Novels

• Estates Large and Small  (Biblioasis, 2022)
• 1979 (Biblioasis, 2018)
• I Was There the Night He Died (Biblioasis, 2014)
• David (Thomas Allen Publishers, 2009; paperback/Biblioasis, 2013)
• What Happened Later (Thomas Allen, 2007; French: VLB Editeur, 2012)
• Gently Down the Stream (Cormorant, 2005)
• Moody Food (Doubleday, 2002; US: Santa Fe Writers Project, 2006; Biblioasis: 2010; French: VLB Editeur, 2010)
• Heroes (Dundum, 2000; Biblioasis, 2015)
• Home Movies (Cormorant, 1997)

Nonfiction

• How to Die: A Book About Being Alive (Biblioasis, 2020; Serbian: Karpos Publishing, forthcoming)
• Lives of the Poets (With Guitars) (Biblioasis, 2016; Serbian: Karpos Publishing, 2018)
• Why Not? Fifteen Reasons to Live (Biblioasis, 2011; German: Random House, 2012; Serbian: Karpos Publishing, 2016)
• Mental Hygiene: Essays on Writers and Writing (Insomniac, 2003)

Poetry

• The Old Man in the Mirror Isn’t Me: Last Call Haiku (Exile, 2020)

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

2022

Mandrake, Jill, “Older and Better”, Geist, March

2021  

Thomas, Rob, “The Old Man In The Mirror Isn’t Me: Last Call Haiku,” Broken Pencil, May 4.

2020

Domazet, Sanja, “Što Da Ne? Petnaest razloga za život,” Politika (Serbia), April 10.

Dundas, Deborah, “Twenty books you need to know about in Spring 2020,” Toronto Star, January 10.

Giliforte, Brittany, “Ray Robertson’s How to Die will improve your life,” Queens’ Journal, February 13.

Keystone, Kevin, “Death Becomes Us: On the universal experience,” Literary Review of Canada, October.

McCabe, Patti, “Ray Robertson and Mara Korkola: Life in Words and Pictures,” Neighbours of High Park & Roncesvalles, January.

Myskiw, Jarett, “Live and let die: Ruminations on death highlight value of perspective on life,” Winnipeg Free Press, February 22.

Niedzviecki, Hal, “Death in the Small Press,” Broken Pencil, June 4.

Shreve, Elwood, “Author Ray Robertson delves into the topic of death in latest book,’” Chatham Daily News, January 6.

Wiersema, Robert, “Grief is devastating, but it can teach us to live,” Toronto Star, January 29.

Wilhelm, Trevor, “How to Die: A Book About Being Alive,” Windsor Star, Feb. 5.

“A Deathly Tome,” Toronto Life, January.

2018

Cardwell, Kathryne, “Paperboy’s coming-of-age story a vintage treat,” Winnipeg Free Press, March 17.

Carter, Sue, “Novel brings Ontario town Into the CanLit experience,” Toronto Star, March 3.

Miller, Geordie, “Nostalgia Novels,” Canadian Literature: A Quarterly of Criticism and Review, Winter 2018.

Shreve, Elwood, “Author Ray Robertson weaves local history into new novel `1979’” Chatham Daily News, March 3.

2017

Belcher, William, “Lives of the Poets (with Guitars),” The Alt, Feb. 13.

Jankovic, Zoran, “Rej Rpbertson: Spinoza ili Simpsonovi?” City Magazine (Serbia), July 3.

Pancic, Teofil, “Why Not? Fifteen Reasons to Live,” Elle (Serbia), May.

2016

Cobb, Mike, “Lives of the Poets (with Guitars),” Elmore, Dec. 6.

Cole, Susan, “Lives of the Poets (with Guitars),” Now, March 2.

Hammond, Barry, “Lives of the Poets (with Guitars),” Penguin Eggs, Issue #72, Winter 2016.

Cribbs, Stephen, “Lives of the Poets (with Guitars),” 50THIRD and 3RD, May.

Khanna, Vish, “Don’t stop the music: Ray Robertson grapples with fandom and obscurity in Lives of the Poets (with Guitars),” Globe and Mail, April 2.

Kirkus Review, “Lives of the Poets (with Guitars),” March.

Krings, Mike, “The Words Behind the Music,” Utne Reader, Summer.

Lyttle, John, “Off the Charts: Musical underdogs get their due in collection,” Winnipeg Free Press, March 19.

Nayman, Adam, “Hardcore Troubdours: Ray Robertson’s essay collection reaches out to roots, blues, and gospel aficionados,” Quill and Quire, March.

Roe, Sturdee, “Poets with Guitars,” Architecture Boogie, April 15.

Shreve, Elwood, “Ray Robertson releases new book `Lives of the Poets (with Guitars'”), Chatham Daily News, February 20.

Simm, Brad, “Canadian Author Ray Robertson uncovers 13 treasures in Lives of the Poets (with Guitars),” Beat Route, October 6.

Thompson, Mark, “Lives of the Poets (with Guitars),” Blues Blast Magazine, Nov. 19.

Weirsema, Robert, “Tales of guitar greats make familiar feel new,” Toronto Star, March 12.

2015

Murray, Andrew, “I Was There the Night He Died,” subTerrain, #69.

2014

Colbert, Jade, “The Best in Small Press: Three Books to Check Out Now,” Globe and Mail, June 14.

Herrold, Charlotte, “Music Continues to Inspire Toronto Author Ray Robertson,” Post City, March.

Madden, Stacey, “I Was There the Night He Died,” Quill and Quire, April.

Mastracci, Lorren,  “I Was There the Night He Died,” The Urbanite, March.

Pellet, Chad, “Canlit Fridays: Ray Robertson’s I Was There the Night He Died,” The Overcast, June 27.

Publisher’s Weekly, “I Was There the Night He Died,” May.

Redekop, Corey, “I Was There the Night He Died,” Winnipeg Review, April 24.

Rioux, Helene, “Ray Robertson, CS Richardson, Timothy Findley, Lettres Quebecoises, February.

Shields, Vanessa, “I Was There the Night He Died,” Windsor Indepednent, September.

Shreeve, Elwood, “Chatham Native Coming Home for Book Reading,” The Chatham Dally News, April 22.

Stonich, Sarah, “I Was There the Night He Died,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, June 10.

Whittall, Zoe, “I Was There the Night He Died,” National Post, April 26.

Worsley, David, “I Was There the Night He Died,” The Cord Community, April.

2013

Hanks-Mackey, Shannon, “David,” The Black Scholar, Septemer.

Hargreaves, Kate, “Robertson-in-Residence,” The Lance, Jan 30.

Kempf, Andrea, “David,” Library Journal, January 1.

McArthur, Cynthia, “David,” Historical Novels Review, Issue 66, November.

2012

Ballon, Diana, “Why Not? Fifteen reflections on reasons to live.” Crosscurrents, Vol 15, No.4, Summer.

Buma, Michael, Refereeing Identity: The Cultural Work of Canadian Hockey Novels, McGill-Queen’s University Press, p 44-47, p 82, p 84-86, p 90-92, p 96, p 267.

Desmeules, Christian, “La beat identification,” Le Doir, September 29.

Doolan, Susan, “Writer tackles Happiness.”  Barrie Examiner, April 13.

Ferland, Pierre-Paul, “What Happened Later,” salon double: observatoire de la litterature contemporaire,  November 5.

McGillis, Ian, “Things are going well for Ray Robertson these days.”  Montreal Gazette, April 13.

Reunhardt, Susie, “Was macht das Leben lebenswert?” Psychologie Heute, Heft 32.

 

Smith, Travis, “The Relatively Good Life.”  Convivium, Volume 1, No.3 July/August.

2011

Brown, Adrienne, “Why Not? Fifteen Reasons to Live.”  Guelph Mercury, Oct. 28.

Clare, Kerry, “Chasing Happiness.”  UofT Alumni Magazine, October.

Jackson, Blair, “Chatham native up for national book prize,” Chatham Daily News, Oct. 13.

McGillis, Ian, “Learning to Celebrate Life: Robertson is Heartfelt and funny without being preachy.”  Montreal Gazette, November 26.

Medley, Mark, “Ray Robertson Looks Toward the Light with Why Not? Fifteen Reasons to Live.” National Post, Oct. 5.

Persky, Stan, “A rock and roll Montaigne decides not to die.”  Globe and Mail, Oct.15.

Purdy, Vanessa, “Why Not? read it?  Author Ray Robertson dares to give life meaning.”  The newspaper, Nov.3.

Ryan, Sarina, “David.”  Northern Terminus: The African Canadian History Journal, Volume 8.

Shreve, Elwood, “Rave reviews for Ray.”  Chatham Daily News, Dec. 15.

Stone, Beverly, “Why Not? Fifteen Reasons to Live.”  Toronto Review of Books, Nov.25.

2010

Beattie, Steven, “Ray Robertson and Masculinity.”  Canadian Notes and Queries, Number 80.

Blake, Jason, Canadian Hockey Literature, University of Toronto Press, p 119-121, p 145.

