Rawi Hage named Vancouver Public Library's latest writer in residence

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      The Vancouver Public Library today announced celebrated Montreal author Rawi Hage as its ninth writer in residence. The position has previously been held by such figures as Meredith Quartermain, Wayde Compton, and Spider Robinson.

      Hage, who has moved to town for his four-month tenure, arrived like a tornado on the Canadian literary landscape back in 2006 with his novel De Niro’s Game, set in his native Lebanon. It swept up a string of prizes, including the high-profile IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

      He followed this in 2008 with the bitterly comic Cockroach (which wound up on the Georgia Straight’s list of favourite books that year) and in 2012 with the equally dark excursion Carnival.

      When the Straight asked Hage a few months ago whether he writes to unsettle, he answered with a laugh: “To unsettle the reader? No, I’m unsettled….There’s a whole tradition of writers who wrote in that direction or with that sense of protestation. Basically, for me, literature is a criticism of life, not so much a celebration of life.”

      Hage is an accomplished photographer and visual artist. Among his VPL duties will be holding workshops that investigate the role of the visual in creative writing. He’ll also set time aside to make public appearances, work on a new collection of short stories, and mentor emerging writers.

      Anyone hoping for a one-on-one consultation with him should check out this page on the VPL website.

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