IFOA Schedule

Did you know … More than 4.2 million Canadians claim heritage ties to Scotland...

Join us this year for IFOA’s Highland Fling
October 21 - November 3, 2009

In Scotland’s Year of Homecoming (the 250th anniversary of bard Robert Burns’ birth) IFOA XXX is celebrating Scottish authors and Canadian writers of Scottish descent, in a special partnership with the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

See dedicated materials for details of how to follow these authors throughout the festival, watch out for ticket giveaways online, and Scottish freebies on site in the Festival Hub! Featured authors are: Alan Bissett, Ron Butlin, David Byrne, Margaret Elphinstone, Murray Grigor, Jen Hadfield, Richard Holloway, Quintin Jardine, A.L Kennedy, Linden MacIntyre, Martin MacIntyre, Alistair MacLeod, Ken McGoogan, Jean McNeil, James Meek, Denise Mina, Alice Munro, Andrew O'Hagan, Ian Rankin and Eleanor Thom.

Thanks to the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Scottish Government for making this focus possible. more ...

On the opening night of IFOA’s 30th anniversary Festival, two extraordinary writers appear in support of PEN Canada at a once-in-a-lifetime event. In her only onstage interview this fall, the incomparable and globally celebrated Alice Munro, recently named winner of the Man Booker International Prize, appears in conversation with publishing legend Diana Athill, who is making her first appearance in Canada. more ...

The Prairie Home Companion star of page, screen and radio wave talks and takes questions from the audience. John van Driel hosts. more ...

The Nobel Prize winning author of Snow and My Name is Red reads from his new novel and takes part in an onstage interview. Interviewer Carol Off. more ...

The author of the hugely popular Artemis Fowl series talks about life, the universe, and everything (and the number 42). His latest books is And Another Thing..., Part 6 in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy. more ...

The mechanics of poetry and writer's block (Buckley and Baker) share the stage with more tangible conundrums to be solved. Pears reads from his new historical thriller; Reichs presents her latest Bones mystery. Catherine Belyea hosts. more ...

Powerful poetry and fiction from England, Ireland, the US, Scotland and Algeria. Rachel Harry hosts.

Hang on to your ticket stub to be in with a chance to win $500 worth of books! There is a door prize at this event generously donated by Raincoast Books. more ...

"I just think that fiction that isn't exploring what it means to be human today isn't art." -- David Foster Wallace (1962-2008) Harbourfront Centre, 1997 more ...

The internet is a non-stop broadcast, and the star of the show is YOU.
Toronto writer, culture commentator, editor and self-styled pontificator on Peep Culture Hal Niedzviecki explores this recent phenomenon in his book The Peep Diaries: How we’re Learning to Love Watching Ourselves and our Neighbors.

Join Niedzviecki as he plays ringmaster at the IFOA Peep Show! Part of the IFOA XXX celebration, The Peep Show looks at the past, present and future of the Festival and engages its audience (that’s YOU) in a live, interactive online event. Dani Couture, Jennifer Cowan and Lauren Kirshner join Niedzviecki onstage to talk “Peep”. Further authors from IFOA past join the event via the magic of the world-wide-web.

Bring:
□ your smartphone to take part in the interactive element of this event
□ your dancing shoes. There’s going to be live music from FOXFIRE after the onstage talky part is done. more ...

Artist/musician and author of Bicycle Diaries David Byrne, civic leader Jack Layton, urban theorist Ken Greenberg and local bicycle advocate Yvonne Bambrick discuss bike lanes and urban planning. Each panelist speaks for 10 minutes followed by a Q&A with the audience. Ben McNally hosts. more ...