Voice of a Nation with reception to follow David Grossman | Host: Eleanor Wachtel
Co-presentation with Canadian Friends of Hebrew University 7:30 pm | Norman Rothstein Theatre
One of the most courageous, inventive, and incisive writers of our time, David Grossman’s powerful fiction leaves an unforgettable impression on its readers. CBC named him: “one of the leading Israeli novelists of his generation” and we couldn’t agree more. Don’t miss the unique opportunity to hear him speak live in Vancouver.
Along with winning the Israeli Prime Minister’s Prize for Creative Work, Grossman’s novels The Book of Internal Grammar and See Under: Love were named among the ten most important books since the creation of the State of Israel. Grossman lives in Jerusalem.
“Eleanor Wachtel is one of the very finest interviewers of authors I’ve come across anywhere in the world.”—kazuo ishiguro
The host of CBC’s Writers & Company, Wachtel is known for her clear voice, and thoughtful, thorough mode of questioning. Her many accomplishments include receiving the Order of Canada in 2005, receiving seven honourary degrees, and being named winner of the Jack Award for the promotion of Canadian books and authors. Wachtel is also the editor of four acclaimed literary collections. She lives in Toronto.
Special Echoing Voices: A collaboration of word and art Presenting Artists and Poets include:
Sorour Abdollahi, Devora, Maureen Egan, Daniela Elza, Ryan Fletcher, Christy Hill, Marni Norwich, Shannon Pidlubny, Sidi Schaffer, Adam Sol, Robin Susanto
Co-presented with the Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery, Vancouver Artists’ Collective Association & Pandora’s Collective 7:30 pm | The Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery
Using the evocative artwork exhibited in the Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery as their inspiration, talented poets and spoken word artists from Pandora’s Collective, Vancouver Arts Collective and the Jewish Book Festival use words and rhythms to paint verbal images of their own. Toronto poet Adam Sol kicks off the evening with a reading from his politically-charged poem, Jeremiah, Ohio. Members of the audience are welcome to join in with their own inspired literary creations.
Free event
Workshop Self-Publishing | Jo Blackmore 10:30 am | Adult Lounge
Are you the as yet undiscovered writer of the next great Canadian novel? Tired of receiving rejection notices? Why not self-publish your book—it’s easier than you think! Learn crucial information about successful self-publishing including how to research and identify appropriate publishers and the steps involved in the process.
Jo Blackmore founded Granville Island Publishing in 1998. She has
since published over 60 books and has received widespread recognition
for their quality and design. Jo returns to the Festival this year with her
popular workshop.
Author event Jewish Museum and Archives of BC | Cyril E. Leonoff 10:30 am | Dayson Boardroom
The Jewish Historical Society of British Columbia celebrates the launch of Cyril Leonoff’s historical non-fiction book, The Rise of Jewish Life and Religion in British Columbia, 1858–1948. This informative and engaging read surveys the origins and development of Jewish religious congregations, educational and social institutions in BC from 1858 to 1948.
Join the Jewish Museum and Archives for this special presentation followed by the annual JHSBC AGM.
Free event
Workshop Memoir Writing | Robert Freedman 12noon | Seniors’ Lounge
Everyone’s life story is unique and if you have the tools to tap into it, your life experience can offer rich and varied source material. In this timely workshop on memoir writing, Freedman will focus on the unique techniques needed to write a memoir. You will also be given an opportunity to write a brief piece and get it critiqued.
US writer Robert Freedman has been a published writer for over 25 years and teaches creative writing workshops at “Write Around Portland”. He lives in Portland, Oregon.
"Karen X. Tulchinsky does for Toronto what Mordecai Richler did for Montreal.”
—bc bookworld
Award-winning writer, Karen X. Tulchinsky brings her talents to the Jewish Book Festival with this hands-on intensive creative writing workshop that gives you the tools to hone your writing skills.
Tulchinsky is an accomplished writer who also teaches creative writing at Langara College’s Creative and Applied Arts Department. Born in Toronto, Tulchinsky now lives in Vancouver.
Out with the old, in with the new . . . . This popular annual event is specifically for the Hebrew speakers in our community—bring in the Hebrew books you’ve read, and exchange them with friends for new (used ones). This is a time to meet up with other Israeli book lovers and find some hidden gems.
