Joan Murray Libros

In the summer of 1917, Tom Thomson, one of Canada's greatest artists, died tragically and mysteriously in Algonquin Park.In The Last Spring , the reader comes very close to seeing Thomson's last spring through his eyes by focusing on a small segment – a single season – of his sketches. In his last months, Thomson painted 62 sketches of the advancing spring and summer. He called these works his "records" and regarded the series as being of special importance. Over the years, the series has often been spoken of but never assembled in one place. This book focuses on the 38 works found to date – including 25 extraordinarily vivid images in colour.Equally important, the book will examine Thomson's work in the light of new information discovered about his life which will transform our perception of his work and bring it right up to date in terms of the art world.

One of the few poets whose work remains accessible to both scholars and casual readers, her finely wrought free-form verse reads as easily as prose despite its dense imagery. Working in free verse, she is a master of the unforgettable detail, crafting image-driven narratives that reflect the urgency of their moral or social context while maintaining the rhythm of daily life. This career-defining collection showcases twenty-two new poems alongside selections from her earlier acclaimed works, including those that earned prestigious awards. The book vividly dramatizes urban youth and rural life, addressing deeper concerns about history, art, and injustice. In one poem, the speaker recalls a moment of youthful rebellion, crammed with friends in a doorway, confronting the complexities of identity and memory. Joan Murray, a celebrated author of four prize-winning collections, has been featured on NPR's Morning Edition and has edited notable anthologies. Her work continues to resonate, highlighting the interplay of personal experience and broader societal themes.