In anticipation of her public reading this Friday at Concordia, Madeleine Thien talks to CultMTL about how her recent novel grew out of her travels in Southeast Asia and how she was (hopefully) able to approach the "repugnant" topic of genocide in a truthful and ultimately affirming way. MADELEINE THIENWHEN: February 1, 2013, 7 p.m. COST: Free … Continue reading CultMTL Interviews Madeleine Thien
A Space for Writing – Madeleine Thien’s Writing Room
"Each morning, I carry my pot of coffee on a silver tray up three flights of stairs. I re-arrange the wicker furniture to my liking, then I pour small puddles of water around the legs of my chair and table to prevent the battalions of ants from attacking. Morning rises over the river, legions of … Continue reading A Space for Writing – Madeleine Thien’s Writing Room
On Winter
"...if you’re alone when the season starts, it’s brutal. [laughs] You can’t even keep warm!" - Madeleine Thien, on Montreal's frozen winters
20 (Quick) Questions With Madeleine Thien
"I begin with fragments. I feel like I'm writing my way into the middle of a room, or the middle of the city, or the middle of a spiralling thought."Read Madeleine Thien's answers to a quick round of 20 questions at Rob McLennan's Blog, and then come see her read this Friday, February 1st!
Madeleine Thien’s “Alchemy”
"I pictured how dark and naked our bodies must be, how small the two of us were. Right then I wanted to tell Paula that there are some things you have to go through on your own. Some relationships withstand life, some are there for a moment, a stepping stone, and then you push away … Continue reading Madeleine Thien’s “Alchemy”
Madeleine Thien on the Immigrant Experience
http://youtu.be/b6a2JyZaW_w Learn more about Madeleine Thien and her novel "Dogs at the Perimeter" in her video interview with TVO Parents - then come see her give a talk and public reading on February 1st. MADELEINE THIEN WHEN: February 1, 2013, 7 p.m. COST: Free to the public WHERE: J.A. de Sève Cinema (1400 De Maisonneuve … Continue reading Madeleine Thien on the Immigrant Experience
Excerpt from Award-Winning “Certainty”
"It is almost seven o’clock. The sun is up, and it pours a warm, golden light across the houses. Last night, he couldn’t sleep, and this morning his body feels hollow, a loose string that folds naturally over itself. On the table in front of him, a sheaf of papers: Gail’s radiology report, her EKG … Continue reading Excerpt from Award-Winning “Certainty”
Madeleine Thien’s Trial By Fire
"I wondered how a person earned both forgiveness and a paycheque in these complicated times...When my sister moved on to high school, I continued at Strathcona Elementary, walking in loops through Chinatown and the DTES, past the crumpled men and wizened women living in the streets and alleyways. It was as if they, and we, … Continue reading Madeleine Thien’s Trial By Fire
What’s better than a “Best of”?
Looking for a great book, but can't trust your friends to decide? Get some advice from writers themselves! Lemonhound has a 2012 "best of" of sorts to fit the bill, including recommendations from upcoming Writers Read guest, Madeleine Thien, and 2012 guests Rae Armantrout and Charles Bernstein.
Writers Read: Concordia university's reading Series 