewhat successful
July 12: Sinclair’s imagery lovely; Bloom sings of freedom
June 28: Revisiting Woods’ Native Song
June 14: Smart’s poems tell real-life stories of women obsessed with men, love
May 31: Playwright paints striking portrait of native artist
May 24: Leifso a mix of classicism, feminism, strong imagery
May 3: Woods’ Native Song reborn; Furlong’s debut romantic
April 19: McKay’s eco-poems reveal naturalist’s intellect, insight
April 5: Poems for every day
March 22: Notorious slave ship incident inhabits Philip’s poem Zong!
March 8: O’Meara prefers plain approach
Feb. 22: Coetzee writes of liberal, conservative contraditions
Feb. 8: Author asks us to examine our clichés of Americans
Jan. 25: Daughter crafts loving poems to mom dying from Alzheimer’s
Jan. 11: Korean poets introduced to Canadians
2008
Dec. 21: Doris Lessing crafts Creation tale
Dec. 14: Whimsy and irony in chapbooks
Nov. 19: Obama: the first ‘Canadian’ president?
Nov. 16: Obama’s win in U.S. echoes Kennedy campaign,novel
Nov. 2: Rita Joe’s poetry lives on
Oct. 19: Shelley’s Frankenstein has lasting influence
Oct. 5: Hill Canadianizes slave literature; Grant celebrates North Preston
Sept. 21: Scholars attempt to define CanLit
Sept. 7: The Iliad and The Odyssey remain awesomely true
Aug. 24: Hushed no More grants voice to Africadian community
Aug. 10: Two intellectual greats
July 27: Native Guard’s poems elemental, moving, lyrical
July 13: Houle’s second collection intellectual, exciting
June 29: Auerbach’s lyrics disciplined; Rader’s Living Things thrives
June 15: Poet’s first collection a remarkable beginning
June 1: Book skims over traditions of Canada’s black church
May 18: Poet, photographer marry words, images beautifully
May 4: Kola magazine deserves accolades, and our attention
April 13: Lerch combines pastoral with politics and war
April 6: Commitment to confession reminiscent of poet Nowlan
March 9: Forage a fierce achievement
Feb. 24: Fearon fiercely succinct; Shockley’s poems sing
Feb. 10: Inspirational black women who’ve worked for change
Jan. 27: Imagery Benning’s strength; Sutherland’s style direct
Jan. 13: Ede, Flamand weave imagery, politics
2007
Dec. 12: Must an epic echo Homer?
Dec. 16: Crimes and misdemeanours in pirate tale, Iraq war poems
Nov. 18: A tribute to Mac Somerville
Nov. 4: Kim documents atrocities; Zolf finds meaning in jargon
Oct. 21: New poet presents skill with verbs, description
Oct. 7: Zann speaks from heart
Sept. 23: Domanski, Kasturi explore the fabulous in new books
Sept. 9: Words of surprise from Toronto, proud lyrics of Newfoundland
Aug. 26: Wainwright adventurous; Coleman fascinating
Aug. 12: Poets put culture back into multiculturalism
July 29: Gaspereau Gloriatur glorious
July 15: Poets celebrate nature
July 1: Nowlan championed poor, yet toasted politicians, kings
June 17: Trudeau the traveler toasted China in ‘60s
June 3: Prize-winning poet forced to tap friends to get published
May 27: Memory bridges geography in Neilsen’s Glenn’s poetry
May 20: Rita Joe helped spearhead resistance to assimilation
May 6: Cooper deserves accolades
April 22: Poet Larry Small a proud Newfoundlander
April 1: A fond farewell to pioneers Poirier and Wedderburn
March 11: Female poets write of mystery of the feminine
Feb. 25: Sandiford’s short story writing much improved
Feb. 11: Essays by social workers show slice of N.S. history
Jan. 28: Meanderings of Terpstra
