Best of Toronto
Best of Toronto // Books
Author
Maggie Helwig
 
Poet, novelist, activist and organizer, Helwig loves this city and gives back to it whenever she can.
 
Her 2008 novel Girls Fall Down (Coach House) is not only a beautiful work that’s totally of the moment – dealing with bio-terrorism, homelessness, uneasy love – but also stars Toronto itself. As its hero, the photographer Alex, prowls T.O. for some decent subjects, Helwig takes us through our hospitals, coffee shops and of course the TTC.
 
But we don’t dole out kudos for books alone. Helwig is totally involved in this city as a cultural worker and activist. She’s the associate director of the Scream Literary Festival, which has grown from its one-off Scream In High Park to a 12-day orgy of spoken word. Currently in divinity school, she’s active in the Out of the Cold program – featured prominently in Girls Fall Down – which offers safe refuge, hospitality and emergency shelter to the homeless. 
 
We’re talkin’ total package here.

 

NOW | October 29-November 5, 2008 | VOL 28 NO 9
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Comments
Posted by DM on 11/03/2008, 11:30 PM
I knew her sister Kate in university: she was a real alternative type taking science course and a bunch of other courses that were a mystery to us. Many years later, I was shocked to hear what she was doing job-wise, because it was so out of character. I forget what it was now. Their dad is writer David Helwig. Interesting family.

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