From Sir Thomas Browne to Seamus Heaney, the quincunx has been both a device and a structure in the English literary tradition. More than this, it has mathematical, agricultural, and mystical meanings from which, I believe, the literary use sprang.

Andre Alexis' use of the quincunx in his series of the same name seems to encompass all this in a challenging non-trivial way. Having read only the first and second books, Pastorale and Fifteen Dogs, I'm intrigued to explore further into the depth of the series.

If only the Ottawa Public Library offered digital copies, I'd be doing that now.

#andrealexis #quincunx #canadianbooks #canadianauthors

#NowReading

Andre Alexis “Despair: Five Stories of Ottawa”. From the Journey Prize collection.

Absurdist dreams set in downtown Ottawa, streets I know well from my time there, but populated by characters and plots which could be out of folk tales, dreams or absurdist comedies. Also published in Alexis’ own collection of short stories.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/2021/despair-and-other-stories-of-ottawa-by-andre-alexis/9780771006661

#ShortStory #Ottawa #AndreAlexis

#LunchtimeReading : Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis. Hermes & Apollo, for a bet, give 15 hounds human level intelligence to see what they will do. Reading pick for my SF book group for November.

#books #livres #AmReading #Bookstodon #FifteenDogs #AndreAlexis #dogs #chiens #fantasy