Join us as we explore the influential books and writers who defined genres and captivated readers for decades. Each session of The Re-Read features a contemporary writer presenting a favourite book or author, to offer their insight as an author and share their joy as a reader. In this session, join Canadian novelist, journalist and scholar Cecil Foster in a fascinating talk on Mairuth Sarsfield’s bestselling novel No Crystal Stair. With a title referencing a poem by the great Langston Hughes, Sarsfield’s novel tells of one mother’s trials and triumphs in the Little Burgundy district of 1940s Montreal. Exploring the complex history of both passing as white and surviving as black, No Crystal Stair is a story about perseverance and strength. Cecil Foster, a writer who uses many genres to tell stories about the human condition, will delve into Sarsfield’s world to illuminate her messages about the Black experience in Canada, as well as fostering hope, affirming identity and claiming freedom.

Interviewed by Steven Beattie.

Ticket Info:
Date & Time: September 23 at 6pm ET
Where: Brigantine Room in Harbourfront Centre
Duration: 60 minutes
Ticket prices: $17 – Regular; $12 – Youth; or Get a TIFA Pass

This event is presented in partnership with Writers’ Trust Canada.