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Fiddlehead poetry editor Ian LeTourneau and local Fredericton poet Lynn Davies were on CBC Fredericton's Information Morning last Friday, July 8 to give their summer reading recommendations. You can listen to the podcast here. 

What do you plan on reading this summer? Read something recently you'd like to recommend? Let us know in the comments! 

Photo by Colleen Kitts-Goguen.

For years I’ve listened to the likes of Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Mary Gauthier, and Chris Whitley while writing, as well as a smattering of classical works, but over the past year — perhaps reflecting a spiritual or emotional change — the focus has shifted almost entirely to classical music, both traditional and contemporary. Works by people like Olafur Arnalds, Ludovico Einaudi, Anouar Brahem, Hildur Gudnadottir, Hildegard of Bingen, and Dijan Gasparyan.

Here's a picture of the recent books received at the office. What are you most looking forward to reading? Tell us! Go to the comment field below (or to Facebook or Twitter) and tell us what you're most looking forward to reading!

Mostly jazz — an idiom in a hard way these days (once Sonny Rollins dies, that’s it for the giants who shaped it from the late 40s onwards; the Toronto jazz festival this year has the nerve to bill KC and the Sunshine Band as its headline act!). Still have a lot of vinyl and have been playing a fair amount of — you guessed it! – Prince, Merle Haggard and, for some unfathomable reason, R.E.M. from the mid-80s.

James Adams is a reporter at The Globe & Mail covering a variety of arts topics.

Aside from waiting for the new Strokes EP to drop so I can buy it just to burn it? I’m listening to Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool. Obvious choice, I know. May as well get it out of the way. This is candid Radiohead. Seems to be Johnny Greenwood driven, symphonic and organic. It’s not In Rainbows, but what is?

Then there’s Marlon Williams. Self-titled debut album of a New Zealand singer-songwriter providing his take on American country-western. Voice like something you have to take methadone to kick. Eclectic and fucking eerie.

By John Reibetanz

Ironic that at the same time as Brexit is gathering momentum, the best exhibit I’ve ever seen on Turner should be mounted by the Caumont Centre d’Art in Aix en Provence. “Turner et la couleur” throws aside all the stereotypes of Turner as a flag-waving nationalist and — on two floors of rarely shown paintings and watercolours — reveals the intricacy and coherence of an internationalist’s imaginative vision.  

Congratulations to all the winners of the 39th National Magazine Awards, just handed out this past weekend in Toronto. Congratulations to Fiddlehead contributor Rachel Rose for her honourable mention in the poetry category for her poems "Corona for Charlotte," "Good Measure," and "Sunflowers" that appeared in Spring 2015 (no. 265).

By Ross Leckie

An 18-year-old kid gets a record deal with Warner Bros. and he demands complete control over his music. I doubt that Warner Bros. knew what that meant. They cheerfully announced that the album would be produced by Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire. Prince Rogers Nelson replied, “No one produces Prince music but Prince.” He had, after all, spent an entire year in a friend’s studio when it was free at night recording and producing his demo.

By Robert Norsworthy

The Fiddlehead editorial assistant Robert Norsworthy interviews fiction editor Gerard Beirne about his new book of stories In a Time of Drought and Hunger.

Gerard Beirne is an Irish writer living in Canada since 1997. He has published three novels, two collections of poetry and a collection of short stories. He is a past recipient of The Sunday Tribune/Hennessy New Irish Writer of the Year Award. His novel The Eskimo in the Net (Marion Boyars Publishers, London) was shortlisted for The Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award 2004 and selected as Book of the Year by The Daily Express Literary Editor (UK). His collection of poetry Digging My Own Grave (Dedalus Press) was runner-up in The Patrick Kavanagh Award. His short story Sightings of Bono was adapted for film featuring Bono (U2).

Here's a picture of the recent books received at the office. What are you most looking forward to reading? Tell us! Go to the comment field below (or to Facebook or Twitter) and tell us what you're most looking forward to reading!