Word on the Street Today

The annual happening of white tents and authors in Library Square occurs today: The 2005 Word on the Street. Authors and publishers join together to read from their work and promote that thing we fondly call Can-lit. Some of those in attendance include Evelyn Lau, Billeh Nickerson, Ivan E. Coyote, Pauline Holdstock, Anne Fleming, George Fetherling, George Bowering and Susan Musgrave.

Highlights this year include the ever popular Poetry in Transit-where you can hear poets read on a parked transit bus (sit near the front if you actually want to hear), the Word Under the Street comic expo in the basement, and bookmaking by the BC Artists Guild. And, of course, the publishers' tents where you can buy books at rock-bottom prices without paying a head-tax to Chapters. With the demise of the Granville Book Company we don't have much left in terms of independent booksellers in the downtown core-so show your support and purchase a couple of obscure lit mags.

One of the things that I've always appreciated about Word on the Street is the attention that is paid to all aspects of the literary arts: self-publishing, large publishers, booksellers, established and emerging authors. The past few years have also focused attention on publishing outside the English language realm-with readings in Farsi, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Italian, Kurdish and French.

A paper program of events can be picked up at your neighbourhood Starbucks.