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Banff Centre Director of Literary Arts and Poet Laureate Derek Beaulieu Shares His ‘Best Books of 2022’

Posted on December 20, 2022
Covers of Books Recommended by Derek Beaulieu in 2022

Derek Beaulieu's ‘Best Books of 2022’

Author of twenty-six books of poetry, conceptual fiction, and critical writing, as well as over 200 chapbooks and 6 edited volumes — Derek Beaulieu’s work is consistently praised as some of the most radical and challenging in contemporary Canadian writing. Since 2018 Beaulieu has been the Director of Literary Arts at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. He is also the 2022/2023 Poet Laureate for the Town of Banff.

I hope everyone can take some time during the holidays to dive into some exceptional reading; each of these titles can be borrowed from your library, ordered from your local bookstore, or online. I believe this list will surprise and entangle as you embrace new literary adventures!" ~ Derek Beaulieu

  • THE LASCAUX NOTEBOOKS by Jean-Luc Champerret, edited and translated by Philip Terry (Carcanet Classics, 2022)
  • OPTIC SUBWOOF by Douglas Kearney (Wave Books, 2022)
  • BOAT by Lisa Robertson (Coach House Books, 2022)
  • THE BOOK OF GRIEF AND HAMBURGERS by Stuart Ross (ECW, 2022)
  • ROOMS: WOMEN, WRITING, WOOLF by Sina Queyras (Coach House Books, 2022)
  • THE VERY LAST INTERVIEW by David Shields (New York Review Books, 2022)
  • LEVIATHAN by Jason Shiga (Amulet, 2022)
  • TWO SIDES by Kevin Stebner (Non Plus Ultra, 2022)
  • HERBARIUM by Danni Storm (Timglaset, 2022)
  • PARTICULATES by Greg Thomas (Timglaset, 2022)
  • RUHUMAN: THE TYPEWRITER ART OF KEITH ARMSTRONG, edited by Barrie Tullett and Tom Gill (The Caseroom Press, 2022)

Derek Beaulieu holds a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from the UK’s Roehampton University and has been recognized with 9 teaching awards locally, provincially, and nationally for his contributions to university-level education. He was Calgary’s Poet Laureate from 2014–2016 and is currently Banff’s Poet Laureate from 2022–2024. www.derekbeaulieu.ca