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2021 FESTIVAL: OCTOBER 18 - 24

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2021 Festival: October 18-24

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One Page: Samantha Irby

Thursday, December 10

Join Samantha Irby and Scaachi Koul for a conversation about Irby’s latest collection, Wow, No Thank You.

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Youth Book Corner: Looking Ahead to a Better World
Youth Book Corner: New Must-Read Titles
Youth Book Corner: Winter Beauty

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In case you didn't know, local author, podcaster a

In case you didn't know, local author, podcaster and longtime friend of the Festival Jen Sookfong Lee will be hosting a discussion with none other than Ethan Hawke this March! Tickets are on sale now, and include a copy of his stellar new novel, so... what are you waiting for?!⠀
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Join us for our Winter Book Club event, featuring award-winning actor and screenwriter Ethan Hawke in an exclusive Canadian event for his novel, A Bright Ray of Darkness. Be one of the first to read this highly-anticipated new work, then tune in March 14 for a live event moderated by Jen Sookfong Lee, including a rare audience Q&A session with the author himself.⠀
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Ticket buyers to our Winter Book Club will receive a hardcover of A Bright Ray of Darkness as part of their purchase. Moderated by Festival author and longtime podcast host Jen Sookfong Lee, this will be an incredible event to kick off the Festival’s 2021 Book Club season.⠀
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As an accomplished actor, screenwriter, director and author, Ethan Hawke has commanded audiences for the screen, on the stage, and between the pages of some of this generation’s most memorable and evocative stories. A Bright Ray of Darkness, this master storyteller’s first novel in nearly twenty years, evokes the bracing whirlwinds of fame and fortune––and the price we pay for each.⠀
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Hawke’s narrator is a young man on the cusp of greatness, disgusted with himself after the collapse of his marriage, and still hoping for a reconciliation that would allow him to forgive himself. As he clumsily, and sometimes hilariously, tries to manage the wreckage of his personal life, what saves him is theater and the challenge of performing the role of Hotspur in Henry IV as a debut Broadway actor. Searing, raw, and utterly transfixing, A Bright Ray of Darkness is a novel soaked in rage and sex, longing and despair; and ultimately becomes Hawke’s passionate love letter to the world of theater.⠀
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Community partner: VIFF

It's not too late to RSVP for our free Incite even

It's not too late to RSVP for our free Incite event, happening Feb 3!

There are certain stories and characters that reach far beyond the pages of the books they inhabit. Join us for a riveting evening of discussion with some of the literary world’s most buzzworthy authors of the season, including Rumaan Alam (Leave the World Behind; HarperCollins Canada), Ashley Audrain (The Push; Penguin Random House Canada) and Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic; Penguin Random House Canada).

These page-turning thrillers traverse catastrophe, trauma, class and race, motherhood and troubled romance, and have amassed international and early accolades, including major film rights sales and at least one Hulu series for us all to binge in the very near future. Get ahead of the book clubs and media frenzy with this star-studded Incite conversation, presented in partnership with the Vancouver Public Library.

This event is also available through the TELUS Optik network.

#ICYMI - Celebrated actor, screenwriter and author

#ICYMI - Celebrated actor, screenwriter and author Ethan Hawke's "A Bright Ray of Darkness" has been selected for our Winter Book Club! Be one of the first to read this passionate love letter to the theatre––and hear from the author himself––in one of our most anticipated events of the season! Tickets on sale now at writersfest.bc.ca.

"'Leave the World Behind' is a coy little thing: a

"'Leave the World Behind' is a coy little thing: a disaster novel without the disaster." ⠀
–The New Yorker⠀
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Hear Rumaan Alam speak to his latest novel for free at our upcoming Incite event on February 3, when he'll be joined by Ashley Audrain (The Push; Penguin Random House Canada) and Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic; Penguin Random House Canada). We can't wait to see you there!

Our members help us foster the transformative powe

Our members help us foster the transformative power of books and ideas to create an empathetic, inspired and just society.

For over 30 years, the Vancouver Writers Fest has been curating important conversations between Vancouver audiences and the world’s greatest and most unique authors. As one of the most celebrated literary festivals in the world, we program important conversations that impact the perspectives of over 25,000 people every year. Donations help us bring diverse voices to Vancouver, connect K-12 students with amazing authors, and stage life-changing events.

Learn more at writersfest.bc.ca/donate.

#ICYMI: Award-winning journalist Desmond Cole’s

#ICYMI: Award-winning journalist Desmond Cole’s The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power has been an incisive and revealing work on policing, racial profiling, anti-blackness and Indigenous injustice in Canada. While addressing bias, ignorance and willful disregard from those in power, the book heralds the deeply inclusive leadership of #BlackLivesMatterTO and Black activists across the country. Originally recorded February 19, 2020, Cole was joined by Vancouver Arts curator and activist Barbara Chirinos for a lively, intimate discussion on Black activism and resilience. ⠀
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You can listen to this incredible discussion on the Books & Ideas Audio series, accessible on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, third-party apps, and even on our website!

Get ready teachers! Our Writers in the Classroom p

Get ready teachers! Our Writers in the Classroom program—designed to connect children and youth to authors through live, interactive events—will return in its new virtual format for 2021!

These digital visits enliven and enrich classroom discussion and leave students with a multitude of ideas to expand upon afterwards. We can't wait to unveil who we have in store for you!

Learn more at https://writersfest.bc.ca/programs/education/writers-in-the-classroom.

There are certain stories and characters that reac

There are certain stories and characters that reach far beyond the pages of the books they inhabit. Join us for a riveting evening of discussion with some of the literary world’s most buzzworthy authors of the season, including Rumaan Alam (Leave the World Behind; @harpercollinsca), Ashley Audrain (The Push; @penguinrandomca) and Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic; Penguin Random House Canada).

These page-turning thrillers traverse catastrophe, trauma, class and race, motherhood and troubled romance, and have amassed international and early accolades, including major film rights sales and at least one Hulu series for us all to binge in the very near future. Get ahead of the book clubs and media frenzy with this star-studded Incite conversation, presented in partnership with the Vancouver Public Library.

This event is also available through the TELUS Optik network.
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#ThePush #AshleyAudrain #LeavetheWorldBehind #RumaanAlam #MexicanGothic #SylviaMorenoGarcia

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