Words At Large

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Miriam Toews’ tragicomic novel A Complicated Kindness, which featured an unforgettable teenage narrator, won readers’ hearts — not to mention the Governor General’s Award and the 2006 Canada Reads title. The Winnipeg writer’s follow-up, The Flying Troutmans (Knopf), is also dark and funny, and involves adolescent siblings coping with family upheaval. It’s at the top of the bestseller list, and is shortlisted for this year’s Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.

In this feature interview from The Next Chapter, Toews talks with host Shelagh Rogers about The Flying Troutmans, the impact that mental illness has had on her family and why she finds adolescent characters so inspiring. She also talks about making her film debut, in Silent Light.

There’s more in the podcast of the show: Shelagh chats with another former Canada Reads finalist, Joseph Boyden, about his new novel Through Black Spruce. And we find out from poet laureate John Steffler why poetry and politics don’t mix.

First aired October 4, 2008 on The Next Chapter. [runs 17:03]

Catch The Next Chapter on Saturdays at 3 p.m. EST (3:30 NT) on CBC Radio One, or listen online.

Coming up:
Calling all writers: The 2008 CBC Literary Awards competition is open for submissions in poetry, short fiction and creative non-fiction. Entries must be received by November 1, 2008. Go to the official site for details.