ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Tara Bradbury
The Telegram
@tara_bradbury
Mark Critch would love to go everywhere he’s seen his book go in the photos readers post on social media: next to someone’s cozy fireplace one minute, on a sunny beach the next.
For the time being, at least, that’s not going to happen, since he’s stuck at home like the rest of us in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Instead, he’s going to bring you to his St. John’s home to read the book, “Son of a Critch: A Childish Newfoundland Memoir.”
Released in hardcover in the fall of 2018, Critch’s tale of life as the weirdest kid in elementary school has become a national bestseller. All across the country, readers are revelling in Critch’s stories of shocking his parents by appearing naked onstage, trick-or-treating at a used car dealership and outsmarting bullies in kindergarten with the sense of humour of a 75-year-old man. With “Son of a Critch,” the “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” comedian has won the 2019 Margaret and John Savage First Book Award and been nominated for three other national book awards and earned the praise of people like Gordon Pinsent and Anne Murray.
That’s right — Canadian musical icon Anne Murray. Hers is one of his most favourite quotes.
“Having done many shows in Newfoundland and being a devotee of Codco, I have long been captivated by Newfoundlanders — their warmth, grit and forthrightness, but especially their humour. Mark captures all of that so cleverly. I laughed from start to finish, often uproariously,” Murray said of the book.
Penguin Canada will release the paperback version of “Son of a Critch” late next month, but obviously a public book reading is out of the question.
“The National Arts Centre and Facebook Canada came together to present live online presentations by Canadian performers who would normally be performing live, but can’t because of the pandemic,” Critch told The Telegram. “The series started off with Blue Rodeo, but a series of author readings was launched with a chart with Margaret Atwood. Thanks to Canada Reads, I’ll be able to host a reading on Facebook live.”
On Thursday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m. Newfoundland time, Critch will host a live reading, publicly viewable at facebook.com/critchmark/live as well as on the National Arts Centre’s Facebook page.
Critch is picturing the event as an interactive one. Do you love the story about him getting locked out of school on a fourth-floor window ledge? Ask him to read it to you.
“I love doing readings because I can do voices for the characters. I feed off the energy of the crowd,” he said. “I can’t wait to interact with everyone on Facebook. People are encouraged to ask questions and I’ll be more than happy to answer them and to read any selections people want to hear.”
For the rest of the lockdown period, you’ll find Critch at home writing. He’s working on a sequel to the book, the second in his three-book deal with Penguin.
“It’s keeping me busy during COVID,” he said. “It picks up where ('Son of a Critch') leaves off and focuses on my career and stories from Trinity to Afghanistan, the basement of the White House to the roof of the Peace Tower.”
