Literary Review of Canada | A Journal of Ideas

Cover illustration for March 2025 by Tom Chitty.

This week with bookworm

Emily Mernin reviews Chrystia by Catherine Tsalikis. Alyanna Denise Chua reviews All Our Ordinary Stories by Teresa Wong. A Q&A with our cover artist Tom Chitty. Poetry by Erin Wilson.

Square and Fair

Canada in the eyes of others

Kyle Wyatt

Illustration by Karsten Petrat for Pearl Eliadis’s March 2025 review of “The Life and Death of Freedom of Expression” by Richard Moon.

So to Speak

Canadian free expression is not American free speech

Pearl Eliadis

Illustration by Blair Kelly for Andrew Torry’s March 2025 review of “On the Other Hand: Canadian Multiculturalism and Its Progressive Critics,” by Phil Ryan.

Loose Threads

The lesser-known critics of multiculturalism

Andrew Torry

Photograph for Bruce K. Ward’s March 2025 review of "Louis Riel: Prophète du Nouveau Monde," by Jean Meyer.

Heretical or Heroic?

A European perspective on Louis Riel

Bruce K. Ward

Illustration by Silas Kaufman for Tom Jokinen’s March 2025 review of “The Riel Problem: Canada, the Métis, and a Resistant Hero” by Albert Braz.

The Man, the Myth, the T‑shirts

In the shadow of Louis Riel

Tom Jokinen

Illustration by Dave Murray for David Dunne’s March 2025 review of “Finding Molly Johnson: Irish Famine Orphans in Canada” by Mark G. McGowan.

Little Orphan Áine

A story we like to tell ourselves

David Dunne

Illustration by Matthew Daley for Steven Threndyle’s March 2025 review of “A Perfect Day for a Walk” by Bill Arnott.

Walkie Talkie

One wayfarer’s history of Vancouver

Steven Threndyle

Illustration by David Parkins for Sandra Martin’s March 2025 review of “The Haunted Wood” by Sam Leith.

Of Pigs and Potions

The enduring delights of children’s books

Sandra Martin

Illustration by Mateusz Napieralski for Stephen Marche’s March 2025 essay on Covid-19.

The Grey Plateau

When the world stopped five years ago

Stephen Marche

Illustration by Neil Webb for Barbara Sibbald’s March 2025 review of “Travels up the Creek: A Biologist’s Search for a Paddle” by Lorne Fitch.

Upstream Battle

Lessons on environmental stewardship

Barbara Sibbald

Illustration by Nicole Iu for Ruth Panofsky’s March 2025 review of “Line Breaks: A Writing Life,” by George Galt.

A Life in Print

George Galt on and off the page

Ruth Panofsky

Illustration by Paige Stampatori for Robert McGill’s March 2025 essay on Alice Munro.

Namesake

What I didn’t know I knew about Alice Munro

Robert McGill

Illustration by Jamie Bennett for Meral Jamal’s March 2025 review of “White World” by Saad T. Farooqi.

A Fractured Future

Saad T. Farooqi’s debut novel

Meral Jamal

Costs of Living

Unique spins on bad bargains

Kevin Jagernauth

Illustration by Sarah Farquhar for Amanda Perry’s March 2025 review of “Amiante” by Sébastien Dulude.

A Thirst for Destruction

Sébastien Dulude’s mine craft

Amanda Perry

Photograph for Kyle Wyatt’s March 2025 review of “The Passenger Seat” by Vijay Khurana.

True Depths

A haunting tragedy on the road north

Kyle Wyatt

Photograph for Ian Canon’s March 2025 review of “Chandelier” by David O’Meara.

The Little Things

David O’Meara turns to prose

Ian Canon

Illustration by Sandi Falconer for Alexander Sallas’s March 2025 review of “Hello, Horse” by Richard Kelly Kemick.

Saddle Up

Richard Kelly Kemick’s eclectic collection

Alexander Sallas

Illustration by Gwendoline Le Cunff for Bronwyn Averett’s March 2025 review of “Subterrane” by Valérie Bah.

Gritty Corners

Valérie Bah documents the margins

Bronwyn Averett

Confessions of a Bookseller

You can take my word for it

James Lindsay

The Superpower Next Door

Meanwhile In Another Forest…

Stars and Swipes