Jan. 14: Well-versed trio published
2006
Dec. 31: Holt’s poetry appropriately difficult
Dec. 24: Historian whitewashes Nixon’s reign
Dec. 17: Biography a banquet of images; boy writes Canadian bestseller
Nov. 19: Press’s poems perform socio-political work
Nov. 5: Tales of two explosions
Oct. 22: Conn, Kearley’s poems vibrant with verbs
Sept. 24: Freshness, careful articulation mark two poetry collections
Sept. 10: Brainy poets sing out
Sept. 3: Anthony’s play polished powerful; Delisle’s attractive
Aug. 13: Historian tells stories of African Canadians in verse
July 30: Nature influences poets
July 16: Poetry of politics
July 2: Struthers a sweet read; Fiorentino an awesome poet
June 18: Grant predicted Canadian sovereignty would decline
June 4: Cristea-Vieru crafts poems with deceptive simplicity
May 21: Women’s truths and intelligence
May 7: Higgins’ debut ambitious, Joyette shows Beat influence
April 23: Leaves of a Diary elegant
April 9: DeBeyer’s imagery shines, reason for poems’ success
March 26: Spring Garland blooms with poems on flowers
March 12: Two collections mourn a child, celebrate cities
Feb. 26: Jamaican-Canadian poets tackle racism, slavery
Feb. 12: ‘We’re here,’ cry black writers
Jan. 29: Poets produce adept sequels
Jan. 15: Layton’s poems led us into future
2005
Dec. 18: Collection worthwhile but incomplete
Nov. 27: Olive Senior’s verse steely with diction
Nov. 13: Poet Johnson pens lyrical meditations
Oct. 30: A bit late, but right on time
Oct. 16: Thurston tells tale of maritime past; Pratt turns to poetry
Oct. 2: Leckie ethereal, playful; Compton lyrical, visual
Sept. 19: True crime and tightropes
Aug. 21: Goodison, Souaid give nations voices
Aug. 7: Spiegleman’s memoir of 9-11 a masterpiece
July 24: Like a Rolling Stone more than just a song
July 10: Dylan’s memoir brilliant, compelling
June 26: MacLeod’s anthology an intellectual map of Halifax today
June 12: Three books share desire for improvement
May 29: High praise for Gaspereau Press
May 1: Editor recovers Brebner’s poems
April 17: Poets speak to the people
April 3: One reason to prefer Cunard Street to Stairs
March 20: Classical Asian lyrics influence Canuck poets
March 6: Asian/Canadian women sing out
Feb. 20: Novelist, poet voice relevance of race
Feb. 6: Kellough’s poems electrifying, cool
Jan. 9: Elegies to Keats and a father
2004
Dec. 26: In essay, poet uses beautiful imagery
Dec. 19: Gaspereau poets leave imprints
Nov. 28: Father and son poets
Nov. 14: Art of dying
Oct. 31: Little-known activist profiled by Acadia prof
Oct. 17: A Bush critic with clout
Oct. 3: Two new poets of power
Sept. 19: Three varied voices from African Diaspora
Sept. 5: Island poets compose worlds of nature, science
Aug. 22: Beautiful words
Aug. 8: Blades sets up typewriter in barracks, grows poetic
July 25: Ode to one of my first books
July 11: Poets rise above low profiles
June 27: Dry Canucks could use some Cuban passion
June 13: Poets show force of simple language
May 30: Helwig richly ponders this side of eternity
May 16: Poets dig garden of multiculturalism
May 2: Chubbs undeservedly overlooked; Pal passionate
April 18: A Groundswell of experimental poetry
April 4: Powerful, lyrical voices of Bartlett and Brandt
March 21: Nova Scotia in writer’s heart
March 7: Women’s voices intrigued by love
Feb. 22: Two African Canadian poets contemplate blackness
Feb. 8: Startlingly vivid words from two promising black poets