Canadian Launch (in Hebrew) Tali Geva | Host: Geoffrey Druker 2:30 pm | L’chaim Lounge
Workshop Writing for Moms | Cori Howard 4:00pm | Adult Lounge
Momoirs is for moms of all ages and stages: new moms, grandmas, step-moms, adoptive moms. Led by the award-winning writer Cori Howard, this unique workshop gives you a chance to write about your own personal journey as a mother, whether you want to write as a keepsake for yourself or your children, or get your story published. Prepare to share the highs and lows of momhood, critique each other’s work and get some valuable writing and publishing tips.
Author & illustrator/ graphic novel Word and Image | Irene Watts & Kathryn Shoemaker 4:00pm | Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre
Good-Bye Marianne is Irene Watts’ moving portrayal of the Kindertrans¬port from Germany to England during WWII. The novel parallels Watts’ life: she came to Canada in 1968 from the UK, where she had arrived thirty years earlier from Berlin via Kindertransport. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of its publication with a unique graphic form publication, this remarkable story is now even more unforgettable.
Watts is an award-winning writer and playwright. Her novels have been translated into Italian and Dutch and her play, Lillie, based on her 2005 novel Flower, premiered in Athens in 2007.
Kathryn E. Shoemaker’s illustrations for Watts’ novel succeed in depicting images and events that typically belie description. Her drawings, graceful, subtle and solemn, enrich the novel with new life and energy. Shoemaker is the illustrator of 36 books for children and the author of four. She has broad experience as an art teacher, curriculum specialist, and filmmaker.
Free event
Presented with support from The Lövi Memorial Endowment Fund of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. The Lövi Fund was established by the Maté family in memory of Dr. Joseph Lövi and Anna Abrahamsohn Lövi of Kosicze, Slovaki, who died in the gas chambers of Auschwitz on June 4, 1944. The Fund is also in the memory of Dr. Marta Lövi, daughter of Joseph and Anna, who survived the horrors of Auschwitz and Stuffhoft concentration camps. The Lövi Fund sponsors Holocaust education events in the community.
Author event: family dynamics Walking on Eggshells | Ruth Nemzoff 5:30 pm | Dayson Boardroom
In Don’t Bite Your Tongue, How to Foster Rewarding Relationships With Your Adult Children, the family dynamics expert, Ruth Nemzoff, instructs parents on how to create close and open relationships with their adult children. Above all, Nemzoff underscores the fact that no relationship is perfect. Advocating forgiveness and open communication, this practical guide empowers parents to play a healthy, constructive role in their adult children’s lives.
Dr. Ruth Nemzoff is a resident scholar at Brandeis University’s Women’s Studies Research Center and lectures widely on family dynamics. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts.
Author event: musical interludes Sweet Music | Bob Bossin & Sima Elizabeth Shefrin
Host: Sheryl MacKay 6:30 pm | L’chaim Lounge
“It is a great story. Bossin is an excellent writer, on top of being an excellent musician. Not fair.” —miriam toews, 2004 governor-general’s award winner
Legendary Canadian folk singer, Bob Bossin, introduces his unique short story, Latkes. Drawing on folklore, family history and Bob’s usual skewed imagination, it is a tale both comic and insightful. Don’t miss out on Bob—with guitar in tow—as he serves up colourful tales of writing, music, travel and adventure.
Latkes is beautifully illustrated with 10 colour plates by award-winning illustrator Sima Elizabeth Shefrin.
Sheryl MacKay is the award-winning host of CBC’s popular program North By Northwest and the CBC Radio One Studio Book Club.
Author event: culinary culture Fortune Cookie Chronicles | Jennifer 8. Lee 8:00 pm | Dayson Boardroom
“Reading Lee’s book is almost like watching a documentary travelogue.” —the washington post.
Jennifer 8. Lee is credited with saving the now-famous Richmond Chinese restaurant Zen from bankruptcy. In her book, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, Lee traverses the globe to search out answers to some of life’s burning questions: Where do fortune cookies come from? What is chop suey? And, most pressing, how did Chinese food come to be the chosen food of The Chosen People? Don’t be fooled though, this book is far from a Fluff piece, Lee has done her research and it shows. The
Chronicles are a bona fide anthropological field study— fascinating, factual and deep-fried!
