Posts Tagged ‘Heather Jessup’
Set against the backdrop of Cold War Toronto, The Lightning Field follows the lives of Peter and Lucy Jacobs from their post-war courtship through marriage and child-rearing in the suburbs. Though spanning four decades, the book pivots on the events of a single day: October 4, 1957. On this day, the Russians launch Sputnik into orbit, the Avro Arrow — the most advanced jet plane of its time, whose wings Peter Jacobs has engineered — rolls out onto the tarmac to great ceremony, and, in a nearby field, Lucy Jacobs is struck by lightning on her way to the event. In the aftermath of that day, Peter struggles with his wife’s hospitalization and recovery, the care of their children, and, eventually, the loss of his job when the Arrow project is suddenly terminated. Their children — Kier, Andy and Rose — grow up in the sheltered cul-de-sacs of their Toronto suburb, troubled by the disappointments of their parents’ world, yet drawn to the infinite possibilities inspired by Laika the space dog and the mysteries of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. If so much of what their parents hoped for in life seemed ultimately out of reach, how will this next generation of dreamers find their way?The Lightning Field is about loss and unexpected offerings, personal dismantling and reassembly.
About Warren:
Warren Heiti is currently a doctoral candidate in philosophy at Dalhousie University. His research interests include ancient Greek philosophy, ethics, ecological ethics, and lyric philosophy. He has taught sessionally at Dalhousie University and St. Mary’s University, and has facilitated a poetry workshop at the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia.
About Heather:
Heather Jessup’s poetry, fiction, reviews, and interviews have been published in journals across Canada and the U.S. including The Malahat Review, The Denver Quarterly, andPRISM International. Her first novel, The Lightning Field, will be published with Gaspereau Press in Fall 2011. She is completing her dissertation on contemporary Canadian literature and visual art in the English Department at the University of Toronto.
Time: Tuesday, December 6th @ 7p
Location: Room 101, The Atrium, 923 Robie St.
Admission: Free