Manitoba Book Week Events

Manitoba Book Week is an annual, week-long series of events which recognize our province's flourishing book industry and inform Manitobans about the rich variety of books published here. In partnership with the Association of Manitoba Book Publishers, Pennywise Books is proud to host a number of events for local authors and writers.

On Wednesday, April 23, at 6:30 p.m., writer Barbara Huck will read from her latest book The Land Where the Sky Begins: North America's Endangered Tall Grass Prairie and Aspen Parkland.

Today, the northern tall grass prairie is among the most endangered landscapes on Earth; less that one per cent of that magnificent sea of grass remains. In many places and many ways however, efforts are being made to preserve those last remnants and restore what has been lost.

Stunningly photographed, beautifully designed and lyrically written, The Land Where the Sky Begins opens with the evolution of grasses - without question the most important plants on the planet - and traces the history of North America's tall grass prairies and aspen parkland. The second half of the book flows through the seasons, highlighting, with detailed information and magnificent photography, the birds, mammals and plants - including some that are gravely endangered.

The next evening on April 24, at 7:00 p.m., a multiple-author event will take place illustrating the differences and similarities in writing plays, poems and stories. Featuring poet Laurie Block, playwrights Dale Lakevold and Darrell Racine (Stretching Hide), and Winnipeg crime fiction writer Michael Van Rooy (An Ordinary Decent Criminal), this event will treat attendees to readings from each of the authors' works as well as a discussion about the differences in the writing process for each genre.

With the opportunity to simultaneously meet with writers of such a diverse range of styles, this event is sure to be of interest to both readers and writers.

Finally, at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 25 Charles and Dale Brawn will be launching their new book Every Stone a Story: Manitoba's Buried History, 1900 - 2000.

Every Stone A Story is a collection of stories gleaned from Manitoba's buried history. Each is illustrated with a photograph of a headstone and each describes the life, death and/or experiences of someone buried in a particular cemetery.

The stories are often about the famous or infamous, but equally often they are about people little known outside their communities, but who have done something extraordinary. The stories are grouped according to their topics: politicians, artists, sportsmen and women, crimes and scandals, special people now largely forgotten, accidents and disasters, people who have been executed, and pioneers.

The public is invited to attend all three events, which will take place at Pennywise Books. Admission is free.