Lee is a columnist for the New York times, a Harvard-educated Math Whiz, and a Chinese Food Connoisseur.
Author event: young adults Gravity | Leanne Lieberman 10:00 am | Dayson Boardroom
Homegrown author Leanne Lieberman’s debut novel Gravity grants the reader a glimpse into adolescent life. Protagonist Ellie Gold is an orthodox Jewish teenager living in Toronto in the late eighties. She harbours no doubts about her strict religious upbringing until she falls in love with another girl. Ellie feels forced to either alter her sexuality or leave her community.
Free event | suitable for grades 10-12
Naomi Beth Wakan, the author of the popular Late Bloomer reads from her latest book, Compositions: notes on the written word. Wakan will also explore the motives for writing, and the philosophy that underlies writing. Join her for what is sure to be a lively session. Gabriola resident Noami Beth Wakan is a prolific writer and enthusiastic presenter of writing workshops.
Free event
Author event: culinary health Make It HeartSmart | Bonnie Stern
Co-presentation with the Heart & Stroke health Foundation of BC & Yukon 6:30 pm | Dayson Boardroom
Culinary legend Bonnie Stern discusses healthy eating, and dares the audience to consider their own habits.
Canada’s most well-known culinary writer, Bonnie Stern has been giving us healthy eating options and delicious recipes for years. Co-presented with the Heart & Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon, this presentation focuses on Bonnie’s HeartSmart series. Bonnie will discuss healthy eating choices, good nutrition and all things HeartSmart!
For over thirty years, Stern has operated the Bonnie Stern School of Cooking. She is the author of twelve bestselling cookbooks, has hosted two national television shows and writes a weekly column for the National Post.
Author event: panel Writers Share | Ami Sands Brodoff & Robert Freedman 7:00 pm | The Sandman Inn, downtown Vancouver
Two writers known for authenticity and ingenuity engage in an evening of vibrant conversation. Ami Sands Brodoff is the author of the recently published novel The White Space Between as well as the edgy short story collection, Bloodknots, and the novel, Can You See Me? Bloodknots was a finalist for the Re-Lit Awards. Sands Brodoff serves on the Executive Board of the Quebec Writers’ Federation and is active in the Writers Union of Canada.
Part memoir, part fiction, Fancypants, is Robert Freedman’s quint¬essential tale of a Jewish boy’s coming of age in the ‘50s and 60’s. Freedman traces Buddy as he struggles with his domineering mother, fiery father, and the search for his own path. Equal parts poignant and hilarious, Freedman’s storytelling captures the trials and tribulations of growing up Jewish in the American Midwest.
Free event
Author event: panel The New Face of Fiction | John Miller & Stephen Marche Host: Alex Hart 8:00 pm | Dayson Boardroom
Each in the vanguard of contemporary Canadian fiction, Marche and Miller discuss their lives, work and thoughts for the future with host, Alex Hart.
Winner of the 2008 Canadian Jewish Book award for fiction, A Sharp Intake of Breath is John Miller’s soberly told story of Toshy Wolfman, born in 1916 with a disfiguring cleft palate. The book has received stellar reviews and a devoted readership. Miller holds an M.A. in International Development from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague. Aside from novel-writing, Miller acts as a consultant for NGOs working with children affected by HIV/AIDS. He lives in Toronto.
“Dazzling” is how The New York Times described Stephen Marche’s modern, envelope-pushing brand of writing. His most recent novel, Shining At the Bottom of the Sea has been declared “the most exciting mash-up of literary genres since David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas.”
Marche, a Toronto resident, has been shortlisted for the Toronto Book Award, the O. Henry Prize and the Tournament of Books.
After a decade working in the construction industry, Alex Hart toiled in the deconstruction industry, completing a Ph.D. in English literature in 1997. Hart is a lecturer at UBC specializing in Jewish and Post-Colonial literature.
