Literary Review of Canada | A Journal of Ideas

Cover spread of the June 2026 issue, photographed by Bryan Dickie.

This week with bookworm

Bookworm, no. 149 homepage image. Worm as an oil rig worker in Alberta.

Adrian Ma reviews Susan Goldenberg’s Will Power. Cheryl Bell on Betty Baxter’s Outspoken.

Bank Note

Your call is important to us

Kyle Wyatt

A photograph by Jeff McIntosh for Adam Dodek’s June 2026 review of “The Governors General,” by John Fraser.

Down to Crown

What did the viceregal ever do for us?

Adam Dodek

An illustration by Raymond Biesinger for David Marks Shribman’s June 2026 review of “The Dollar a Year Men,” by Allan Levine.

Here’s Howe

The titans, tycoons, and industrialists who helped win the war

David Marks Shribman

An illustration by Nick Lowndes for Daniel Woolf’s June 2026 review of “Canada in the Age of Rum,” by Allan Greer.

Barrelling Through History

Sugar and spice but not always nice

Daniel Woolf

An illustration by David Parkins for Jude Isabella’s June 2026 review of “Lessons from a Lifetime,” by David Suzuki with Ian Hanington.

To Keep Catching Fish

David Suzuki casts a wide net

Jude Isabella

A photograph by Sean Kilpatrick for Ruth Panofsky’s June 2026 review of “wîhtamawik/Tell Them,” by Louise Bernice Halfe- Sky Dancer.

Truths That Bear Repeating

Walking down a poet’s path

Ruth Panofsky

An illustration by Paige Stampatori for Catherine Khordoc’s June 2026 review of “Paris en vrac” and “Vingt-trois secrets bien gardés” by Michel Tremblay.

Joual de vivre

Michel Tremblay’s delightful tales

Catherine Khordoc

An illustration by John Fraser for David Staines’s June 2026 review of “How to Move On,” by Joel Yanofksy.

Critical Loss

On the legacy of Joel Yanofsky

David Staines

An illustration by Karsten Petrat for Graham Fraser’s June 2026 review of “L’Enfant vieux,” by Stéphane Kelly.

Kid Gloves

They know where their children are

Graham Fraser

An illustration by Dave Murray for David Wilson’s June 2026 review of “Ringo: A Fab Life,” by Tom Doyle.

A Starr Was Born

He’ll never stop being Ringo

David Wilson

An illustration by Jori Bolton for Tara Henley’s June 2026 review of “A Love Affair with the Unknown,” by Gillian Deacon.

Call to Courage

A radio host picks up the pen

Tara Henley

An illustration by Natàlia Pàmies Lluís for Harriet Alida Lye’s June 2026 review of “Jelly, Baby: Essays on Disability and Vulnerability,” by Therese Estacion.

Leave Metaphors at the Door

Therese Estacion has her say

Harriet Alida Lye

An illustration by Silas Kaufman for Keith Garebian’s June 2026 review of “Edna Taçon,” by Renée van der Avoird.

First, Violin

Piecing together the life of Edna Taçon

Keith Garebian

An illustration by Matthew Daley for Stephen Smith’s June 2026 review of seven hockey biographies.

Top Shelf?

This season’s roster of hockey books

Stephen Smith

Those Early Morning Rounds

Papers, payments, and enduring lessons

Gary Ross

Autofiction

That’s one lean, mean reading machine

David Venn

Setting the Record Slate

Leonard Cohen poetry with a twist

Ron Graham

An illustration by YQ Huang for Caroline Adderson’s June 2026 review of “The Good Eye,” by Jess Gibson.

The Plot Thickens

A debut collection by Jess Gibson

Caroline Adderson

An illustration by Sandi Falconer for Amanda Perry’s June 2026 review of “Pour un paquet de Player’s,” by Daniel Grenier and “La Maison du rang Lynch,” by Alexie Morin.

Criminal Intents

Daniel Grenier and Alexie Morin go genre

Amanda Perry

Loan Ranger

How Anakana Schofield stacks up

Marisa Grizenko

An illustration by Lou Kiss for Kevin Shaw’s June 2026 review of “Night Terminus,” by Ellis Scott.

The Departed

An affecting novel by Ellis Scott

Kevin Shaw

An illustration by Mateusz Napieralski for Randy Boyagoda’s June 2026 review of “Nobody’s Son,” by Yann Martel.

Greek Revival

Discovering Yann Martel’s unsung hero

Randy Boyagoda

So This Is It

Facing my fear of Stephen King

Bronwen Jervis

Alberta and Me

Referendum? What Referendum?

The Grey Plateau