The 18th annual Canadian Writers in Person Lecture series continues on Jan. 31 with a presentation from Lynn Crosbie, author of Where Did You Sleep Last Night?.
The series, presented by the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), runs Tuesday evenings from 7 to 10pm at 206 Accolade West Building.
This unique and poetic novel recounts the fictional love story between a teenage girl and Kurt Cobain.
A lonely sixteen-year-old from Carnation, Washington is terrorized by her classmates at school, and spends most of her time in her room reading, writing letters to dead people, listening to old records and talking to the poster of Kurt Cobain above her bed.
Her mother is an alcoholic grunge relic from Seattle, whose recollections, books and music help ignite the teen’s love for Cobain—a love so painfully strong that it summons the deceased singer to her side.
A highly original work of haute fan fiction, written in Crosbie’s poetic and emotionally evocative prose, Where Did You Sleep Last Night is an imaginative, surprisingly funny, and touching novel about the adamant persistence of love.
The book was shortlisted for the Trillium Book Award in 2016.
Born in Montreal, Crosbie is a cultural critic, author, and poet with a PhD in English literature and a background in visual studies. She teaches at the University of Toronto and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Her books (of poetry and prose) include Pearl, Queen Rat, and Dorothy L’Amour. She is also the author of the controversial book, Paul’s Case and most recently, Life Is About Losing Everything. She is a contributing editor at Fashion, and a National Magazine Award winner who has written about sports, style, art, and music.
The Canadian Writers in Person Lecture Series runs as part of a degree credit course on Canadian literary culture through the LA&PS Culture & Expression program. Members of the York community not enrolled in the course can also enjoy the readings, which are free and open to the public.
This year’s lineup will feature a unique selection of writers who explore a diverse range of topics and geographical and cultural landscapes. Authors include poets, playwrights, fiction writers and more.
The 2016-17 series continues with:
- Feb. 14 – Madhur Anand, A New Index for Predicting Catastrophe
- March 7 – Katherena Vermette, North End Love Song
- March 21 – Terry Fallis, Poles Apart
For more information, email gailv@yorku.ca or leslie@yorku.ca.