Canada's insider blog

Whether in print, an Amazon Kindle or iPad, for many folks, nothing beats a good book. Those lucky enough to be in Vancouver, BC, over the next six days have the added pleasure of the Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival, which turns its first page today (Oct. 19).

The 23rd iteration unfolds at various venues around Granville Island. There are page-turners aplenty appearing in person from around the world; here are some you’ll want on your wish list:

• UK author Andrea Levy, whose novel Small Island won the 2004 Orange Prize for Fiction, talks about her latest work, The Long Song, and more.

• Saskatoon, SK’s finest penman Yann Martel is also in town for the fest. But don’t expect Prime Minister Stephen Harper to be there to read from the list of books Martel has been sending him.

• William Gibson, pioneer of “cyberfiction” and one of BC’s best-known men of letters, will fly the literary flag for the province with other local writers.

After hearing about all these great books, you’ll need a vacation afterward to read them all… in Canada, of course.