Essays
“Our Climate-Grief No.” CBC First Person. 6 Dec. 2023, .
“The Professos’ Paradox: Improving Teaching by Refusing To Teach.” CBC Opinion, 5 Mar. 2022.
“Tar Sands and Genocide.” The Brooklyn Rail, Mar. 2020.
“Bitumen, Bit of Me, Bit of You: Climate Change, National Literatures, Peak Oil and Canada’s Tar Sands.” ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment [Oxford University Press]. In press.
“Literary Festivals Can Amaze and Disappoint.” The Straits Times. 20 December 2018.
“Sing Lit Comes of Age.” The Straits Times. 13 Oct. 2017.
“Rumours of a Literary Uprising Are True.” The Straits Times. 8 Nov. 2016.
“The Kids Are Alright.” The Walrus. The Walrus Foundation. 21 Mar. 2016. Web.
This article on Canadian creative writing pedagogy quotes me substantially: “Mastering the Fine Art of Writing,” by Diane Peters. University Affairs. 9 Feb. 2016.
“Can’t Lit: What Canadian English Departments Could (but Won’t) Learn from the Creative Writing Programs They Host.” Literary Review of Canada. 22.7 (2014): 22-23. Print. Rpt. in Best Canadian Essays 2015. Toronto: Tightrope, 2016: 239-48. Print.
“Genetically Modified Toads, Factory Songs and Fake Gardens: Mutations, Natural Selection and Gillermania.” Canadian Notes & Queries. 82 (Spring/Summer) 2011: 59-66. Print.
“‘His Word against Mine’: Envy, Friendship and the Novel.” The Best of Numéro Cinq Vol. 1. Ed., Douglas Glover, 2011. Web. Monday 31 Jan. 2011.
“The Lives of Girls and Women.” This Magazine. 43.6 (May/Jun.) 2010: 42.
“E-Books May Be Efficient, But ….” This Magazine. 43.4 (Mar.) 2010: 42.
“Best Books of the Naughty Era.” This Magazine. 43.3. (Nov./Dec.) 2009: 59.
“Down on the Farm.” This Magazine. 43.2. (Sept./Oct.) 2009: 43
“Class Conflict.” This Magazine. 43.1. (July/Aug.) 2009: 41.
“Dear CBC: Review More Books.” This Magazine. 42.4 (May/June 2009): 41.
“Let’s Get It On.” This Magazine. 42.3. (March 2009): 40.
Commissioned Reviews
2015
Rev. of Purity, by Jonathan Franzen. The Chronicle Herald. 5 Oct. 2015. D7. Print & Web.
Rev. of Confidence, by Russell Smith. The Toronto Star. 23 May 2015.
Rev. of This Changes Everything, by Naomi Klein. The Chronicle Herald. 2 Feb. 2015. C7. Print.
2014
Rev. of Hotel Florida, by Amanda Vaill. The National Post. Web. 16 May 2014. Rpt. The Star-Phoenix. Web. 31 May 2014.
2013
Rev. of Studio Sainte-Ex, by Ania Szado. The National Post. Print. 13 Apr. 2013.
2012
Rev. of Selected Stories, by Robert Walser and Life Goes On, by Hans Keilson. The Globe and Mail. Web. 25 Jan. 2012.
Rev. of Ultra Libris, by Rowland Lorimer. The National Post. 3 Nov. 2012. WP11.
Rev. of Canada, by Richard Ford. The Chronicle Herald. Web. 8 Jul. 2012.
Rev. of No Time Like the Present, by Nadine Gordimer. The Globe and Mail. Web. 22 Jun., 2012.
2011
Rev. of Wish You Were Here, by Graham Swift. The Globe and Mail. 27 Aug. 2011. R11.
Rev. of The Ask, by Sam Lipsyte. Numéro Cinq. Web. 30 May, 2011.
Rev. of Mordecai: The Life and Times, by Charles Foran. Numéro Cinq. Web. 4 May, 2011.
Rev. of The Last Weekend, by Blake Morrison. The Globe and Mail. Web. Mar. 20, 2011.
2010
Rev. of The Monkey Bible, by Mark Laxer. The Vancouver Sun. 26 Dec. 2010.
Rev. of The Return, by Roberto Bolaño. The Globe and Mail. 9 Aug. 2010.
Rev. of The Extinction Club, by Jeffrey Moore. The Globe and Mail. 28 July, 2010.
2009
Rev. of Mathilda Savitch, by Victor Lodato. The Globe and Mail. 26 Sept. 2009.
Rev. of Amateur Barbarians, by Robert Cohen. The Globe and Mail. Daily Review. 17 Aug. 2009.
Rev. of Dear Husband, by Joyce Carol Oates. The Globe and Mail. Daily Review. 1 May. 2009.
