Main takeaway from last night's Writers' Trust prize night in Toronto may be that André Alexis is now Canada's major novelist. He's prolific, he sells well, critics admire, and he seems to be in the prize hunts constantly, as in his fiction win last night for Days by Moonlight.
Ken McGoogan was not a nominee last night, but in the drinkee-talkee part I got to congratulate him on a nice Globe review (here if they let you in) for his recent refugee history Flight of the Highlanders. Reviews are scarce enough these days to be notable anytime.
Update, same day: meant to say, the Trust prize-giving is a great event for us Toronto literati every fall, but they should share the love and take it on the road sometimes. Have it in Calgary next year, say.