Jan. 25: A masterfully focused personal portrait
Jan 11: Poems that capture the music of Newf-speak
2003
Dec. 28: We need George Grant now more than ever
Dec. 14: Brave new poems from a brave publisher
Nov. 30: Cuba: A functioning alternative to globalization
Nov. 16: Winter: Time to think about Cuba
Nov. 2: A splendid novel about slavery that never moralizes
Oct. 19: Please welcome a striking new Nova Scotia poet
Oct. 5: Spare, sumptious poems inspired by Japan
Sept. 21: Stark, beautifule poems that sing and singe
Sept. 7: Borden’s natural talent still shines after 50 years
Aug. 24: Hennessey explores grisly PEI murder
Aug. 10: Bringhurst Ursa Major shines brilliantly
July 27: One poet welcomed; another encouraged
July 13: Nermenegilde Chiasson’s tone personal, style accomplished
June 29: Guy Gavriel Kay makes a splash as a poet
June 22: McElroy sees Atlantic Canadian art with fresh eyes
June 1: Robinson intellectual; Gale political
May 18: Simpson, MacLeod produce compelling work
May 11: Poets reveal our violent hypocrisy
April 27: Chapbooks are small in stature but giants in literary world
April 6: April showers bring beautiful poetry
March 23: Foster’s Dry Bone likely his best
March 9: Racism alive and well in North America
Feb. 23: Derrick Bell’s advice poignant
Feb. 9: Ezra Pound’s politics toxic; poetry compelling
Jan. 26: Diversity infuses poetry with excitement
Jan. 12: Stiles spare; Rankin moving
2002
Dec. 29: Fraser’s unobtrusive views are refreshing
Dec. 15: Comics move beyond kids’ fare
Dec. 8: Anthology of Canadian literature a treasure trove
Nov. 17: Cook’s voice gentle; deBeyer’s vivid
Nov. 3: Gaspereau Press gathering accolades
Oct. 27: Dwyer’s inspiration is family; DeMoura’s is society
Oct. 6: Bartlett insightful; Stiles playful
Sept. 22: Atlantic poets polish voices
Sept. 8: Kathy Mac’s images shockingly original
Aug. 25: Sherman soars back on scene; Rotstein redux
Aug. 11: Compton crafts inspirational B.C. anthology
July 28: On tour with poetic words as guides
July 14: Benson hotly opinionated; Crummey gracefully clear
June 30: Lochhead’s voice weathers beautifully
June 2: Brand suffers from superiority complex
May 19: Pyrcz introspective; Fiorentino fresh
May 5: Compton, Morrow view PEI with sharp eyes
April 21: Crate joyous; Callaghan powerful
April 7: Look to nature during National Poetry Month
March 24: Heble’s essays on all that jazz resonate with George
March 10: Debut poetry impressive
Feb. 10: Two books showcase Atlantic poets
Jan. 27: Bishop’s voice recalled in Divisions of the Heart
Jan. 13: Couple produces profound poetry
2001
Dec. 30: Holt’s debut novel fascinating, fantastic
Dec. 23: Norman Elders homage to those who have gone before
Dec. 9: Mordecai sharp-witted; Pleasant charming
Nov. 18: Hall’s imagery smart, expansive; Sinclair monochromatic
Nov. 4: Embrace Outram, Norman
Oct. 21: Canada’s slavery recalled
Oct. 7: Archibald MacMechan’s reputation restored
Sept. 23: Darbasie rewarding; Babstock delicious
Sept. 9: Church histories labours of love
Aug. 26: Adventures for the literary crowd
Aug. 12: Allan Cooper is one of Canada’s poetic prizes
July 29: Opera grants viewers license to indulge
July 15: Poet Goh Seng sings still
July 1: Bull unpretentious; Simpson uncanny
June 17: Grammar is Rude in critical look at black culture
June 3: Wainwright takes long, strange trip
May 20: Beauty of words celebrated
May 6: Caribbean anthology literary feast
