I guess this isn't much of an article, but rather, a preamble to a series I'm starting with SB, as means of documenting my reading and discovery of postmodern Canadian fiction in the mid to late nineties. As a culmination to my undergrad at York University, I'm embarking upon my first real research project - my first thesis, to be written under the watchful eye of my mentor, a prominent Canadian poet, and to be judged by a panel of profs from York University's English Department.

This all came out of my bizarre love affair with everything postmodern, namely, American and European fiction and poetry, which subsequently lead to a delving into cultural theory - mostly European, a la Lyotard, Baudrillard and Deleuze. In fiction, I've been obsessed with the American postmodern, I'm on my third reading of Gravity's Rainbow, for god's sake. I guess there's nothing wrong with that, but I realized, only a few months ago, that my interests were entirely alienated from my own cultural tradition. I know, I know, what the hell is Canadian culture anyway? When I tell people I'm into CanLit, they reference Joseph Boyden or something and say that the whole establishment is alienated from urban Canadian lifestyles. Fine. I get that. But there's so much crazy awesome literature coming out of Canada that goes widely unnoticed by the mainstream for reasons I cannot comprehend. The small press scene in Canada is rife with relevant, urban perspectives, and when the cyclicality, loss of agency and cultural disillusionment of pomo are thrown into the multi-cultural mixed bag of Canadian literature, some interesting and unique pieces have emerged.

As I've begun to dip my toe into the oddly uncharted waters of late-nineties Canadian pomo, I've had to situate myself in a context under the Canadian pomo thinkers who have come before me - Linda Hutcheon, Robert Kroetsch, Frank Davey et al. - and find a way to say something about what I gather from my reading in relation to what has already been said about early Canadian pomo. Halfway through Matthew Remski's Silver, with a reading list that's approaching 40 texts in three months, working through all of the material is becoming more and more of a realistic, albeit daunting goal, and as I read, I intend to document, here, my readings through reviews and discussions of how my ideas are progressing.

Ideally, this won't just be a task of narcissistically spouting off what I'm learning in some sort of pompous fashion, expecting you to just read it as if I'm talking to myself, but rather, a means of engagement with you - the reader of this zine - who can learn with me and engage with the ideas in discussion. I can only hope this diary, posted on Steel Bananas - the first public manifestation of my love for pomo - will become a source of learning for other Canadians who feel alienated from the art of their culture. Through criticizing my rash statements and commenting on my readings and progress, my research can find some sort of palpable value on the ground, between people, who can engage with these ideas and use them to form some sort of awareness of their own position in Canadian culture.

Idealistic, eh? Well, call me on it. I'll post my reading lists, reviews, musings etc., and I hope you'll engage with me - that's what this series is all about.

Currently Reading:

Silver - Matthew Remski
Mauve Desert - Nicole Brossard
Human Resources - Rachel Zolf
Studhorse Man - Robert Kroetsch