"Unique and informative, these essays take a hard look at the state of Canadian literature today by exploring independent publishing, the awards culture, and the commercialization of even the most un-commercial of books. Delving into the political issues driving Canadians, including the tar sands in Alberta and the future of the railway system, this collection also discusses timely topics such as sexuality in the cyber world, the ongoing discoveries of the science world, and immigration. With contributions from Ryan Bigge, Kim Fu, George Fetherling, Alexandra Molotkow and Stephen Henighan, this volume promises to be one on the most entertaining and thought provoking edition yet."--Publisher.

All I Can Say / Marion Agnew -- Our Tarsands Man in Washington / Eric Andre-Gee -- Indie Won, Now What? / Ryan Bigge -- Man of a Hundred Thousand Books / George Fetherling -- How We Keep Our Dogs at Bay / Kim Fu -- Canada Reads ... at what cost? / Jeet Heer -- How the Giller Prize Swallowed Canadian Literature / Stephen Henighan -- Shooting the Messenger / Suanne Kelman -- Why Quebec Comedy Isn't Funny / Marie-Andrée Labbé -- Don't Call Me Hapa / Aaron Leaf -- Wanderer: An Essay on Franz Schubert's Winterreise -- My Cybersexual Education / Alexandra Molotkow -- The Future of the Railway / Monte Paulsen -- On the Margins of Freedom / Atif Rafay -- The Culture of Science Divided Agains Itself / Lee Smolin -- Paradigm Shift / Chris Turner -- Adrift on the Nile / Paul Wilson.