On April 3, the York University Bookstores launched three new books. The authors, all members of the University community, presented readings from their new books. Steve Glassman, director, Bookstore, Printing & Mailing Services at York University, wrote the following article about the launch event.
They say everyone has at least one book in them. That adage holds true for three York University community members who celebrated the launch of their books at an event held April 3 in the York University Bookstore on the Keele Campus. Department of History Professor Emeritus Arthur Haberman, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Professor Emeritus Robert G. Burns, and Bookstore staff member Sean McNulty gave readings from their new books.
Haberman read from his second book in his justice trilogy, Social Justice. The central character, Danny Miller, is a homicide detective who was first introduced to readers in Haberman’s first book in the trilogy, Wild Justice. Miller reappears to solve a string of murders plaguing the city. Haberman explained to an audience (which included students from the York Writing Practicum group who published his work under the Leaping Lion imprint) that his mystery novels are inspired by the culturally diverse city of Toronto and its citizens. Now that the Danny Miller stories have been well received, the third novel is already being written and has the working title “Poetic Justice.” As professor emeritus of history, Haberman is well respected at his day job, having recently published a book about Europe between the World Wars, titled 1930.
Burns, writing under the pseudonym “Brennt,” is another well-known figure at York University. Sightings of Burns in the Ross building go back to the early 1970s, where he taught and investigated mathematics. His first novel, An Aussie Canuck Runs Amuck, printed and published at York University Bookstore, is a dense, humorous and at times dark tale that takes the reader into the mind of retired lecturer Andrew Bloomfield. The character ponders politics today, romances of the past and offers an illuminating view of life at a university. As that university is a major one situated in Toronto, near Keele Street and Steeles Avenue, it appears that his character Andrew Bloomfield ran amuck at the Keele Campus.
Sean McNulty, a sometime lecturer at York and a full-time bookseller, read from his book 27 and ½ Short Plays About William Shakespeare. McNulty’s reading, playing all the characters in the excerpt, was masterful. In this short book, a professor sets out, with the help of a few of his friends, to explain the wonder of Shakespeare. McNulty’s characters, including Will himself, offer a glimpse into how Shakespeare decided to write a tragic story about a prince in or around the year 1601.
The writing practicum, operating as Leaping Lion Imprints, has been a showcase of experiential learning for the last decade at York University, under the leadership of contract faculty member Mike O’Connor. The York University Bookstore assists faculty and students with about 75 events annually and works with Printing Services to print York University authors’ works right on campus using its Print on Demand technology.
To learn more, visit the York University Bookstore website.