Our Contemporary Literature section covers fiction and literary non-fiction published roughly from the later twentieth century to the present, a natural complement to our older Classics shelf. It is where you will find recent award-winning novels, well-regarded literary debuts, and essay collections alongside more commercially popular contemporary fiction.

This category turns over quickly, since it draws heavily on trade-ins from local readers who pass along recently read titles, and we make a point of keeping a strong mix of Canadian contemporary authors alongside international literary fiction.

Because condition on recently published books is usually excellent, this section is a favourite for customers looking for a well-priced, gently used copy of a book still widely discussed.

We also carry a rotating selection of literary non-fiction, essays, and memoir from contemporary writers, which frequently overlaps with our biography shelf for readers who enjoy first-person narrative writing.

Staff recommendations play a bigger role here than in most other sections, since new titles arrive faster than any catalogue can keep pace with.

A short conversation about what you have enjoyed recently is often the fastest way to find something worth reading next, and it is a conversation we are always glad to have.

• Recent award-winning fiction
• Canadian contemporary authors
• International literary fiction in translation
• Literary essays and non-fiction
• Contemporary memoir
• Popular and book-club fiction
• Literary debuts
• Short story collections

Because this shelf turns over so quickly, it rewards regular visits far more than most of our other categories. A title a customer was hoping to find can appear within weeks of a trade-in, then sell again just as fast.

That is part of why several regulars simply ask us to set aside anything noteworthy that comes in rather than checking the catalogue themselves, and we are happy to keep that kind of standing note.

Most contemporary fiction reaches us as a trade paperback or a jacketed hardcover in good shape, usually read once. We describe reading wear honestly even when it is minimal.

For collectors, we note first printings where the copyright page makes it clear, though we do not treat every recent hardcover as a collectable and we will say when a copy is simply a good reading copy.