Author event: young adult Ami Sands Brodoff 8:30 am | Dayson Boardroom
The innovative and award-winning novelist and short-story writer, Ami Sands Brodoff presents from her recently published third book, The White Space Between. Sands Brodoff will read from her book and discuss its complex themes related to the conflict of remembering and forgetting the Holocaust.
Free event | suitable for grades 8-10
Author event: young adult Dennis Foon 11 am | Dayson Boardroom
The much beloved, multi-award winning local playwright Dennis Foon leads an informative and engaging discussion about the creative writing process, characterization, plot lines and how he makes the written word come alive.
Free event | suitable for grades 10-11
Cooking demo/ luncheon Friday Night Dinners—For Lunch! | Bonnie Stern
Proudly presented by the Rosedale on Robson Suite Hotel 11:30 am | Wosk Auditorium
Canada’s most well-known culinary writer, Bonnie Stern has been giving us healthy eating options and delicious recipes for years. Her newest book, Friday Night Dinners, is no exception, dishing up over 170 mouthwatering recipes to start the weekend right. Bonnie will do a cooking demonstration followed by a three-course luncheon with recipes chosen from her brand new book. For over thirty years, Stern has operated the Bonnie Stern School of Cooking. She is the author of twelve bestselling cookbooks, has hosted two national television shows and currently writes a weekly column for the National Post.
$36 in advance or $40 at the door (includes a three course dairy luncheon) | register by Tuesday November 18 at 5:00 pm, #7108 | Online ticket purchase>> or in person at the JCCGV.
Space is limited | ticket holders receive a 20% discount off the purchase price of Friday Night Dinners
Author event: International justice International (In)Justice | Erna Paris 6:30 pm | Dayson Boardroom cancelled due to family bereavement
Paris’ 2005 book, Long Shadows: Truth, Lies and History was chosen as one of the “The Hundred Most Important Books Ever Written In Canada” by the Literary Review of Canada and won the Pearson Writer’s Trust. Her newest book, The Sun Climbs Slow: Justice in the Age of Imperial America, shows equal promise and tells of the international criminal court in The Hague. Passionate and personal, Paris’ book breaks down boundaries between autobiographical and historical writing—and the result is informative and irresistible.
Paris is the winner of ten international and national writing awards, including a Gold Medal from the National Magazine Awards Foundation, the White Award for local issues reporting, and four Media Club of Canada awards. She lives in Toronto.
cancelled due to family bereavement
Author event: humour Double-Dating with Dad | Bob Morris 7:00 pm | Senior’s Lounge
This hilarious and heartwarming memoir tells how Bob Morris helped his aging and lonely father find love again by going through the Personals pages from Jewish Week. With Yiddishkeit humour and compassion, Assisted Loving gleefully explores the kooky complications of Jewish parent-child relations and the perils of dating at any age.
Bob Morris is an engaging and witty presenter who always brings his ukulele along for some added fun. Morris has been a commentator on NPR and a contributor to The New Yorker and other publications. He recently collaborated on a memoir with the actress Diahann Carroll and is currently developing an HBO comedy pilot.
Author panel: memoir Writ Large | Dennis Foon & Robert Freedman Host: David Beers 8:00 pm | Dayson Boardroom
Lifelong writers Foon and Freedman riff on themes of integrity, inspiration, humour and purpose. Robert Freedman’s Fancypants, is part memoir, part fiction told through the voice of Buddy, a quintessential Jewish boy coming of age in the ‘50s and 60’s. Equal parts poignant and hilarious, Freedman’s storytelling captures the trials and tribulations of growing up Jewish in the American Midwest.
Much beloved local playwright Dennis Foon has broadened his scope from award-winning children’s playwright to screen-writing and now memoir. His latest foray into the memoir genre is My Acid Trip, which debuted at Performance Works in October 2008.
David Beers is the founding editor of award-winning online newspaper, The Tyee (thetyee.ca) and a published writer.
Author event: children Rae Maté 9:30 am | Isaac Waldman Library
Renowned local artist Rae Maté is known for her magical-realist take on subjects ranging from childhood and fantasy, to floral still-life. But make no mistake, there is nothing static in Rae’s art. Her magical illustrations in the popular children’s book Crocodiles Play! take a playful bent in illustrating a day in the life of a crocodile. Captivating and funny, children will love this book.
