York University Professor Allan Weiss will be the next guest to speak during the Canadian Writers in Person Lecture Series at York University, which returns on Nov. 29.
Weiss, who started with York part-time as a teacher of science fiction at Stong College in the early ’90s, is a long-time associate professor of English and Humanities in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS).
Weiss earned his BA and MA from Concordia University and a PhD from the University of Toronto. He is the recipient of numerous academic awards and distinctions and has authored a diverse collection of fiction and non-fiction, including his most recent novel Making the Rounds.
Making The Rounds is the latest short-story collection from Weiss, and is published by Edge Publishing. The book is a story cycle featuring Eliezer ben-Avraham – wizard, Kabbalist, and kvetch – and his trusty but cynical steed Melech. Because he poked around in areas of forbidden knowledge, Eliezer is required to wander the world using his powers to perform mitzvot (good deeds) for anybody who asks for his help – no matter how strange the task.
Humorous, philosophical, and weird, Eliezer's adventures raise questions about what it means to be a good person, whether animals have souls (especially if they're smarter than their master’s), what the Ten Commandments are really all about, and whether it's a good idea to change into a bird when you'll have trouble flying around because of arthritis in your shoulder.
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 presents:
Jan. 17 – André Alexis, Fifteen Dogs
Jan. 31 – Lynn Crosbie, Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
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.