10 Canadian books coming out in March we can't wait to read
A new month means new books! Here are some of the highlights hitting bookstore shelves in March.
The Walking Boy by Lydia Kwa
In 8th-century China, a dying hermit named Harelip sends his disciple Baoshi on a quest to find his former lover Ardhanari. Burdened with a secret only his Master knows about, Baoshi sets off on a long pilgrimage and encounters a series of characters that help ease pains of the past. Lydia Kwa's previous books include the novel Oracle Bone and the poetry collection sinuous.
When you can read it: March 1, 2019
Chicken Girl by Heather Smith
After being bullied online for dressing up as Rosie the Riveter, Poppy bitterly takes a job wearing a chicken suit at a fast food restaurant. While at work, Poppy meets a young girl who opens her eyes to the struggles of those around her. Heather Smith is a writer from Waterloo, Ont., whose previous novel-in-verse, Ebb & Flow, was a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's Literary Award for children's literature — text.
When you can read it: March 5, 2019
Spies of No Country by Matti Friedman
Matti Friedman tells the story of a espionage unit known as the "Arab Section," a small group of Jewish men who could pass as Arabs. Chosen by British spies and Jewish militia leaders during the Second World War, these men were disguised as Palestinian refugees when the first Jewish-Arab war broke out in 1948 and passed messages from Beirut to Israel for two years. Five were caught and executed. Friedman is a journalist and the author of the memoir Pumpkinflowers, which was shortlisted for the RBC Taylor Prize and Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction.
When you can read it: March 5, 2019
Immigrant City by David Bezmozgis
In the stories of Immigrant City, a wannabe boxer finds work as a security guard in the Toronto suburbs, a father and daughter end up in a strange rendition of his immigrant childhood and a young man unwittingly makes contact with the underworld. David Bezmozgis's previous books include the short story collection Natasha and Other Stories and the novel The Betrayers.
When you can read it: March 12, 2019
The Forbidden Purple City by Philip Huynh
Philip Huynh's short fiction collection dives into the Vietnamese diaspora, following the burgeoning bond of private school outcasts, the discovery of a father's terrible secret and the isolation of a young bride on a distant island, among other stories. The Forbidden Purple City is Huynh's first book.
When you can read it: March 12, 2019
Disintegrate/Dissociate by Arielle Twist
Arielle Twist is a Cree, Two-Spirit poet and educator based in the East Coast. Twist's debut poetry collection offers perspectives of human connections after death — looking at anger, grief, trauma and displacement left in its wake. Disintegrate/Dissociate depicts life for an Indigenous trans woman, one dreaming for a hopeful future and a clear path for self-discovery.
When you can read it: March 15, 2019
Radicalized by Cory Doctorow
Radicalized is a collection of four novellas that explore the quandaries — social, economic and technological — of contemporary America. Cory Doctorow's characters deal with issues around immigration, corrupt police forces, dark web uprisings and more. Doctorow is a bestselling sci-fi novelist whose past books include Little Brother and Walkaway.
When you can read it: March 19, 2019
Legacy by Suzanne Methot
Nehiyaw writer Suzanne Methot traces her own roots to better understand how colonial trauma is passed down from generation to generation. In doing so, she investigates why Indigenous peoples suffer from disproportionately higher rates of addiction, depression, diabetes and other chronic health conditions compared to other groups. She also looks into how Indigenous ways of knowing can stem the flow of intergenerational trauma.
When you can read it: March 19, 2019
A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott
In this collection of essays, Alicia Elliott explores the systemic oppression faced by Indigenous peoples across Canada through the lens of her own experiences as a Tuscarora writer from Six Nations of the Grand River. Elliott, who lives in Brantford, Ont., won gold at the National Magazine Awards in 2017 for the essay this book is based on. A Mind Spread Out on the Ground is Elliott's first book.
When you can read it: March 26, 2019
The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel by Margaret Atwood & Renee Nault
Published to great acclaim in 1985, Margaret Atwood's novel The Handmaid's Tale continues to resonate with audiences around the world. Adapted for television, film, ballet, opera and more, the classic dystopian novel is now being turned into a graphic novel by Victoria-based artist Renee Nault. The book tells the story of a Handmaid known as Offred who is trapped in a society where her only purpose is to conceive and bear the child of a powerful man. The original novel won the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction.
When you can read it: March 26, 2019