Free event | suitable for kindergarten
Author event: seniors Five Books | Karen X. Tulchinsky 11:00 am | Seniors’ Lounge
“Karen X. Tulchinsky does for Toronto what Mordecai Richler did for Montreal.” —bc book world Distinctive and captivating, Karen X. Tulchinsky’s prose is irresistible. Her book, The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky, is the recent winner of the distinguished Vancouver Public Library’s One Book One Vancouver 2008 award. A screenplay adaptation of the novel is currently in development. Her remarkable new novel, The Shoemaker’s Daughter, is set between 1941 and 1977 in Russia, Vancouver and Jerusalem. Born in Toronto, Tulchinsky now lives in Vancouver.
Free event
Author panel: women writing about the Holocaust Untold Stories | Edeet Ravel & Ami Sands Brodoff Host: Rhea Tregebov 6:30 pm | Dayson Boardroom
Deeply invested in presenting new perspectives and unearthing forgotten histories, writers Sands Brodoff and Ravel partake in a fascinating conversation, hosted by Rhea Tregebov.
From Edeet Ravel, author of the Tel Aviv Trilogy, comes a personal and emotionally resonant novel about an unexpected friendship between two young women. Though both children of Holocaust survivors, Maya refuses to delve into her mother’s history, while Rosie becomes entrenched in her parents’ past. Your Sad Eyes and Unforgettable Mouth investigates the nature of friendship, secrets, memory and forgetting.
Ravel has won numerous awards including the Canadian Jewish Book award, Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Hugh MacLennan Prize. Born on a kibbutz in Israel, Ravel now resides in Guelph, Ontario.
Ami Sands Brodoff is the author of the recently published novel The White Space Between as well as the edgy short story collection, Bloodknots, and the novel, Can You See Me? Bloodknots was a finalist for the Re-Lit Awards, as reviewers have hailed it ‘ferocious and stubbornly original’. Sands Brodoff serves on the Executive Board of the Quebec Writers’ Federation and is active in the Writers Union of Canada.
Rhea Tregebov is the author of six books of poetry, and five children’s picture books. She is also the editor of ten anthologies of essays, poetry and fiction. Tregebov is Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
Author event: talk and film screening Mamet and his Movies | Ira Nadel Co-presentation with the Vancouver Jewish Film Festival 8:00 pm | Norman Rothstein Theatre
This unique event combines books and movies as noted author and biographer, Ira Nadel, presents his most recent publication, the biography David Mamet: A Life in the Theatre.
Nadel will discuss the life of this famous Jewish screenwriter, dramatist and director, and talk about the multi-award winning movie State & Main which will be screened after a short break. Ira Nadel’s previous biographies include Tom Stoppard: A Life and Various Positions: The Life of Leonard Cohen, which won the Medal for Canadian Biography. Nadel is currently completing a book on the life of Leon Uris. He is a Professor of English at the University of British Columbia, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
$12 in advance or $15 at the door | Online ticket purchase>> or call 604.257.5111
Ticket holders receive a 20% discount off the purchase price of David Mamet: A Life in the Theatre
Thursday, November 27
Author event: young adults Edeet Ravel 11:00 am | Dayson Boardroom
Award-winning writer, Edeet Ravel, presents from her recently published young adult novel, The Saver. This unique story is about seventeen-year-old Fern whose life is filled with love, and many hardships. When her mother dies unexpectedly, Fern has to rely on all of her coping skills to survive.
Free event | suitable for grades 8–10
“Gratitude grabbed me and wouldn’t let go” —roddy doyle, author of paddy clarke ha ha ha, winner of the manbooker prize
Joseph Kertes’ novel is a breathtaking portrait of Hungary in the final days of WWII. Between March 1944 and January 1945, over 500,000 Hungarian Jews were slaughtered and one of the world’s most beautiful and cosmopolitan cities was destroyed. Gratitude tells the dramatic story of the Becks, an affluent family whose world is abruptly dismantled. It is only through a chance meeting between young men that the Becks’ fate may be altered.
Born in Hungary, Joseph Kertes escaped to Canada after the revolution of 1956. In university he was encouraged to write by Irving Layton and Marshall McLuhan. He currently serves as Humber’s Dean of Creative and Performing Arts.
