Of books, festivals and book prizes
In the busy Fall arts and literary season, Dawson is proud to have at least four of its faculty members engaging the greater community with exciting projects.
Jacques Laval
Jacques Laval of Industrial Design, though 鈥渞etired鈥� remains active in one of his passions, conservation efforts inspired by his love of nature especially around his home in the Estrie, but on a larger scale, the damage to the environment and climate change. He has published a book called 鈥淪caling Down to Cut Carbon: Reclaiming a Sustainable Local Economy鈥� which will be launched at Dawson on Wednesday, October 24 during a 5 脿 7 in the Warren G. Flowers Gallery.
鈥淚n the era of globalization, we no longer control anything, least of all politically and economically,鈥� he says. 鈥淐limate constitutes an unavoidable wall 鈥� We are doing everything on a scale that is too big, out of proportion with the planet鈥檚 capacity. We must change scale and slash our environmental footprint, beginning with carbon, and shift to a local economy so as to develop a society that the environment can sustain and support.鈥�
Andrew Katz
English faculty member and creative writing teacher Andrew Katz has written a picture book for kids aged 4-7 titled How To Catch A Bear听Who Loves To Read, which has been published by CrackBoom! Books (an imprint of Chouette Publishing, the creators of Caillou). The book was听co-written with Juliana L茅veill茅-Trudel and听will be听published simultaneously in French under the title Comment attraper un ours qui aime lire.
Described by Kirkus reviews as听鈥渁 how-to manual in which a love of reading shines,鈥� the book tells the story of Julia, a spunky young girl with a nose for books and a profound wish to befriend a bear in the forest by her house. (Imagine the hugs!) One day, inspired by a book she鈥檚 reading, she brings honey (the perfect bear snack) into the woods. The next day, she tries bringing blueberries. But little does she know that听it鈥檚 not just sweet smells that can attract a bear, especially a bear who听shares her love of stories鈥�
The听book launch听for听How To Catch A Bear听Who Loves To Read /听Comment attraper un ours qui aime lire听will take place:
Thursday, November 8, from 5-7, at Drawn & Quarterly鈥檚 Petite Librairie (176 Bernard Ouest).
There will be wine, grape juice for kids, and snacks, and maybe even a bear, who knows! All are welcome.
Dipti Gupta
Dipti Gupta from Cinema-Communications has been one of the driving forces behind the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (SAFFM) which kicks off its eighth edition this week, from October 26 to 28 and November 2 to 4. The Festival extends to Chicoutimi in the Saguenay from November 16 to 18. The films are from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Canada and the U.S.. Montreal showings are at the J.A. De S猫ve Cinema at Concordia University; all films are subtitled in English.It is presented by Kabir Centre for Arts & Culture, a not-for-profit organization promoting various art forms and activities such as music, dance, cinema, literature and poetry.
For more information about the festival, visit .
Dipti, along with colleagues and profile alumni, contribute regularly to a Montreal-based web magazine called Montreal Serai that aims to 鈥渂ring the margins to the centre.鈥� Dipti edited the most recent edition, which can be seen here:
Susan Elmslie
Susan Elmslie鈥檚 book of poems Museum of Kindness (Brick Books, 2017) has been shortlisted for the Quebec Writers’ Federation听A.M. Klein Prize in Poetry, for the best book of English-language poetry in Quebec.
Susan鈥檚 book has two distinct connections to Dawson. A section of the book is called Trigger Warning deals with the tragedy of 2006 and its emotional aftermath. The book’s cover image is a photograph by Ren茅 Bolduc, who exhibited this work along with some of听his听other photographs at the Warren G. Flowers Gallery.
The prize shortlist includes books by听two other poets: Sina Queyras (Concordia University) and Gillian Sze (John Abbott College). The winner will be announced at the QWF Awards Ceremony Gala on November 20, 2018.
Below is a link to the review essay that Abby Paige wrote about Museum of Kindess in the Montreal Review of Books:
