Lawrence Hill, the award-winning author of The Book of Negroes, and more recently, The Illegal, poses for a photo in Toronto on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015. Hill will take part in Calgary’s Wordfest on Oct. 14 at 8:30 a.m. at Sidewalk Citizen Bakery.Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press
Calgary's Wordfest kicks off on Oct. 13, and if you're a literary geek like Marsha Lederman, you might have trouble narrowing down the list of enticing events to five must-sees. But she gave it a shot anyway.
A Morning with Lawrence Hill: The award-winning author of The Book of Negroes (recently made into a CBC television series) is back with The Illegal, the story of a marathon runner who flees his homeland. The story was inspired by the plight of refugees and is published as the issue is top of mind for many.
Oct. 14, 8:30 a.m., Sidewalk Citizen Bakery
Literary Death Match: Anakana Schofield – shortlisted this week for the Scotiabank Giller Prize for her novel Martin John – is one of Four authors (Anakana Schofield, Jeff Vandermeer, Sara Tilley and Sherwin Tjia) who will perform "their most electric writing" for in front of a live audience and panel of judges. She's joined by Jeff Vandermeer (the Southern Reach trilogy of Annihilation, Authority and Acceptance), Sara Tilley (Duke) and Sherwin Tjia (You Are a Kitten!).
Oct. 15, 9 a.m., Royal Canadian Legion No. 1
Patrick deWitt: After dazzling the Canlit world with his sophomore novel The Sisters Brothers (which won the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction, the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and the Stephen Leacock Medal), Patrick deWitt is back with Undermajordomo Minor, which is getting good reviews.
Oct. 17, 2 p.m., Arts Commons – Big Secret Theatre
Fujiwara Dance Inventions – Christian Bok's Eunoia: Christian Bok's Griffin Prize-winning, eclectic masterpiece Eunoia (in which each chapter was constrained to the use of a single vowel) is transformed into movement by acclaimed choreographer Denise Fujiwara.
Oct. 17, 8 p.m., Theatre Junction Grand
Stephen Harper Revealed: With one day to go before voting day, The Globe and Mail's John Ibbitson discusses his new biography of the Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader, Stephen Harper.
Oct. 18, 10 a.m., Calgary Public Library
Wordfest runs Oct. 13-18 in Calgary.
Marsha Lederman