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 in science, and immigration. With contributions from Ryan Bigge, George Fetherling, and Stephen Henighan, this volume is both entertaining and thought provoking.

Ray Robertson is the author of five novels: What Happened Later, Gently Down the Stream, Home Movies, Heroes, and Moody Food. The latter two received starred reviews from Quill & Quire, and the last made it to the top one hundred lists of The Globe and Mail and The Vancouver Sun. In 2004, Ray published Mental Hygiene, a collection of his articles, essays, and book reviews. Ray lives in Toronto, where he teaches Creative Writing at the University of Toronto.

Ray Robertson's profile page

Christopher Doda is a poet and an award winning critic living in Toronto. His first book of poems, Among Ruins (2001), was released by Mansfield Press; he is an editor at Exile: The Literary Quarterly.

Christopher Doda's profile page

"The individual contributions in Best Canadian Essays 2009 transcend simple reportage and reach the level of art. Each one has something distinctive and informative to say. Take heed."  —Quill & Quire on Best Canadian Essays 2009