April 22: Imaginative works from Fredericton’s Broken Jaw Press
April 8: Saluting poets
March 25: P.E.I.’s Steinfeld dredges dreams
March 3: Mental slavery as bad as physical
Feb. 25: Prince defiant, Dyer muted
Feb. 11: A brutal, yet human snapshot of our past
Jan. 28: Robinson fierce, fresh; Swede calming
Jan. 14: David book stunning cultural history
2000
Dec. 31: Pain not Bread a Poundian pursuit
Dec. 24: Smith, Bruck searing, diffident
Dec. 10: Choyce words for Lesley
Nov. 26: New poets, old ways
Nov. 5: Licht, White unlash iconoclastic energy
Oct. 22: Moulding Trudeau’s memory to fit our own needs
Oct. 8: Personal, political passions
Oct. 1: Nicole powerful, quietly poetic
Sept. 17: New poets sparkle
Aug. 20: A mother’s courage
July 30: Elegance, lyricism present in two new volumes by NS poets
July 16: Poetry of crime
July 2: Lee’s Opera talent
June 4: Donaldson’s Waterglass a tour de force of forms
May 21: In praise of Rita Joe
May 7: Schonmaier’s forte clarity; Holt jabs at convention
April 9: Jamaican poet lays claim to Canada
March 26: Humphrey, Shirley compelling
March 12: Lowther’s sharp imagery astonishes
Feb. 27: Drive Dull Care Away can do just that
Feb. 13: George celebrates 40 years of reading with Lill, Bates
Jan. 30: Pyrcz profound; Lambert ordinary
Jan. 16: Chubbs, Wiseman celebrate English
Jan. 2: Africana skimps on blacks in Canada, Nova Scotia
1999
Dec. 19: Compton, Boyd: two distinct voices
Nov. 21: Davies, Goyette should be proud
Nov. 7: An artful, lyrical tour around the province
Oct. 24: A corrupt farm; Anne unplugged
Oct. 10: Worlds of Maritime settlers explore in new poetry
Oct. 3: George exchanges words on the street
Sept. 26: These two one-year olds are sheer poetry
Sept. 12: New Brunswich poets study in contrasts
Aug. 29: Italian-Canadian literature
Aug. 15: Memories of cultural heroes elegant, unflinching
Aug. 1: Gaspereau Review glows with graceful offerings
July 18: Art, poetry combine beautifully
July 4: Lemm injects life into Acorn
June 20: Foster’s youth takes wing
June 6: Bowering’s dialogue bland; images perfect
May 23: Seven selected poets
May 9: Dwyer, Schneider marvelous poets
April 25: April is most poetic month
April 11: Luxuriate in Brunner’s Raw Silk
March 14: Free verse so lively it almost wriggles
Feb. 28: Dorsinville tackles black-white love affairs
Feb. 14: Rape survivors shatter silence with nightmarish tales
Jan. 17: Sam Slick’s witticisms timeless, endearing
Jan. 3: Currie, Bruneau among Clarke’s best of ‘98
1998
Dec. 20: Alexis’s childhood disappoints
Dec. 6: Smith outshines, Sarah’s superficial profundity
Nov. 22: B.C. poets Doyle, Trower can’t rise above mundane
Oct. 11: Cliches mar Foster’s third novel
Oct. 4: Old friendships refreshed at Word on the Street
Sept. 27: Mysticism: Olafson flubs it, Braid gets it
Aug. 30: Weier & Igloliorti: Broken Jaw Press breaks in new voices
July 19: A different view of South Mountain
June 21: Currie proves mastery of form
May 10: Anthologies hold budding poets
May 3: Africadian books serve up food for body and soul
April 26: Veteran poet delivers, neophyte has promise
March 28: Writing doesn’t match story’s ambitious structure
March 14: Poets need practice in brevity
Feb. 28: Irresistible voice of essayist Philip
Feb. 14: Playwright paints zany characters
Jan. 31: Two liberalisms: political and sexual
Jan. 17: Parables, poems from province’s small presses
