Although the city’s beloved book festival Word on the Street is virtual again this year, there are plenty of literary happenings to get excited about. The festival runs online from Sept. 16-26. Here are our top 10 Word on the Street authors from Toronto to check out:
1. S. Bear Bergman
On Sept. 25 at 4 p.m., Bergman, a writer, storyteller, activist, and the founder and publisher of the book press Flamingo Rampant, is part of a panel discussion dubbed How to Be Human: Illustrated Wisdom for Modern Times.
2. Liz Howard
On Sept. 17 at 8 p.m., award-winning poet Liz Howard, author of Letters in a Bruised Cosmos, will be featured in a panel discussion with Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang, poetry editor for Arc Poetry Magazine.
3. Zoe Whitall
On Sept. 26 at 4 p.m. Word on the Street will be hosting a conversation with Giller-shortlisted author Zoe Whittal, whose latest novel is entitled The Spectacular.
4. Andre Alexis
Another award-winning Toronto writer, Andrew Alexis, will be featured in conversation at an event on Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. Alexis won the Giller Prize for his wildly inventive novel Fifteen Dogs and his latest is entitled Ring, dubbed a fresh take on the romance novel.
5. Sheena Kamal
On Sept. 21 at 2 p.m., check out the panel discussion Murder She Wrote: Family, Truth, and Social Justice, which features four writers Andrea Gunraj , Sheena Kamal, Dorothy Ellen Palmer, and Angela Misri.
6. Uzma Jalaluddin
Uzma Jalaluddin is the author of Ayesha At Last, described as a “revamped Pride and Prejudice set in a close-knit Toronto Muslim community.” She will be featured in an event scheduled for Sept. 21 at 5 p.m entitled Dreams of Home: Stories of Community & Connection.
7. Antonio Michael Downing
On Sept. 25, at 1 p.m. The Word On The Street is presenting the panel Looking Inwards: Memoir, Art & Identity featuring authors Antonio Michael Downing, Brad Fraser, and Errol Ranville.
8. Louisa Onomé
Nigerian-Canadian writer of books for teens and adults, Louise Onomé will be featured as part of the panel session Dreams of Home: Stories of Community & Connection on Sept. 21 at 5 p.m. along with Uzma Jalaluddin, Sarah Suk, and Danny Ramadan.
9. Catherine Hernandez
Author Catherine Hernandez, whose last novel Scarborough was adapted to film and just premiered at TIFF last month, will be featured as part of the 2021 Toronto Book Awards on Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.
10. Kamal Al-Solaylee
Kamal Al-Solaylee’s latest book is Return. On Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. The Word on the Street presents the panel discussion Diaspora Dialogues: In Conversation with Kamal Al-Solaylee & Tamas Dobozy.