Drouin, Serge, “Un Univers Glaque et Melancolique.”  Le Journal de Quebec, June 19

Harris, Amy Lavender, Imagining Toronto, Mansfield Press, p. 165, p 181, p 275

Proulx, Candide, “La vie boheme.”  Voir, July 22

Rigelhoff, T.F.,  Hooked on Canadian Books: The Good, Better, and the Best Canadian Novels Since 1984, Cormorant  Books, p. 90-94

Skinazi, Karen E.H., “Expanding Jack Keroauc’s `America’: Canadian Revisions of On the Road,” American Studies, Fall/Winter, Vol. 51, Issue 3&4, p 31

Sylvestre, Paul-Francois, “Le Toronto Des Arness 1960 Dans Un Roman Melancoulique.”  L’Express, Oct.25

2009

 

Anderson, Mary Jo, “What Happened Later a feat of skill.”  Halifax Chronicle Herald, April 20.

 

Black, Barbara, “Young fan fumbles toward wisdom.”  Montreal Gazette, Nov.15.

Fetherling, George, “Rage and resurrection.”  Globe and Mail, Sept. 19.

 

Harrison, Brendan, “Dirtbags duke it out with Men in Space.”  FFWD, March 13 2007.

Pevere, Geoff, “Some shackles are internal.”  Toronto Star, September 20.

 

Reid, Robert, “Novelist uses history as a springboard to a world of the imagination.”  Guelph Mercury, September 26.

2007

Calabro, John, “On Living Without Mistakes: An Interview.”  Books in  Canada, January/February.                                      

Cole, Susan, “On the Road Again.”  Now Magazine, August 30-September 5.

Hoeflle, Harold, “What Happened Later.”  Quill and Quire, September.

Kelly, Bernard, “This Ray finally gets the book right.”  Toronto Star, September 2.

Kowalski, William, “Ray and Jack hot the road.”  Globe and Mail, September 1.

Laird, Anne, “The best of the new novels: Independent Booksellers List Their Top Choices.”  Grand Magazine, November/Decemeber.

MacGowan, James, “An embarrassment of riches.” The Ottawa Citizen, September 30.

MacGowan, James, “My Top 10 of the year.”  Ottawa Citizen, December 9.

Miller, Eric, “Putting Kerouac Back on the Road.”  Books in Canada, September.

Reid, Robert, “Inspired by Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, Toronto novelist does iconic writer proud.”  Kitchener-Waterloo Record, September 29.

Robinet, Karen, “National book tour bringing Chatham novelist back home.”  Sept.26.

Schultz, Emily, “Hit the Road, Jack.”  Eye Weekly, September 6.

Shreve, Ellwood, “Robertson’s new book a success.”  Chatham Daily News, September 8.

Wiersema, Robert, “The Long and Holy Road.” National Post, September 22.

2006

Earle, Jamelah, “Three Completely Unrelated Novels.”  Literary Kicks.  Nov.1

Whalen, Tracy, “Covering Geometries.”  Canadian Literature: A Quarterly of Criticism and Review, Winter.

Wilkinson, Joanne, “Moody Food.”  Booklist, September.

2005

Armitage, Andrew, “Read This!.”  Owen Sound Sun Times, May 5.

Bendo, Yvonne, “Writing is a natural fit.”  Chatham Daily News, April 23.

Delaney, Rachelle, “Ordinary Guy is focus of thoughtful novel.”  Edmonton Journal, April 10.

Firth, Matthew, “I’m an Adult Now.”  Ottawa Xpress, September 29.

Gilmour, David, “Life just slipping away.”  National Post, April 23.

Kelly, Bernard, “Boy with dog, wife and house.”  Toronto Star, April 10.

Murray, Andrew, “Gently Down the Stream.”  Monday Magazine, Nov.9.

Ranford, Lisa, “Author draws on his local experiences.”  The Villager, April 1.

Rigelhof, T.F., “The slacker breaks on through.”  Globe and Mail, March 26.

Salem-Wiseman, Lisa, “Another Man Unwilling to Grow Up.”   Books in Canada, Summer, Vol.34, Number 5.

Shannon, Gene, “Merrily, Merrily, Merrily: Local Writer Ray Robertson probes the struggles of everyday living.”  Parkdale Liberty, April/May 2006.

2004

Fetherling, George, “Mental Hygiene.”  Vancouver Sun, June 21.

Firth, Matthew, “What’s Really Hot and What’s Really Not.”  Ottawa Express, June 5.

Golfman, Noreen, “Letters In Canada 2002.”  University of Toronto Quarterly, volume 73, number 1, winter 2003/2004.

