This fall’s Ottawa International Writers Festival lineup features the Booker long list nominated author Esi Edugyan, Patrick DeWitt, a past winner of the Governor General’s Award for Fiction, Dionne Brand, Ottawa-born wunderkind Jordan Tannahill, another book from award-winning Canadian War Museum historian Tim Cook and an opening night talk with one of the great names in contemporary detective fiction Ian Rankin.
The festival (Oct. 25 to Oct. 30) opens with two events featuring Rankin and another book by former governor General David Johnston, who is using his own life’s experiences to offer an understanding of what it means to trust one another and build a nation.
As usual the festival features a wide range of panels discussions featuring the latest in fiction and non-fiction.
And for this political town a bonus: the folks at the writers festival are hosting the former prime minister Jean Chretien who has a new book out called My Stories, My Times. The festival is promising a few more events. More on those when they are announced.
The lineup so far (Unless indicated events are at Christ Church Cathedral).
Oct. 25
Noon: Literary Luncheon with Ian Rankin at E18hteen restaurant.
6:30 p.m.: Trust: Twenty Ways To Build A Better Country with David Johnston.
6:35 p.m.: In/Words Presents Dis(s)ent with George Elliott Clarke and Sanita Fejzić. This is a collection of poetry, fiction, essays and art worrying definitions of truth and the truth-teller in a “post-truth” era. The event features a performance by the lead singer of Scary Bear Soundtrack, Gloria Guns, and readings by Cree poet Michelle Poirier Brown, Collett Tracey, Shelby Lisk, Giovanna Riccio, Maïté Simard and Deniz Kilinc, Marie-Pierre Daigle, Sarah Kabamba and Xavier Laberge.
8:30: In A House Of Lies with Ian Rankin. A one on one interview.
8:35: Bywords 2018 John Newlove Poetry Award Reading and Ceremony.
Oct. 26
6:00 p.m.: The Good Life with Lisa Moore and Patrick DeWitt.
7:30 p.m.: Past Is Present with Ondjaki and Esi Edugyan.
9 p.m.: Modern Love with Jordan Tannahill and Dionne Brand
Oct. 27
2 p.m.: How Schools Can Prepare Our Children for the Challenges of Tomorrow with educators Kelly Gallagher-Mackay and Nancy Steinhauer.
4 p.m.: First Person with Darrel J. McLeod and Tom Wilson.
6:30 p.m.: The Blue Clerk — One on One with Dionne Brand.
8 p.m.: After the Uproar with Shannon Webb-Campbell in conversation with her editor Lee Maracle.
9:30 p.m.: I’m Afraid of Men with Vivek Shraya.
Oct. 28
2 p.m.: The Secret History of Soldiers with Tim Cook.
4 p.m.: The Extreme Centre with Tariq Ali.
5 p.m.: Plan 99 Poetry with Deanna Young, Julie Bruck, Paul Vermeersch and Hana Shafi. (Manx Pub)
6:30 p.m.: True North with with Waubgeshig Rice and Eden Robinson.
8:30 p.m.: Living History with Wayne Grady, Natalie Morrill and Alix Hawley.
Oct. 29
6:30 p.m.: Criminal Minds with Amy Stuart, Ron Corbett and Barbara Fradkin.
8 p.m.: Character with Gillian Wigmore and Helen Humphreys.
9 p.m.: Subjective Truths with Iain Reid and Craig Davidson.
Oct. 30
6 p.m.: Between the Pages. An Evening with the Scotiabank Giller Prize Finalists (National Gallery of Canada).
7:30 p.m.: 25th Anniversary of above/ground press with Sandra Ridley, Gil McElroy and Sarah Mangold.
9 p.m.: ARC Magazine 40th Anniversary.
