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.

• The Long Decline of the Downtown Chapters

  By Jason Freure | April 20, 2015

  Jason Freure on the future of Indigo in downtown urban spaces, and how its business model ruined Chapters, aiding online retailers such as Amazon

• The Neighbourhood: “We’re Going to Fight the City”

  By Annalee Giesbrecht | April 17, 2015

  Owner Bill Fugler on the popularity of Winnipeg's The Neighbourhood bookstore and cafe, a favourite of Miriam Toews, Joan Thomas, Sue Sorensen and others

• The Philadelphia Book Trade

  By Jason Price Everett | April 15, 2015

  Jason Price Everett laments the slow death of bookstores in Philadelphia's City Center and how Brickbat Books, Mostly Books, and other establishments cope

• Books vs. Beer

  By Jason Freure | April 13, 2015

  Jason Freure on George Orwell, “Books vs. Cigarettes,” declining reading budgets in Ontario, Beau’s, and the virtues of drinking beer at a book launch.

• The Monkey's Paw and Bibliophilia

  By André Forget | April 10, 2015

  Puritan staffer André Forget interviews Stephen Fowler, owner of he Monkey's Paw, an eclectic Toronto bookstore that offers rare finds and antique charm

• Indigo and Gendered Book Marketing

  By Domenica Martinello | April 8, 2015

  Puritan staffer Domenica Martinello explores the uses of publishing cliches and gendered marketing at big box bookstores such as Chapters and Indigo

• Tragicomic: An Interview with Anna Leventhal

  By Andrew Forbes | April 6, 2015

  Puritan alum Andrew Forbes interviews Invisible Press author Anna Leventhal on the influences of comedy, Montreal, Denis Johnson, Mavis Gallant, and more.

• Montreal's Argo Bookshop: A Sturdy Camp

  By JP Karwacki | April 3, 2015

  Puritan editor Jason Freure on how the Argo Bookshop in Montreal Quebec manages to stay in business despite gentrification and the rise of the bestseller

• The Crisis of Bookstores

  By Jason Freure | April 1, 2015

  Puritan staffer Jason Freure on the death of bookstores in San Francisco, Montreal, Toronto, and how Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie might replace them

• Author Notes: Annik Adey-Babinski

  By Annik Adey-Babinski | March 30, 2015

  Annik Adey-Babinski discusses her poem in The Puritan, the Miami poetry scene, Frank O’Hara, Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne and driving around Miami-Dade to top 40

• Tashme

  By Michael Prior | March 27, 2015

  Author of Swan Dive recounts his BC road-trip with grandfather along highway built by interred Japanese CDNs to Tashme, an internment camp turned RV Park.

• Writing Detroit: The Past is not Pretty

  By Cal Freeman | March 25, 2015

  Cal Freeman writes about his book Brother of Leaving, growing up in West Detroit, ruin porn, making his family uncomfortable, and refusing to idealize place