Good, Alex, “Canlit landscape gets a scrubdown.”  Kitchner-Waterloo Record, June 28.

Hanna, Tim, “The Inimitable Ray Robertson.”  Hive, Issue 2.

Mackenzie, Karen, “Peace and love: Local author celebrates Toronto’s swinging sixties.”  The Annex Gleaner, June.

Robinet, Don, “Chatham-born author has words of wisdom for local students.”  Chatham This Week, June 2.

2003

Brouwer, Adair, “Mental Hygiene.” (Starred Review)  Quill and Quire, May.

Schultz, Emily, “Mental Hygiene.”  Broken Pencil.

Scott, Susan, “Mental Hygiene.”  Scene, July 24.

Wiersema, Robert, “The Scourge of McCanlit.”  Toronto Star, April 27.

Cross, Jasper, “Heroes.”  British Journal of Canadian Studies, Volume Sixteen, Number Two.

 

 Ivison, Douglas, “Mental Hygiene, Canadian Book Review Annual.

 

2002

“From Here to There: An Interview with Ray Robertson.”  Hart House Review 2002.

Armitage, Andrew, “Novel looks at 1960s music scene in Toronto.”  Owen Sound Sun Times, July 25.

Barker, Randi, “Chatham native finds writing success.”  Chatham Daily News, May 16.

Donnelly, Pat, “Flashback to the 60’s: Decade’s good and bad times replayed in eventful novel.”  Montreal Gazette, May. 11.

Dueck, Gordon, “Yorkfill.”  Paperplates, Vol.5, No.3.

Firth, Matthew, “The Tale of Two Scribes: Kevin Connoly and Ray Robertson Take Their Own Routes to Glory.”  Ottawa Express, Sept 19.

Johnson, Andrew, “Interview with Ray Robertson.”  Books In Canada, June/July.

Jones, Joseph, “Moody Food.”  Canadian Book Review Annual, 2002.

Jory, Bill, “Psst . . .Santa: Try turning over a new leaf.”  The London Free Press, December 23.

McGillis, Ian, “Rock’n Rolling in Yorkville.”  Books in Canada, June/July.

Richler, Noah, “New era in the history of the novel: Two Canadians and a Tasmanian prove books are nowhere near dead.”  National Post, May 9.

Rigelhof, T.F.,  “Yorkville Satire Flat-out Rocks.”  Globe and Mail, April 13.

Schneider, Jason, “A Gram of Truth: Ray Robertson’s Yorkville Countryside.”   Exclaim!, July.

Wiersema, Robert J, “Best Books of 2002.”  Vancouver Sun, December 7.

Wright, Eric, “Getting a Giddy Time Right.”  National Post, April 13.

2001

Managan, David,  “Heroes.”  The Independent Weekly, January 25-31.

Myer, Bruce, “The Outside Chance of Ray Robertson.” (Cover story).  The Vic Report, Spring 2001.

Shubery, Irwin,  “Heroes.”  subTerrain, issue 30.

2000

Armitage, Andrew,  “Pining for Ice Time.”  Owen Sound Sun Times, August 19.

Bolger, Keven,  “A Trip to Bountiful.” Toronto Star, March 19.

Johnston, Andrew, “Author Making Impact.” The Chatham Daily News, June 15.

McNich, Kathy,  “Life’s Meaning Explored From Different Angles.”  Saskatoon Star    Phoenix, October 7.

Mirakian, Alleen, “The Making of a Hero.” The Varsity, April 6.

Wynne-Jones, Tim, “Hockey Hell in Kansas.” Globe and Mail, March 25.

Wiersema, Robert J., “Heroes.” (Starred review) Quill & Quire, February.

1999

“Ray Robertson Does The Slush Interview.” Slush Magazine, Number Seven, October.

1998

Noyes, Tom, Quarter After Eight, Fall.

Putre, Laura, Cleveland Free Times, March 4-10.

1997

Bendo, Yvonne. “Chatham Native’s New Book Has Some Local Flavor.” The Chatham Daily News,. July 11.

Gault, Michelle. “An Easy, Breezy Read on the Lighter Side of Life.” View Weekly, August 14.

Holmes, Michael. “First Fiction.” Quill & Quire,  April.

Kastner, Jamie. “Novel Reaches High, and Barely Misses.” Globe and Mail, Toronto. September 6.

Johnson, Andrew. “Making a Living as a Creative Writer.” id, Guelph. July 24.

Mirakian, Alleen.  “At Home with Ray Robertson.”  The Varsity, October 14.

Wilson. Martha, “Home Movies,” Canadian Book Review Annual.