Jan. 3: Family saga triumphs
1997
Dec. 27: Poets practice lyricism
Dec. 20: Langille’s lyrics lack what Bartlett delivers
Nov. 29: Writers Spalding and Cook revel in Ondaatjean poetics
Nov. 22: Three novelists come of age
Nov. 15: African-Canadian authors hit and miss literary spot
Nov. 1: Big, small-town stories
Oct. 25: Poetry in a precious package
Oct. 11: Poetic political statements
Oct. 4: A writer’s day at Word on the Street
Sept. 27: Descriptive powers fuel crazy sorrow
Sept. 13: A tribute to poet Lowther
Aug. 30: Life of Byron
Aug. 30: Three Maritime poets turn heads with their verse
Aug. 23: Wartime Quebec sizzles with love in first novel
Aug. 16: Wainwright’s summit rewards
Aug. 2: Summer songs: poetry as graceful as season
July 19: Effortless lyricism Brand’s poetic triumph
July 5: Meticulous McKay, succinct Redhill, formal Brebner
June 21: Donoghue a writer to watch
June 14: Canadians sweat out poetry on sports
May 31: Other Davies works also lack originality
May 24: Scholar lauded for Haliburton work
May 10: A new Mi’kmaq voice is born
April 26: Discussion of Grant’s work provocative
April 12: Anthology forgets important poems
March 29: Abuse survivors carve art out of pain
March 15: Danica’s sequel doesn’t measure up to don’t
March 1: Labrador poet a truly late Romantic
Feb. 22: Boyd composes powerful dramas
Feb. 15: Columnist illumnates history
Feb. 10: Archipelago of soul
Feb. 1: Clarke’s best books for 1996
Jan. 18: Poet condemns America in fine tradition
Jan. 11: Quarry press solidifies stature with new poetry
1996
Dec. 21: Reading Trudeau’s essays and annual delight
Dec. 14: C.B. writer spins magical story for children
Dec. 6: Copeland crosses borders, Geddes goes into politics
Nov. 30: Lukewarm poets disappointing
Nov. 23: Despite quibbles, Foster’s book speaks truth
Nov. 9: Remembering the people’s poet
Oct. 25: Hartog pens coup against convention
Oct. 18: Plush poets talk about T.O., the Rock
Oct. 11: Novel weaves mystery with Canadian history
Sept. 27: Publications get to roots of Africadian history
Sept. 20: Two poets offer rich collections
Sept. 13: Veteran poets pen strong verse
Aug. 30: Poets tackle Jonestown, culture’s moral darkenss
Aug. 23: Stories lack epiphanies; short fiction adds to literary history
Aug. 16: Memories of N.S. life in two scholarly books
Aug. 2: Thomas writes nasty fiction; Harris tackles social issues
July 26: New poetic voices from the Rock powerful, graceful
July 19: Native poet bares soul in urban rez
July 12: Malyon’s short-short stories inconsistent, but stylish
July 5: Dawes emerges as significant poet
June 21: Cumyn’s novel in fine company with Raddall, Richards
June 7: Poet Dionne pens classic novel of love
May 24: Powerful poets emerge from Broken Jaw Press
May 10: Atwood delves into white Canadianism
May 3: Women speak with confessional voice in poems
April 26: visions of Montreal found in the works of promising poets
April 19: One successful dabbler; one shaky poet
April 12: Chisholm’s own Prague Spring
March 29: Thompson exhumed: poems collected in prize-worthy book
March 15: Sapphic sisters pen exquisite prose
March 1: Censorship can’t silence forbidden passages
Feb. 16: Brothers in arms share pages
Feb. 2: B.C. poets veer from realism to mysticism
Jan. 26: Heighton approaches real heights
Jan. 19: Writer reconciles with younger self in Cretan odyssey
Jan. 5: Top books of 1995
1995
Dec. 22: In defence of Carol Bruneau