Like Joseph Kertes, Janos Maté escaped from Hungary with his parents and brother during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and settled in Canada. Since 1989 he has worked internationally with the environmental organization Greenpeace and is the producer of numerous fund raising concerts and gala events in Vancouver.
The Lovi Memorial Fund of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre was founded in 1996 by Janos and his brothers George and Gabor in honour of their grandparents who died in Auschwitz.
Closing Night Gala Just Say Nu | Michael Wex with reception to follow
Co-presentation with Chutzpah! 2009 8:00 pm | Norman Rothstein Theatre
A hilarious follow-up to the best-selling Born to Kvetch, Michael Wex’s newly published Just Say Nu is a practical guide to using Yiddish in every-day situations. Readers will learn how to schmooze their way through meetings, eating, drinking, committing crimes, going to singles bars, having sex, talking politics, and talking trash. Take a cup of Henry Beard’s Latin for All Occasions, stir in a few tablespoons of Ben Shcott’s Original Miscellany, add a generous schmear of Wex’s subtle humour and you’ll get this book.
Part comic genius, part stand-up, Wex is a national treasure. Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, he now lives in Toronto.
Join the Jewish Book Festival and Chutzpah! as we close the 2008 Festival with a Gala bash.
Voice of a Nation with reception to follow
Are you the as yet undiscovered writer of the next great Canadian novel? Tired of receiving rejection notices? Why not self-publish your book—it’s easier than you think! Learn crucial information about successful self-publishing including how to research and identify appropriate publishers and the steps involved in the process. 
Join the Jewish Museum and Archives for this special presentation followed by the annual JHSBC AGM. 
Everyone’s life story is unique and if you have the tools to tap into it, your life experience can offer rich and varied source material. In this timely workshop on memoir writing, Freedman will focus on the unique techniques needed to write a memoir. You will also be given an opportunity to write a brief piece and get it critiqued. 
"Karen X. Tulchinsky does for Toronto what Mordecai Richler did for Montreal.” 
Momoirs is for moms of all ages and stages: new moms, grandmas, step-moms, adoptive moms. Led by the award-winning writer Cori Howard, this unique workshop gives you a chance to write about your own personal journey as a mother, whether you want to write as a keepsake for yourself or your children, or get your story published. Prepare to share the highs and lows of momhood, critique each other’s work and get some valuable writing and publishing tips. 
Good-Bye Marianne is Irene Watts’ moving portrayal of the Kindertrans¬port from Germany to England during WWII. The novel parallels Watts’ life: she came to Canada in 1968 from the UK, where she had arrived thirty years earlier from Berlin via Kindertransport. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of its publication with a unique graphic form publication, this remarkable story is now even more unforgettable. 
Kathryn E. Shoemaker’s illustrations for Watts’ novel succeed in depicting images and events that typically belie description. Her drawings, graceful, subtle and solemn, enrich the novel with new life and energy. Shoemaker is the illustrator of 36 books for children and the author of four. She has broad experience as an art teacher, curriculum specialist, and filmmaker. 
In Don’t Bite Your Tongue, How to Foster Rewarding Relationships With Your Adult Children, the family dynamics expert, Ruth Nemzoff, instructs parents on how to create close and open relationships with their adult children. Above all, Nemzoff underscores the fact that no relationship is perfect. Advocating forgiveness and open communication, this practical guide empowers parents to play a healthy, constructive role in their adult children’s lives. 
Dr. Ruth Nemzoff is a resident scholar at Brandeis University’s Women’s Studies Research Center and lectures widely on family dynamics. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts. 
“It is a great story. Bossin is an excellent writer, on top of being an excellent musician. Not fair.” —miriam toews, 2004 governor-general’s award winner 
Latkes is beautifully illustrated with 10 colour plates by award-winning illustrator Sima Elizabeth Shefrin. 
“Reading Lee’s book is almost like watching a documentary travelogue.” —the washington post. 
Homegrown author Leanne Lieberman’s debut novel Gravity grants the reader a glimpse into adolescent life. Protagonist Ellie Gold is an orthodox Jewish teenager living in Toronto in the late eighties. She harbours no doubts about her strict religious upbringing until she falls in love with another girl. Ellie feels forced to either alter her sexuality or leave her community. 
