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.

• Wanted: The Desert Places

  By Andrew F. Sullivan | July 15, 2013

  We await The Desert Places, a hybrid text from Robert Kloss and Amber Sparks, with illustrations by Matt Kish. Curbside Splendor will unleash it in October.

• Sports Poems that Work: Mike Spry Edition

  By E. Martin Nolan | July 10, 2013

  In Watching the Watchers, Pt. 2, E Martin Nolan discusses the recent sports poem, "Atrophy and Labour Day Baseball" by Mike Spry, founder of The Barnstormer

• Puritan Editor Tyler Willis Interviewed at Open Book Toronto

  By The Puritan Editors | July 8, 2013

  An interview with Tyler Willis, Emily Keeler, & Jeremy Hanson-Finger by Andrew Faulkner for Open Book Toronto on Toronto online magazine editing processes.

• Poetry of Lyrics: The Uncluded

  By Jessica Bebenek | July 5, 2013

  Exploring the lyrics of Kimya Dawson and Aesop Rock, joined together as the shambling musical creature known as The Uncluded.

• Sports Poems that Work: James Wright Edition

  By E. Martin Nolan | July 3, 2013

  E Martin Nolan discusses sports poems that work, beginning on "Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio" by poet James Wright.

• “Public Speaking Is a Really Good Idea:” Edward Nixon of Livewords

  By Jess Taylor | June 29, 2013

  Toronto's Edward Nixon discusses his reading series Livewords and the Toronto literary reading scene. The second in a series by Jess Taylor.

• P.S.: Priscila Uppal's Sports Poems

  By E. Martin Nolan | June 27, 2013

  More on Priscila Uppal's Sports poems, including commentary on a bad and a good one.

• Sports Poems that Don't Work: Richard Harrison and (Especially) Priscila Uppal Edition

  By E. Martin Nolan | June 25, 2013

  On the difficulty of writing sports poems, and the relative failure of Richard Harrison and Priscila Uppal to do so.

• Others Have Blossomed: Eliza Griswold’s Introduction to Landays

  By Phoebe Wang | June 21, 2013

  On Poetry Magazine's landay issue, and the Western perspective on a traditional Pashtun form.

• Embracing the Blatantly Poetic: Peter Norman Edition

  By E. Martin Nolan | June 19, 2013

  On Peter Norman's gorgeous and old-fashioned, but fresh, prosody. Built off Stuart Cole's review in The Urge.

• Upcoming Toronto Readings: A Puritan Guide

  By The Puritan Editors | June 14, 2013

  Upcoming Toronto Readings: A Puritan Guide to What's Worth Seeing in the City over the Next Few Weeks

• Embracing the Blatantly Poetic: Lisa Pasold Edition

  By E. Martin Nolan | June 11, 2013

  On Lisa Pasold's Any Bright Horse, and the modern poem's need to escape from and return to convention.