Dec. 8: Segregation recalled, angry young poets roar
Nov. 24: Cherish MacLeod’s verse, read Domanski’s in small doses
Nov. 10: Mi’kmaq prayers wartime verse inspire reflection
Nov. 3: McKay’s style classically spare; Giller nomination deserved
Oct. 27: Resurrecting poet MacEwen
Oct. 20: MacNeil’l work reminiscent of Dylan Thomas
Oct. 13: Bruneau joins C.B. cultural renaissance
Sept. 30: Africadian heritage rooted in worship, service
Sept. 29: ‘Word’ spelled success
Sept. 15: Donovan crafts nail-tough poetry of Cape Breton
Sept. 1: Levine’s literary debut masterful
Aug. 25: If you understand this country, you’re lost
Aug. 18: M&S picks 3 poets for ’95 lineup
Aug. 11: Two poets coming of age
Aug. 4: African-Canadians reviving culture
July 28: Myths about rural living debunked in scholarly essays
July 21: Poetry, novel reveal ‘real’ lives in process
July 7: Poets celebrate life in new books
June 23: Two failures: a bad first novel and a would-be poet
June 9: New writing from Quebec
June 2: Atwood’s savage, Gothic universe
May 26: A quilt of fish books view rural life in N.S.
May 26: Labrador dreamin’
May 12: A calypso of styles from Jamaica to Canada
April 28: Three verse collections; some fine, others claptrap
April 21: New East coast writing and traditional ideas
April 7: Oliver, Cromwell: two historians
March 17: Cape Breton tales share common moral thread
March 4: Images of Africadians more than new clichés
March 3: Acadia lives on in N.S.
Feb. 17: Collection timely study of three author-‘sisters’
Feb. 11: ‘African renaissance’ of ‘80s left significant mark
Feb. 3: I’m pleased to say, “I knew her when …”
1994
Dec. 30: Often outrageous, author truthful about sex, women
Dec. 16: Why must black man write about sex? Author never says
Nov. 25: Evangeline plays Eve in Quebec writer’s poem-libretto
Nov. 18: Collection of Canadian poems falls short of expectations
Oct. 21: Writing histories of African-Canadian communities
Sept. 16: Evangeline rides again as Eirik’s cliché of a last-action hero
Aug. 19: From sea to shining sea: Poetry and prose
July 22: Sampling an anthology of neo-nouveau-new British poetry
June 17: Memoir reconstructs black community of earlier days
May 20: Prince gifted newcomer to Can.Lit.
April 22: Pulitzer winner Lewis chronicles DuBois’s life
March 18: Assessing a pair of Ontario poets
Feb. 18: Black writers link literacy to liberty, equality
Feb. 7: State of the union
Jan. 21: Deux Montrealers: Cohen and Trudeau
1993
Dec. 17: Canadian literature forges international links
Dec. 10: An English Lieutenant’s Woman
Nov. 19: Black Culture: From the West Indies to Canada’s East Coast
Oct. 15: Debunking East Coast myths
Sept. 17: Two regional poets talk of odysseys, inquests
Aug. 20: Laferrier important Canadian writer
July 16: Caught up in Hooks’ view of pop culture
June 18: A working class hero and gentleman scholar
May 21: Poets strive to identify the self
April 16: Spring poetry along with rain, taxes
March 19: Racism ignites Nourbese Philip’s explosive prose
Feb. 19: Black History Month extends to reading
Jan. 29: Poets’ latest collections a triple threat
Jan. 8: New Maritimes anthology typifies in-your-face journalism
1992
Dec.11: PLUCKIN' AND SINGIN'
Nov. 27: Maritimers at home and away
Oct. 16: Daughters, single white female challenge clichés
Sept. 18: Africadian Renaissance in full flow
July 24: Davies sets record straight in a new literary history