Applause for Glen Downie at Thin Air Writer's Festival

The applause in question is not just my own. Visiting RRC today was writer Glen Downie with his latest collection of poetry, Local News. He made us laugh. (He made some of us cry.) Here's some of the highlights.

GLEN DOWNIE'S TOP TEN

1.       HE STARTED WITH A SHOUT OUT. "IT'S NICE TO BE BACK IN MY HOMETOWN." THAT'S (AHEM) WINNIPEG IF YOU HADN'T GUESSED :)

2.       HE GETS IRONY ... AND HE'S SUBTLE WITH IT. "THE APPLIANCE STORE SPECIALIZES IN ALL MAKES AND MODELS."

3.       HIS SEGUES FROM READING TO DISCUSSION WITH A HUMBLE, "ANYWAY."

4.       HE 'S A DOG PERSON. NO CAT LOVER CAN DELVE INTO THE CANINE MINDSET WITH SUCH FINESSE.

5.       HE WRITES IN HIS ATTIC. IT'S HIS FAVOURITE ROOM OF THE HOUSE. WHY DOESN'T EVERYONE HAVE A FAVOURITE ROOM?

6.       HE HAD US NEAR TEARS. IN "OLD DOG," DOWNIE TALKS ABOUT HIS LATE FATHER. 'NUF SAID.

7.       HE HATES WHEN PEOPLE RING HIS DOORBELL. LIKE I SAID, HE WRITES IN THE ATTIC.

8.       HE'S SCARED OF THE SPIDERS IN HIS BASEMENT. I'M SCARED TOO, GLEN. I'M SCARED TOO.

9.       HE'S INSIGHTFUL. "WHAT'S LIFE AND WHAT'S ART? THERE IS NO GUARANTEE OF WHAT IS FACTUAL WHERE ARTISTIC LIBERTY IS INVOLVED. SO TRUE. AND FINALLY ...

10.   HE'S TWEETABLE. SEE POST BELOW.

  

If you want more of Downie, and I know you do, check out http://talltreepress.com/.

And don't forget to check out the rest of THIN AIR Winnipeg International Writer's Festival 2011. Catch them on Twitter @thinair2011.