Explore the 2019 Festival Reading List!

This summer, as you look toward the fall festival author lineup, curl up with a book in a shady spot and savour a good read! Whether you’re inspired to explore Canada and songwriting, delve into historical tales or find a simple recipe for a weekend barbecue, following are some suggestions for page-turning reads from our 2019 Festival Reading List.

Find out more about this lineup by reading the Author Biographies in our event listings or from this summary:

John Goddard

Author, magazine writer, and former Toronto Star reporter John Goddard has written The Man with the Black Valise, a True Crime novel, based on a murder that took place in Perth County. The detective called in to solve the case was John Wilson Murray, the true-life model for Detective William Murdoch of the popular TV series Murdoch Mysteries. The novel traces the killer’s trajectory through three counties — a route that today connects travellers to poignant reminders of nineteenth-century life, one being the statue of the Roman goddess Flora, gesturing as though to cast roses onto Jessie’s grave.

Dayna Manning

Juno-nominated singer-songwriter and Stratford native Dayna Manning is now adding ‘author’ to her list of accolades with the launch of her memoir Many Moons. In engaging prose as smooth and colourful as her Juno-nominated melodies, Dayna Manning’s memoir provides a window into the world of her songwriting. In Many Moons, Manning depicts her collaborations with Canadian legends such as Burton Cummings, Chris Hadfield, and William Lishman, providing readers with an intimate view of a musician’s life and up-close encounters with some of Canada’s greatest personalities. Manning’s charming debut memoir is a fascinating read, spanning Canada itself as well as a three-decade career in an ever-changing music business.

Mary Berg

MasterChef Canada winner and star of Mary’s Kitchen Crush, Mary Berg is a beloved voice of encouragement for all types of home cooks and she debunks stressful cooking with her insider tips in Kitchen Party. Her book is filled with Mary’s family-style favourites for brunches, dinners, and special occasions. You’ve probably seen Mary in one of her cooking expert roles on CTV’s Your Morning, The Social, or The Marilyn Denis Show – now you can try her recipes for some of her famous baked goods and desserts!

During the fall season, Stratford Writers Festival will also present various writing workshops and a free author photography workshop.

Click here to get your ticketss!