Books & Ideas: Michael Ondaatje in Conversation with Madeleine Thien

Thursday, March 12 at Waterfront Theatre

Among the many international honours from Michael Ondaatje’s long and storied career: he is the only winner in history of the Golden Man Booker, awarded to the best work of fiction from the first five decades of the prize, for The English Patient. His other renowned books include Anil's Ghost, In the Skin of a Lion, The Cinnamon Peeler, and Warlight. Now, he joins the Vancouver Writers Fest with a magnificent new collection that gathers some of his finest poems from the past fifty years. 

In The Distance of a Shout, Michael Ondaatje navigates his own past, beginning with memories of his childhood in Sri Lanka and his eccentric family, to his life in rural southern Ontario with its beloved rivers, celebrations of treasured friends, the close ties of children. Here is a singular poetic memoir that invokes the arc of an astonishing journey, and offers us a glimpse into the interwoven life and art of one of our most cherished poets and novelists.

Ondaatje will speak with a fellow icon of Canadian letters: Madeleine Thien, the author of Do Not Say We Have Nothing. Get a head start on enjoying National Poetry Month, at this intimate evening of readings and conversation. Books will be for sale at the event from Book Warehouse, a division of Black Bond Books.

ABOUT BOOKS & IDEAS

Launched in January 2025, Books & Ideas is an event series from the Vancouver Writers Fest, bringing literary talent and thought-provoking conversations to Granville Island—home of the Writers Fest’s celebrated annual literary festival—from January to June. With an intimate theatre venue and a pop-up bar for socializing, attendees are invited to connect more deeply with other members of the local literary community, and meet the esteemed authors who grace the stage, in a modern space for exchanging ideas.

ACCESSIBILITY INFO

We do our best to make our events low-barrier, accessible experiences for our community. A limited number of accessibly priced tickets are available for purchase. To discuss other ways we can make these events more accessible to you, please reach out to us at boxoffice@writersfest.bc.ca or 604-681-6330.

Please visit our website for more information about accessibility at the Vancouver Writers Fest: https://writersfest.bc.ca/accessibility

BOX OFFICE INFO

This event is in-person. Details are subject to change. Check out our Box Office Terms for more information.

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