Lorenzo Society Reading Season Guide Ask Us

Welcome to the 2017-2018 Lorenzo Reading Series!

The Lorenzo Society at UNB Saint John is well-known on campus and around the community as a sponsor of music, art and literary events including a series of free readings by major Canadian authors.

For information on the choices for the 2017-2018 readings, and their authors, explore this guide and the Lorenzo Society website. Contact Andrea Kikuchi, Reading Series Coordinator, with any questions about upcoming events.

You may also be interested in the resources found in:

UNB Libraries' Guide to Irish (and Anglo-Irish) Literature

Wayne Clifford

Poet Wayne Clifford is scheduled to read from Flying the Truck on 14 September 2017.

Works Held

At UNB Libraries

At New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews

Goodreads

Forward Reviews

From the Author

Wayne Clifford, Representative Poetry Online, University of Toronto

Lament for Bats, CBC Shift, 27 August 2013

David Adams Richards

On 30 August, the Prime Minister announced the appointment of New Brunswick author David Adams Richards to the Canadian Senate. He will be reading from Principles to Live By at a date to be determined.

Works Held

At UNB Libraries

At New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

Goodreads

From the Author

"What should I get from books?" Alcide asked in French.
"That you are not alone — even along this broken tractor road. You need to know nothing else," my father answered in French.
Mercy Among the Children

Patti LaBoucane-Benson

Patti LaBoucane-Benson is both an academic, with a Ph.D. in Human Ecology, and a graphic novelist. Her illustrator for The Outside Circle is Kelly Mellings. LaBoucane-Benson is scheduled to read from her novel on 26 September 2017.

Works Held

At UNB Libraries

At New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews

Goodreads

Graphic novel The Outside Circle aims to become a tool for aboriginal healing, Quill and Quire, 28 April 2015

From the Author / Illustrator

Q&A with Illustrator Kelly Mellings, Applied Arts, 17 April 2015

@KellyMellings, Twitter

@PALB2011 [Patti LaBoucane], Twitter

Noah Richler

Son of Canadian novelist Mordecai Richler, Noah Richler is a long-time journalist, contributing to publications in Canada and aboard. In 2012, one of his books, What We Talk About When We Talk About War, was short-listed for several literary awards. He is scheduled to read from The Candidate on 19 October 2017.

Works Held

At UNB Libraries

At New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews

Goodreads

Noah Richler reflects on campaign trail in new book, Eric Andrew-Gee, Globe and Mail, 14 October 2016

From the Author

@knowwhereyouare [Noah Richler], Twitter

"What notion did you have of Canada when you came?" Mistry smiles delicately, the face behind the trimmed beard and glasses like that of a student. "I thought it would complete me."
This Is My Country, What's Yours?: A Literary Atlas of Canada

Bruce Meyer

Award-winning poet, broadcaster, and academic, Bruce Meyer has authored and edited dozens of published works. He is scheduled to read from Portraits of Canadian Writers and 1967: Centennial Year on 24 October 2017.

Works Held

At UNB Libraries

At New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews

Goodreads

Portraits of Canadian Writers, Forward Reviews

From the Author

Bruce Meyer, Canadian Poetry Online, University of Toronto

Bruce Meyer's 1967: Centennial Year, Facebook

Bruce Meyer Discusses "Heroes", YouTube

"When we are stone will the world recall us?"
The Seasons

Ann Eriksson

Novelist and biologist Ann Eriksson is known for addressing social issues within her fictional works. She is scheduled to read from The Performance on 2 November 2017.

Reviews

Goodreads

The Performance, Quill & Quire

From the Author

Ann Eriksson web page

Interview: Ann Eriksson, words by Nathaniel G. Moore, photo by Gary Geddes, Verbicide, 15 November 2016

@Ann_Eriksson, Twitter

Michael Kaan

Michael Kaan is scheduled to read from his debut novel, The Water Beetles, on 23 November 2017.

Works Held

At UNB Libraries

At New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews

Family history splinters in debut novel The Water Beetles, David Chau, Georgia Straight, 19 April 2017

Goodreads

The Water Beetles, Quill & Quire

From the Author

@MichaelKaan0, Twitter

GetLit podcast, CFMU, 24 August 2017

January 18, 2018 Susan White, Maple Sugar Pie

Susan White's books are often set "just up the road" where we find people we recognize.

author-susan-white, blogspot

"How are we to understand why one smile lasts 93 years and one only 6 short ones? There is no understanding and only the whisper of hope in such sorrow."
"Whispering Hope," Thursday, August 31, 2017

From the Author:

• Website 

Check out books by Susan White:

• UNB Libraries
• New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews:

• Goodreads

February 1, 2018 Janie Chang, Dragon Springs Road

Drawing on family history and stories, Janie Chang writes sweeping historical novels.

"That’s the trouble when you’re young, my hun soul says. You think you have all the time in the world. You think the world will wait until you’re ready."
Three Souls: A Novel

From the Author:

• THREE SOULS author Janie Chang talks about How Family History Became a Novel, YouTube
• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter

Check out books by Janie Chang:

• UNB Libraries
• New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews:

• Dragon Springs Road, Quill & Quire
• Goodreads

February 15, 2018 Steven Heighton, The Nightingale Won't Let You Sleep

Author of short stories, poetry and novels.

"Love ... requires that you learn to read the lover in her own language, not translate her into yours."
On earth as it is

From the Author:

• Website
• Canadian Poetry Online, University of Toronto

Check out books by Steven Heighton:

• UNB Libraries
• New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews:

• The Nightingale Won’t Let You Sleep, Quill & Quire
• The Nightingale Won’t Let You Sleep, Publisher's Weekly
• Kirkus Reviews
• Goodreads

March 15, 2018 Sarah Faber, All is Beauty Now

"A place can’t be everything it ever was forever and ever."
All is Beauty Now

From the Author:

• @sfaber_author, Twitter

Check out books by Sarah Faber:

• UNB Libraries
• New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews:

• Kirkus Reviews
• Goodreads

March 29, 2018 Colleen Murphy, I Hope My Heart Burns First, The Breathing Hole, Pig Girl, Beating Heart Cadaver, The December Man

Playwright, Governor General's Award winner, and Writer in Residence.

"Writing is often about secrets."
Magic 8 Q&A

From the Author:

• Website
• Playwright Colleen Murphy on hiding secrets and finding sinister, shiny things, Magic 8 Q&A, CBC

Check out books by Colleen Murphy:

• New Brunswick Public Libraries
• UNB Libraries

Reviews:

• Theatre Listings: Bright Burning, University of Alberta
• Chicago Theater Review: THE DECEMBER MAN (L’HOMME DE DÉCEMBRE) (Mary-Arrchie), Lawrence Bommer, 22 May 2015, Theater-Chicago, Stage and Cinema
• Goodreads

April 26, 2018 Wayne Johnston, First Snow, Last Light

"You are, Devlin, too young to understand how rare a thing true love is, how unlikely in this world to happen, and when it does, how unlikely to endure. And once it is lost, how hard to live without."
The Navigator of New York

From the Author:

• Website
• @waynejohnston17, Twitter
• Facebook

Check out books by Wayne Johnston:

• UNB Libraries
• New Brunswick Public Libraries

Reviews:

• Kirkus Reviews
• Goodreads