Talonbooks is an independent publisher of Canadian literature based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Its repertoire features authors writing in the literary genres of
poetry
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...
, fiction and drama, as well as non-fiction books in the fields of
ethnography, environmental and social issues,
cultural studies, and
literary criticism. Notable Talonbooks authors include
Michel Tremblay
Michel Tremblay (born 25 June 1942) is a French-Canadian novelist and playwright.
Tremblay was born in Montreal, Quebec, where he grew up in the French-speaking neighbourhood of Plateau Mont-Royal; at the time of his birth, a neighbourhood wit ...
,
George Ryga
George Ryga (27 July 1932 – 18 November 1987) was a Canadian playwright, actor and novelist. His writings explored the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada, among other themes. His most famous work is ''The Ecstasy of Rita Joe''.
E ...
,
bpNichol,
George Bowering
George Harry Bowering, (born December 1, 1935) is a prolific Canadian novelist, poet, historian, and biographer. He was the first Canadian Parliamentary Poet Laureate.
He was born in Penticton, British Columbia, and raised in the nearby town o ...
,
bill bissett,
Daphne Marlatt,
George F. Walker,
M.A.C. Farrant and
Mary Meigs.
The company started as a magazine called ''Talon'' in 1963. It was run by David Robinson and some of his high-school friends. It later incorporated Jim Brown, who acted as both a writer and editor for the publication. Talon later joined with a small local press called Very Stone House and published its first string of poetry books in 1967. The association with Very Stone House ended a year later, and the Talonbooks imprint started appearing by itself.
In 1969, with the addition of
Peter Háy as drama editor, Talonbooks published its first drama title, ''
Colours in the Dark'', by
James Reaney
James Crerar Reaney, (September 1, 1926 – June 11, 2008) was a Canadian poet, playwright, librettist, and professor, "whose works transform small-town Ontario life into the realm of dream and symbol." Reaney won Canada's highest literary a ...
. Its editorial focus began shifting gradually more toward drama until that became the company's area of specialization.
Karl Siegler joined Talonbooks in 1974 and later became its president and publisher. Karl and Christy Siegler ran the press until December 31, 2007, when it was acquired by Kevin and Vicki Williams (though Siegler remained with the company until the end of 2011).
BC BookWorld – Siegler, Karl
/ref>
References
External links
Talonbooks official website
*
Records of Talonbooks held by Simon Fraser University's Special Collections and Rare Books
1963 establishments in British Columbia
Book publishing companies of Canada
Publishing companies established in 1963
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