2008
Rev. of Sea of Poppies, by Amitav Ghosh. The Globe and Mail. 27 Sept. 2008. D9.
Rev. of Breath, by Tim Winton. The Vancouver Sun. 28 Jun. 2008. C10.
Rev. of The Lazarus Project, by Aleksandar Hemon. The Globe and Mail. 31 May. 2008. D4.
Rev. of My Revolutions, by Hari Kunzru. The Globe and Mail. 22 Mar. 2008. D5.
Rev. of Unfeeling, by Ian Holding. The Globe and Mail. 1 Mar. 2008. D12.
Rev. of His Illegal Self, by Peter Carey. The Vancouver Sun. 23 Feb. 2008. C9.
2007
Rev. of Tomorrow, by Graham Swift. The Globe and Mail. 6 Oct. 2007. D6.
“Three for Thought on Bicycling,” The Globe and Mail. 4 Aug. 2007. D15.
Rev. of The Collected Stories, by Leonard Michaels. The Globe and Mail. 16 Jun. 2007. D4.
Rev. of Right Likelihoods, by Rick Moody. The Toronto Star. 10 Jun. 2007. ID6.
Rev. of Divisadero, by Michael Ondaatje. The Vancouver Sun. 21 Apr. 2007. C9.
Rev. of Call Me by Your Name, by André Aciman. The Globe and Mail. 14 Apr. 2007. D20.
Rev. of Be Near Me, by Andrew O’Hagan. The Toronto Star. 25 Mar. 2007. D05.
Rev. of Ysabel, by Guy Gavriel Kay. The Vancouver Sun. 10 Feb. 2007. C9.
Rev. of Travels in the Scriptorium, by Paul Auster. The Ottawa Citizen. 4 Feb. 2007. C4.
2006
Rev. of Memorial, by Bruce Wagner. The Globe and Mail. 16 Dec, 2006. D16.
Rev. of Matters of Life and Death, by Bernard MacLaverty. The Edmonton Journal. 3 Dec. 2006. E12.
Rev. of The Road, by Cormac McCarthy. The Edmonton Journal. 22 Oct, 2006. E10.
Rev. of The View From Castle Rock, by Alice Munro. The Toronto Star. 17 Sept. 2006. D5 + D8.
Rev. of Literary Atlas of Canada, by Noah Richler. The Toronto Star. 10 Sept. 2006. D6-7.
Rev. of The Virgin Spy, by Krista Bridge. The Vancouver Sun. 15 Jul. 2006. C9.
Rev. of Seeds of Greatness, by Jon Canter. The Ottawa Citizen. 9 Jul. 2006. C5.
Rev. of Heat, by Bill Buford. The Chronicle Herald. 9 Jul. 2006. NS 14.
Rev. of Trial of True Love, by William Nicholson. The Globe and Mail. 10 Jun. 2006. D8.
Rev. of Terrorist, by John Updike. The Toronto Star. 3 Jun. 2006. D1.
Rev. of The Possibility of an Island, by Michel Houellebecq. The Montreal Gazette. 3 Jun. 2006. J3.
Rev. of Look at the Dark, by Nicholas Mosley. The Globe and Mail. 3 Jun. 2006. D5.
Rev. of Theft, by Peter Carey. The National Post. 27 May 2006. WP12.
Rev. of DeNiro’s Game, by Rawi Hage. The Montreal Gazette. 6 May 2006. J9.
Rev. of Strike/Slip, by Don McKay. The Edmonton Journal. 23 Apr. 2006. E12.
Rev. of Ludmila’s Broken English, by DBC Pierre. The Montreal Gazette. 18 Mar. 2006. J5.
Rev. of Deadkidsongs, by Toby Litt. The Edmonton Journal. 19 Mar. 2006. E11.
Rev. of The Good Life, by Jay McInerney. The Edmonton Journal. 26 Feb. 2006. D10.
Rev. of The Space Between Us, by Thrity Umrigar. The Vancouver Sun. 18 Feb. 2006.
Rev. of Bud Inc.: Inside Canada’s Marijuana Industry, by Ian Mulgrew. The New Brunswick Reader. 7 Jan., 2006. 18.
2005
Rev. of Slow Man, by J.M. Coetzee. The Edmonton Journal. 27 Nov., 2005. E11.
Rev. of The Journey Prize Stories, Eds. James Grainger and Nancy Lee. The Globe and Mail. 26 Nov, 2005. D32.
Rev. of Arthur & George, by Julian Barnes. The Ottawa Citizen. 16 October, 2005. C9.
Rev. of Oh Pure and Radiant Heart, by Lydia Millet. Zi Magazine. October 2005. 12.
Rev. of Shalimar the Clown, by Salman Rushdie. The National Post. 10 Sept. 2005. WP15.