Naomi Beth Wakan, the author of the popular Late Bloomer reads from her latest book, Compositions: notes on the written word. Wakan will also explore the motives for writing, and the philosophy that underlies writing. Join her for what is sure to be a lively session. Gabriola resident Noami Beth Wakan is a prolific writer and enthusiastic presenter of writing workshops.
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Author event: culinary health 
Culinary legend Bonnie Stern discusses healthy eating, and dares the audience to consider their own habits. 
Two writers known for authenticity and ingenuity engage in an evening of vibrant conversation. Ami Sands Brodoff is the author of the recently published novel The White Space Between as well as the edgy short story collection, Bloodknots, and the novel, Can You See Me? Bloodknots was a finalist for the Re-Lit Awards. Sands Brodoff serves on the Executive Board of the Quebec Writers’ Federation and is active in the Writers Union of Canada. 
Winner of the 2008 Canadian Jewish Book award for fiction, A Sharp Intake of Breath is John Miller’s soberly told story of Toshy Wolfman, born in 1916 with a disfiguring cleft palate. The book has received stellar reviews and a devoted readership. Miller holds an M.A. in International Development from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague. Aside from novel-writing, Miller acts as a consultant for NGOs working with children affected by HIV/AIDS. He lives in Toronto. 
“Dazzling” is how The New York Times described Stephen Marche’s modern, envelope-pushing brand of writing. His most recent novel, Shining At the Bottom of the Sea has been declared “the most exciting mash-up of literary genres since David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas.”.jpg){kind=small}
The much beloved, multi-award winning local playwright Dennis Foon leads an informative and engaging discussion about the creative writing process, characterization, plot lines and how he makes the written word come alive. 
Cooking demo/ luncheon 
Paris’ 2005 book, Long Shadows: Truth, Lies and History was chosen as one of the “The Hundred Most Important Books Ever Written In Canada” by the Literary Review of Canada and won the Pearson Writer’s Trust. Her newest book, The Sun Climbs Slow: Justice in the Age of Imperial America, shows equal promise and tells of the international criminal court in The Hague. Passionate and personal, Paris’ book breaks down boundaries between autobiographical and historical writing—and the result is informative and irresistible. 
This hilarious and heartwarming memoir tells how Bob Morris helped his aging and lonely father find love again by going through the Personals pages from Jewish Week. With Yiddishkeit humour and compassion, Assisted Loving gleefully explores the kooky complications of Jewish parent-child relations and the perils of dating at any age. 
Renowned local artist Rae Maté is known for her magical-realist take on subjects ranging from childhood and fantasy, to floral still-life. But make no mistake, there is nothing static in Rae’s art. Her magical illustrations in the popular children’s book Crocodiles Play! take a playful bent in illustrating a day in the life of a crocodile. Captivating and funny, children will love this book. 
From Edeet Ravel, author of the Tel Aviv Trilogy, comes a personal and emotionally resonant novel about an unexpected friendship between two young women. Though both children of Holocaust survivors, Maya refuses to delve into her mother’s history, while Rosie becomes entrenched in her parents’ past. Your Sad Eyes and Unforgettable Mouth investigates the nature of friendship, secrets, memory and forgetting. 
Author event: talk and film screening 
This unique event combines books and movies as noted author and biographer, Ira Nadel, presents his most recent publication, the biography David Mamet: A Life in the Theatre. 
“Gratitude grabbed me and wouldn’t let go” —roddy doyle, author of paddy clarke ha ha ha, winner of the manbooker prize 
Closing Night Gala 
A hilarious follow-up to the best-selling Born to Kvetch, Michael Wex’s newly published Just Say Nu is a practical guide to using Yiddish in every-day situations. Readers will learn how to schmooze their way through meetings, eating, drinking, committing crimes, going to singles bars, having sex, talking politics, and talking trash. Take a cup of Henry Beard’s Latin for All Occasions, stir in a few tablespoons of Ben Shcott’s Original Miscellany, add a generous schmear of Wex’s subtle humour and you’ll get this book. 
