 |
Presented in partnership with Vancouver Public Library. |
From the outside, David A. Robertson looks as if he has it all. The author of over 25 books in various genres, his achievements include numerous awards—not to mention a loving family and a platform for speaking on Indigenous perspectives, cultures and concerns. But what we see on the outside rarely reveals what is happening inside.
Robertson lives with “little monsters”: chronic, debilitating health anxiety and panic attacks accompanied, at times, by depression. During the worst periods, he finds getting out of bed to walk down the hall an insurmountable task.
The Canadian Mental Health Association reports that by the time we reach 40 years of age, half of Canadians will have—or previously have had—a mental health problem. Generalized anxiety disorders are on the rise, particularly among young people aged 15–24. In All the Little Monsters: How I Learned to Live with Anxiety, Robertson shares his personal story with warmth and candidness, in the hope of making other people’s mental health journeys a little less lonely.
David A. Robertson joins us at Incite in conversation with Vancouver Writers Fest Artistic Director Leslie Hurtig. He’ll speak about the tools that have helped him carry on, including community, therapy, medication, and the simple question he asks himself on repeat: what if everything will be okay?
Books will be for sale courtesy of Book Warehouse/Black Bond Books, with a signing afterwards. Can’t make the event time? Register for the livestream option and we’ll send you a link to watch the recording!
Join us for Incite all year-round, in-person or online! This quarterly series is free and open to all, offering conversations with celebrated authors and emerging talents.
Participants and Speakers
David A. Robertson
DAVID A. ROBERTSON is a two-time Governor General’s Literary Award winner and has won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award and the Writer’s Union of Canada Freedom to Read award. He has received several other accolades for his work as a writer for children and adults, podcaster, public speaker, and social advocate. He was honoured with a Doctor of Letters by the University of Manitoba in 2023 for outstanding contributions to the arts and distinguished achievements. He is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and lives in Winnipeg. (MANITOBA)
Leslie Hurtig
LESLIE HURTIG is the artistic director of the Vancouver Writers Fest. She has worked in a range of senior positions across the Canadian literary landscape for the last 30 years, holding the roles of sales representative, publicist, rights manager and book buyer for some of North America’s great publishers and bookstores. In addition to curating year-round and Festival events, Leslie regularly moderates literary events, acts as juror for a number of prizes, and guest lectures on publishing and literary festivals at Simon Fraser University.