Kim Echlin, Author of Much-Buzzed The Disappeared, Raises a Glass in Celebration

One of my many resolutions this year was to read not more, but better. This year, I vowed to open my mind to something with a little more depth and character development than Confessions of a Shopaholic' and less indulgent than the Oprah-esque be your best self' offerings that are threatening to collapse my bookshelf. Luckily, Penguin Group Canada's newest list is offering some exciting new works of fiction and non-fiction with which I am sure to expand my literary horizons.

Penguin is offering some pretty serious reading material in its newest literary imprint, Hamish Hamilton, which officially launched on March 3rd at Nyood Restaurant on Queen West. The popular local venue was lit up with a lovely litter of top tier literary luminaries enjoying a ripe, festive evening. David Davidar, President and Publisher of Penguin Canada, held court with novelist Michael Winter and Simon Prosser, Publisher of Hamish Hamilton in the UK.

Founded in 1931 by Jamie Hamilton, Hamish Hamilton included some of the most interesting eclectic and distinctive writers of the 20th Century, including Truman Capote, Lillian Hellman, Albert Camus and J.D. Salinger. This new, Canadian imprint follows the tradition and includes some distinguished, and impressive, writers on its inaugural list.

Hamish Hamilton's first offerings include: The Disappeared, by Kim Echlin, The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larson, Fall by Colin McAdam, The First Person and Other Stories by Ali Smith, Goya's Dog by Damian Tarnopolsky, and White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi.

You're not going to find anything here that's likely to be made into a movie starring Kate Hudson, but you will find evocative and compelling novels to bring to your next book club.

By Andrea Corlett