NEWS RELEASE
ALGOMA UNIVERSITY
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Sept. 26 update
Algoma University regrets to inform the public that due to the cancellation of M.G. Vassanji’s Air Canada flight this morning, the Algoma Reads public event will be postponed to next week—Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Doc Brown Lounge.
Registrations are still available through the George Leach Centre (GLC). Questions can be directed to [email protected]
Sept. 19 original release
As part of Algoma University’s Algoma Reads program, Algoma University will be hosting two of the shortlisted 2017 Canada Reads authors for public lectures this fall. This lecture series kicks-off with a talk from two-time Giller Prize winner Moyez G. Vassanji on Sept. 26 at 5:30 p.m. in the Doc Brown Lounge.
Algoma Reads, launched earlier this year, is a project of the Department of English and Film at Algoma U, modelled after the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) successful Canada Reads. Algoma Reads aims to bring the community together on campus to celebrate literacy and reading and support civic engagement. For more information, please visit here.
The schedule for the Algoma Reads public talks is as follows:
- Tuesday, Sept. 26: Moyez G. Vassanji author of Nostalgia
- Tuesday, Oct. 17: Madeline Ashby author of Company Town
- Tuesday, Oct. 31: a discussion of Sheila Watt-Cloutier’s The Right to be Cold featuring the Bawating Water Protectors on the topic of Indigenous activism
- Tuesday, Nov. 14: a discussion of Katherena Vermette’s The Break
- Tuesday, Nov. 28: a discussion of André Alexis’ Fifteen Dogs featuring animal cognition researcher Caroline Strang
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Moyez. G. Vassanji is a Member of the Order of Canada (2005) and a two-time Giller Prize winner (1994 and 2003). In 2009, he earned the Governor-General’s Prize for Non-fiction.
He has penned seven novels, as well as various short stories, memoirs, and a biography of Canadian writer Mordecai Richler. His work has been widely translated and he has been awarded many honourary doctorates.
He earned his Bachelor of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania before moving to Canada.
Tickets for the public lecture series can be purchased at the George Leach Centre (GLC). Each public lecture is $40 (or $10 for high school students).
Those interested in attending all of the lectures can purchase a packaged bundle for $250, which includes an Algoma Reads mug, bookmark, and access to five community book club meetings at Café Natura. Parking will be provided to those at the lectures.
For more information on the public lecture series, please contact [email protected].
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