Guy Maddin in conversation with Bookworm host Michael Silverblatt at the News Café: Replay

Guy Maddin in conversation with Bookworm host Michael Silverblatt at the News Café: Replay

Radio broadcaster Michael Silverblatt has a reputation as one of America's première literary correspondents as the host of the talk show Bookworm on KCRW in Los Angeles.

On Friday evening Silverblatt changed things up, and spoke in depth with Winnipeg filmmaker Guy Maddin about about art, incomprehensibility, death, authors and even Nazi film reels.

Maddin said he is an atypical subject for Silverblatt, who usually interviews authors.

"I sure didn't write a book," Maddin says.

Free Press literary editor picks noteworthy Canadian fiction and non-fiction titles to watch for this fall

For many book lovers, summer means relaxing at the beach, in the backyard or at the cottage with fun, warm-weather page-turners — easy-going romance novels, gripping thrillers or even a dishy biography.

And some may long for the summer months to slow down, fall books season always offers up some of the most compelling reads for bookworms.

Here are 10 works of fiction and 10 non-fiction titles from Canadian authors slated to be published in the coming months — from Olympians to separatists, draft dodgers, plutocrats, prime ministers, bird-men and beyond, the characters in these forthcoming titles run the gamut.

FICTIONEliza Sunshine

Provincial teacher watchdog releases names, details in three disciplinary matters

An Interlake teacher with a history of “intimidating” outbursts has been ordered to participate in counselling and study anger-management strategies after he made a child cry.

Plenty of alternatives to U.S. wines on the shelves

In February 2025, Manitoba (and most other provinces) pulled American liquor from store shelves as part of the ongoing trade dispute with the United States.

Then in December, the province followed a similar course to others and put American booze that was already on hand back on shelves, selling off inventory that had been wasting away in warehouses for months, and directing proceeds from those sales to charities.

Lineups sprung up at numerous stores as consumers snapped up bestselling American products — think Maker’s Mark, Jack Daniel’s, Apothic Red and the like. After that initial rush, what was left has been languishing on shelves ever since, with many products eventually being drastically discounted for a quick sale, lest they become too long in the tooth.

I decided early on not to write about/review U.S. products in this space until things were well and truly sorted. But a few months back, I found myself in the mood for a big, oaky red wine and — in a moment of weakness, or nostalgia, or maybe just curiosity — I picked up a $30-ish California Cabernet Sauvignon.

‘Strong sense of unity’

Manitoba government and business leaders are rallying behind Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plan to fight back, after a sudden collapse of trade talks between the U.S. and Canada sparked a new salvo of U.S. tariffs on some Canadian goods.

On Saturday, after Carney vowed to respond with retaliatory tariffs, Manitoba premier Wab Kinew said his government stood “100 per cent” behind the prime minister’s plan to respond to what Kinew called U.S. president Donald Trump’s “unjustified and immoral” tariffs.

“History will not be kind to Donald Trump, so we should never appease him,” Kinew said. “We should fight back, which is what Canada is doing today.”

Kinew met reporters for a brief news conference at the legislature on Saturday afternoon, about an hour after finishing a call with Carney and the other premiers. There was a “really strong sense of unity” on that call, Kinew said, and emphasized that he backs the federal decision to “walk away from what would have been a bad deal.”

Swede leads Manitoba Open, Winnipegger sits 33rd

From Lars-Erik Sjoberg to Thomas Steen to Viggo Bjorck, there’s no shortage of Swedish athletes who have quickly become fan favourites here in Winnipeg.

Daniel Svard is hoping to add his name to the growing list.

Although he wields a golf club and not a hockey stick, the 23-year-old from Stockholm is opening plenty of eyes this week at Elmhurst. He carries a two-shot lead into Sunday’s final round of the Manitoba Open, looking to close out his first professional victory in his just his fourth career tournament.

Svard fired a six-under 66 on Saturday to move to 14-under through 54 holes of the PGA Tour Americas event.