Literary Review of Canada | A Journal of Ideas

Cover spread by Alex MacAskill for October 2026.

This week with bookworm

David Silverberg on Will Ferguson’s Officer Shimada and the Disappearing Girl. Marisa Grizenko reviews Christopher Cheung’s Very Vancouver. Grace Henkel on Patmeena Sabit’s Good People.

Crossing a Line

On the connection between books and home

Kyle Wyatt

Above Summerland

My daughters saw everything but the sky

Troy Nahumko

An illustration by Scot Ritchie for Darrell Varga’s October 2026 review of “The Future Belongs to Those Who Fight,” by Todd Dufresne.

Bug in the System

Does healing the world mean abandoning capitalism?

Darrell Varga

An illustration by Raymond Biesinger for Graham Fraser’s October 2026 review of “Une décennie de turbulences électorales au Québec review (2012-2022),” by Richard Nadeau, Jean-François Daoust, Éric Bélanger, and Ruth Dassonneville.

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Ten transformative years

Graham Fraser

Provisioning Pages

Printed and bound for Odesa

Sara Cassidy

An illustration by Matthew Daley for George Anderson’s October 2026 review of “Fragile Nations: The Promise and Perils of Multinational Democracies,” by Félix Mathieu.

Minor but Key

Where non-sovereign nations dwell

George Anderson

Opposition Leader

When Canada stood up against apartheid

Geoff White

A photo by Alamy for Bronwen Jervis’s October 2026 review of “The First Lady Next Door: A Canadian’s Memoir of Iceland, Identity, and Unexpected Adventure,” by Eliza Reid.

Forsetafrúin

To be a president’s wife

Bronwen Jervis

An illustration by Paige Stampatori for Keith Garebian’s October 2026 review of “Ground to Stand On: A Canadian Literary Life,” by Sandra Djwa.

The Promoter

Sandra Djwa chronicles her own legacy

Keith Garebian

An illustration by David Parkins for John Geddes October 2026 review of “Edward Burtynsky: The Biography,” by James King.

Big Pictures

He once let the viewer decide

John Geddes

A photo by Getty Images for David Marks Shribman’s October 2026 review of “Royal Treatment: Jackie Robinson, Montreal, and the Breaking of Baseball’s Color Barrier,” by Sean J. McLaughlin.

Before He Wore 42

Jackie Robinson’s season in Montreal

David Marks Shribman

An illustration by Karsten Petrat for Alison Motluk’s October 2026 review of “Beyond Inheritance: Our Ever-Mutating Cells and a New Understanding of Health,” by Roxanne Khamsi.

Copy of a Copy of a Copy

When genetic error is introduced

Alison Motluk

An illustration by Sandi Falconer for Kevin Jagernauth’s October 2026 review of “It’s Only Forever: Labyrinth,” by Jes Battis.

Beyond the Goblin City

We can still get lost in the maze

Kevin Jagernauth

An illustration by Blair Kelly for J.R. Patterson’s October 2026 reviews of “True North,” by Paul Theroux and “Geography of Heaven,” by Rory MacLean.

Have Pen, Will Travel

Two writers hit the road

J.R. Patterson

An illustration by Mateusz Napieralski for Adrienne Mason’s October 2026 reviews of “Flora Culture,” by Christin Geall and “The Book of Birds,” by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris.

If Petals Could Fly

What’s overhead and underfoot

Adrienne Mason

Down Lighthouse Road

Built for storms but made for stories

Suzanne Stewart

An illustration by Natàlia Pàmies Lluís for Linda Leith’s October 2026 review of “Ninan: Tiohtiá:ke, Montreal,” by Michel Jean and translated by Susan Ouriou.

Second Chances

Michel Jean in translation

Linda Leith

An illustration by Neil Webb for Tomas Hachard’s October 2026 review of “Exit Party,” by Emily St. John Mandel.

Frayed Futures

The latest from Emily St. John Mandel

Tomas Hachard

An illustration by Nick Lowndes for Irina Dumitrescu’s October 2026 review of “The Alchemy of Paradise,” by Susannah M. Smith.

A Thing of Beauty

Susannah M. Smith’s curated fragments

Irina Dumitrescu

An illustration by YQ Huang for Kyle Wyatt’s October 2026 review of “Mad Hell-Rush of Days,” by Natalie Appleton.

Branded Content

In the Cypress Hills with Natalie Appleton