News & Events
Reviews of Happiness Economics
“Shari Lapena’s book is a surprisingly joyful look at familial—and literary—wreckage.” The Globe and Mail
“Happiness Economics is about lofty ideas like the meaning and relevance of poetry, the validity of ‘the muse,’ the way we are raising our children, and capitalism itself. But at its heart it is a beautifully articulated treatise on long-term relationships and how they change as the people in them invariably do, over and over.” The Globe and Mail
“I thought Happiness Economics was going to be this amazing “writers’ book” – a book that small groups of writers, huddled in the dark corners of bars and lounges across the planet – would talk about. They’d whisper about Lapeña’s ideas in hushed and reverent voices. There would be Happiness Economics cults… Now, this cult status still may happen – I don’t know. But this is a bigger book than just a writers’ book. It is a big rollicking, lusty book filled with characters who get in you and stay – I dare you to not love and care about these people. It’s a rewarding story, a beautifully unraveled journey. It’s as clever as hell and filled with massive heart. Happiness Economics is a Brava! performance by a writer to watch.” The Winnipeg Review
“Happiness Economics is an enjoyable and thoughtful journey. It muses on the nature of art and commerce; love and romance; marriage and aging, not to mention parenthood: Lapeña looks at the big questions our culture burdens itself with and somehow transforms it all into a deliciously likable romp.” January Magazine
“Definitely a book to put on the “poets in literature” list; I think it would be in great company with Nicholson Baker’s The Anthologist and Lynn Coady’s Mean Boy.” The Indextrious Reader
Reviews of Things Go Flying
“enormously appealing…” Quill & Quire
“Hilarious, fast-paced and irreverent…a continual giggle…” Owen Sound Sun Times
“Lapeña’s touch is sure, her labours invisible…Family is strange. Lapeña taps into its mix of the familiar and the unfathomable, ramping up the human skirmishes with a guerilla foray into the question of evil…” The Globe and Mail
“a first novel worthy of attention…” The Vancouver Sun
Things Go Flying has been shortlisted for the 2009 Sunburst Award! Click here to see more about the prize and the other shortlisted titles.
Brazilian rights to Things Go Flying have been sold to Saraiva Livreiros Editores!
Coming Appearances
I’ll be appearing at the The Leacock Festival in Orillia in July. Details to be announced.
I’ll be appearing at the Halifax Public Library in August. Details to be announced.
Past Events
Appearance at the Riverdale Public Library as part of the TPL’s Keep Toronto Reading program on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 370 Broadview Ave.
Appearance at the GritLit Festival in Hamilton on Sunday, April 1, 2012 at the Workers’ Arts and Heritage Centre (51 Stuart St, Hamilton), with Stephanie Bolster and Lillian Nattel.
Appearance at the Ontario Library Association’s Superconference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Friday, February 3, 2012, at the LPG Booth.
Reading at The Chiarscuro Reading Series with Violette Malan and Douglas Smith, Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 152A Augusta Avenue, Toronto.
Reading at the Supermarket at 268 Augusta Avenue, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011 with Mark Lavorato, Believing Cedric (B&G), Rob Benvie, Maintenance (Coach House) and Patricia Westerhof, Catch Me When I Fall (B&G).
Appearance at the DarkLit Fest of Durham presented by Oshawa Public Libraries, Saturday, December 3rd. On the Horror Panel with Gregory Lamberson, Michael Rowe (moderator), Simon Strantzas, and Rio Youers. DarkLit Fest
Reading with Lawrence Hill and Janice Kulyk Keefer at the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival, Sunday, Sept. 7.
Frog Hollow Books, Halifax NS, Wednesday, August 20.
The Box of Delights Bookshop, Wolfville NS, Tuesday, August 19.
Pictou Public Library, Pictou NS, Thursday, August 14.
The Humber School for Writers Summer Workshop. Panel of newly published writers, Saturday, July 12. With Ian Colford, Evidence, Porcupine’s Quill; Francesca Piredda, Bambina, Porcupine’s Quill; Anthony De Sa, Barnacle Love, Doubleday, and Steve Skurka, Tilted: The Trial of Conrad Black, Dundurn.
Fictionistas
The Fictionistas are smart, savvy women writers from a number of small Canadian presses who do reading events together.
In Toronto at the Victory Cafe, 581 Markham street, Thursday, June 19/08.
Prince Edward County Authors Festival, Picton, Saturday, June 21/08. Panel with John Degen and Michael Riordan, moderated by Marnie Woodrow, in the morning, and reading from Things Go Flying in the afternoon. All held at the beautiful Books & Company store in Picton.