“[F]ull of adventurous precision,” a poet’s third poetry collection “digs into language that renders sonic, succinct, and imagistic lines.” And more: “Beautifully rendered, it offers the reader a full poetic experience.” —Steven Ross Smith reviews Empties, by Neil Surkan (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s UP, 2026) $19.95 / 9780228027317
Delightful while sobering and illuminating, a memoir-in-verse celebrates pop music as it revisits cultural history and queer coming-of-age in the ’80s and ’90s. —Brett Josef Grubisic reviews Soundtrack: A Lyric Memoir, by Michael V. Smith (Toronto: Book*hug, 2025) $24.95 / 9781771669498
Venerable poet “delivers an impressive thirteenth poetry book,” “a collection that is not only evocative and visceral but masterfully precise, honouring its namesake (a reference to the formerly common training routine of figure skaters to practice control, precision, and balance).” —Brooke Lee reviews Compulsory Figures, by John Barton (Qualicum Beach: Caitlin Press, 2025) $20.00 / 9781773861661
S.C. Heal (1925-2017)An obituary by Alan Twigg First published August 15, 2017 * “In my opinion there is no finer interpreter of the marine scene in British Columbia.” — John M. MacFarlane, nautical historian As a columnist and contributor to specialty shipping magazines, the writer-turned-publisher S.C. Heal made a major contribution to the maritime literature…
Read more #155 S.C. Heal (1925-2017)
A Queer Love Story: The Letters of Jane Rule and Rick Beboutby Marilyn R. Schuster (editor) Vancouver: UBC Press, 2017$50 / 9780774835435 Reviewed by Alan Twigg First published Feb. 7, 2017 * “I hope I’m remembered for being lusty, feisty and full of life.”— Jane Rule People who knew Jane Rule are still saying to…
Read more #82 Jane’s ruling aphorisms