The Canadian Writers' Collective

Writing, and writerly tangents

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

A Tourist's Guide to Glengarry

By Anne Chudobiak

I've been assigned a novelist. His name is Ian, Ian McGillis. The Quebec Writers Federation pays him to have coffee with me and read my work.

Ian's novel, A Tourist's Guide to Glengarry, has been wikified by the grade nines at a Montreal private high school. Under the tutelage of an exacting Mrs. Peters, who insists on MLA format and endearingly neutral language, Cody, Alex, Jasmine et al. have catalogued and researched the book's many pop-culture references.

I leave you with one student's reflections on Woodstock:

"There were many other problems throughout the event, including a lack of food, sparse sanitation facilities, many drugs and alcohol, and two deaths were reported, as well as two births. However, the viewers went through it all, made the best of their situation and had an amazing weekend that would never be forgotten."

6 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

love it, "the viewers" such a politically correct term..lololol

Thu Dec 14, 02:26:00 pm GMT-5  
Blogger Tricia Dower said...

What an amazing school project. How did Ian's book get to be chosen for it? What does he think of it?

Thu Dec 14, 02:54:00 pm GMT-5  
Blogger Andrew Tibbetts said...

Congrats on being assigned such a cool writer! Did you get to choose? Were you familiar with his work? Tell us more!

I want one. A writer. What do I have to do to get one?

Thu Dec 14, 03:42:00 pm GMT-5  
Blogger Andrew Tibbetts said...

Also, I am willing to be someone else's writer. I don't eat much. Okay, that's not true- I eat insane amounts of food, but I'm not picky. I'll sleep anywhere, wear anything. I like to cuddle. Ummm, what else? I need Wednesdays off.

Thu Dec 14, 03:44:00 pm GMT-5  
Blogger J.A. McDougall said...

That is such a cool project. Grade nine - a perfect age for students to really appreciate the work that goes into writing a novel and how history is reflected in writing. Good luck this winter!

Thu Dec 14, 10:53:00 pm GMT-5  
Blogger Antonios Maltezos said...

Congratulations, Anne! And congratulations to Ian McGillis, as well. I'm sure this will be a great experience for both of you.

Sun Dec 17, 10:28:00 am GMT-5  

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