Rev. of Freddy and Frederika, by Mark Helprin. The Edmonton Journal. 4 Sept. 2005. D10.
Rev. of Ladykiller, by Charlotte Gill. The Ottawa Citizen. 31 Jul. 2005. C9. Rpt. in The Edmonton Journal. 24 Jul. 2005. E11.
Rev. of Europe Central, by William T. Vollmann. The Globe and Mail. 30 Jul. 2005. D10.
Rev. of A Long Way Down, by Nick Hornby. The Ottawa Citizen. 5 Jun. 2005. C8. Rpt. in The National Post. 25 Jun. 2005. WP5.
Rev. of The Enamoured Knight, by Douglas Glover. The Globe and Mail. 15 Jan. 2005. D4.
2004
Rev. of Bicycle: the History, by David Herlihy. The Globe and Mail. 24 Dec. 2004.
Rev. of Something Rotten, by Jasper Fforde. The Globe and Mail. 2 Oct. 2004. D21.
Rev. of Standing on Richards, by George Bowering. The Globe and Mail. 8 May 2004. D8.
Rev. of Mr. Paradise, by Elmore Leonard. The National Post. 24 Jan. 2004. D8.
“Double Dutch.” Metro Times [Detroit]. 28 Jan. 2004. 18.
2003
Rev. of A Distant Shore, by Caryl Phillips. The Globe and Mail. 13 Dec. 2003, D23.
Rev. of The Bat Tattoo, by Russell Hoban. The Globe and Mail. 22 March. 2003, D4.
2002
Rev. of The Mulberry Empire, by Philip Hensher. The Globe and Mail. 30 Nov. 2002. D37.
Rev. of Canal Dreams, by Ian Banks. The Globe and Mail. 4 May 2002, D19.
2001
Rev. of Coming Soon!!!, by John Barth. The Globe and Mail. 1 Dec. 2001. D30.
2000
Rev. of Kitty and Virgil, by Paul Bailey. The Globe and Mail. 9 Dec. 2000. D27.
Rev. of English Passengers, by Matthew Kneale. The National Post. 4 Nov. 2000. B9.
Rev. of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon. The Ottawa Citizen. 29 Oct. 2000, C15.
Rev. of The Wife Tree, by Dorothy Speak. The National Post. 17 February 2000. B8.
Commissioned Reviews for Amazon.ca
2002
Rev. of The Ash Garden, by Dennis Bock. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of Beautiful Losers, by Leonard Cohen. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of Belling the Cat, by Mordecai Richler. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of Burridge Unbound, by Alan Cumyn. Amazon.ca. 14 Sept. 2002.
Rev. of The Cinnamon Peeler, by Michael Ondaatje. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, by Michael Ondaatje. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of Coming Through Slaughter, by Michael Ondaatje. Amazon.ca<. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of Famous Last Words, by Timothy Findley. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of The Good Body, by Bill Gaston. Amazon.com. 10 Oct. 2001.
Rev. of By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, by Elizabeth Smart. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of In the Skin of a Lion, by Michael Ondaatje. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of Island, by Alistair MacLeod. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang, by Mordecai Richler. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of Joshua Then and Now, by Mordecai Richler. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of The Lost Salt Gift of Blood, by Alistair MacLeod. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002. M
Rev. of The Roaring Girl, by Greg Hollingshead. Amazon.ca. 27 Sept. 2002.
Rev. of Running in the Family, by Michael Ondaatje. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of Solomon Gursky Was Here, by Mordecai Richler. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of St. Urbain’s Horseman, by Mordecai Richler. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of Tales from Firozsha Baag, by Rohinton Mistry. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
Rev. of The Wars, by Timothy Findley. Amazon.ca. 25 Aug. 2002.
2001
Rev. of Mercy Among the Children, by David Adams Richards. Amazon.com. 10 Oct. 2001.
Rev. of The Monkey Beach, by Eden Robinson. Amazon.com. 10 Oct. 2001.
Cultural Commentary for National Media
CBC Radio One. Talking Books. Panellist, 2 Jun. 2007.
—. Talking Books. Panellist, 5 May 2007.
—. Talking Books. Panellist, 30 Dec. 2006.
—. Talking Books. Panellist, 11 Nov. 2006.
—. Talking Books. Panellist, 24 Jun. 2006.
—. Talking Books. Panellist, Sat. 22 Apr. 2006.
—. Talking Books. Panellist, Sat. 28 Jan. 2006.
—. Talking Books. Panellist, Sun. 30 Apr. 2000.
—. Talking Books. Review Contributor, Tues. 14 Mar. 2006.
Television
Atlantic Satellite Network. Cinefile. Regular Reviewer. 1997-99.