Tamas Dobozy launched his new story collection Ghost Geographies (New Star Books) via Zoom on the evening of Oct. 23, 2021. Dobozy began by reading from the title story, drawing listeners into the tale of an enigmatic Hungarian immigrant, artist, and visionary whose life moves between the physical geographies of Buffalo and Fort Erie, as well as the more elusive geographies of memory and the imagination.
The reading was followed by a conversation with poet and writer Matt Rader. The dialogue between Dobozy and Rader began with insights into different permutations of ‘utopia’ in the book, and moved on to Dobozy’s preference for the short story, a form wherein he can construct intricate mechanisms whose parts operate in perfect synchronicity with one another. Rader and Dobozy also discussed where to find hopefulness in the human condition despite the cruelties and setbacks of history and the daunting future challenges we face.
The event concluded with questions from the audience, which included guests from as far afield as Dobozy’s home province of British Columbia and Europe. The book has received very complimentary reviews and was featured in The Globe and Mail’s Fall preview of Short Fiction for 2021. Look for Ghost Geographies at your nearest local bookshop.
By: Jenny Kerber
Laurier English & Film Studies Blog 