The Town Crier

The Town Crier operated as a hub for criticism and commentary, connecting a community of writers, readers, and commentators through social media, and focusing on the interplay of literary opinion in and around the city of Toronto until its closure in February 2021.

• Defiance in Cadence: Analyzing T.I.’s “I Believe”

  By E Martin Nolan | August 15, 2017

  E Martin Nolan analyzes cadence, word play, and rhyme in T.I.'s "I Believe" to continue this month's discussion of hybrid criticism.

• Just as a Troubadour Was: Interview with Marc di Saverio

  By Daniel Kincade Renton | August 10, 2017

  Daniel Kincade Renton and Marc di Saverio discuss music in poetry as literal music, with references to Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

• Toward a Hybrid Criticism: This is Not a Poem

  By Daniel Kincade Renton | August 8, 2017

  Daniel Kincade Renton introduces a month-long discussion of hybrid criticism and the creative synthesis of words and music, with references to Barthes.

• Can Not Lit II

  By Jacqueline Valencia | August 3, 2017

  In Part II of her final column, Jacqueline Valencia invites Halli Villegas and Sheniz Janmohamed to discuss what they would like to see change in CanLit.

• Can Not Lit

  By Jacqueline Valencia | July 31, 2017

  In Part I of her final column for July, Jacqueline Valencia invites fellow writers of colour to discuss navigating CanLit, with references to Sam Selvon.

• BC Publishing Spotlight: Kevin A. Couture

  By Nathaniel G. Moore | July 27, 2017

  Nathaniel G. Moore interviews Kevin A. Couture and discusses his debut story collection, "Lost Animal Club," and how living in BC influenced his writing.

• How Do We Fix The CanLit Canon

  By Jacqueline Valencia | July 24, 2017

  Jacqueline Valencia discusses how publishers and the education system can help create and promote diversity in the canon of Canadian literature.

• Review: Not Even Laughter by Phillip Crymble

  By Lorraine York | July 20, 2017

  Lorraine York reviews Phillip Crymble's Not Even Laughter. Crymble was the winner of The Puritan's 5th Annual Thomas Morton Memorial Prize for Poetry.

• Navigating Canadian Writing as the Other

  By Jacqueline Valencia | July 17, 2017

  Valencia on immigrant stories in Canadian writing, navigating colonized space as a writer of colour, reading Chelene Knight, Vivek Shraya, Scaachi Koul

• The Canadian Experience

  By Jacqueline Valencia | July 10, 2017

  Jacqueline Valencia writes about her Canadian experience and asks if CanLit is ready to hear stories of repression and inequality

• Summer Updates on The Crier

  By <i>Town Crier</i> | July 6, 2017

  Announcing The Town Crier's first writer-in-residence, with Jacqueline Valencia piloting the program this July with a four-week-long column.

• On Reading and Feeling

  By Kathryn Stagg | June 29, 2017

  Kathryn Stagg discusses the emotional power of books and sentimental literature, with references to Leslie Jamison and Roland Barthes.