Why Not? Fifteen Reasons to Live
Shortlisted for the Hillary Weston Writers Trust Prize
Longlisted for the Charles Taylor Prize
A Globe and Mail Top 100 Books of 2011
An amazon.ca editors pick of 2011
Praise for Why Not
–The Globe and Mail
—Winnipeg Free Press
“The essays are both playful and profound, laced with insight from thinkers across a range of disciplines, from music to history, politics to literature, high to low culture. Why Not? is intentionally provocative, stirring readers to vehemently agree or disagree. But this is Robertson’s point: to be stirred at all, regardless.”
—The National Post
“Why Not is, in a sense, a practical application of philosophy, but that’s not to say he made any sacrifices stylistically. Straightforward and never shy, the reader feels welcome and respected as Robertson plays the role of earnest life professor.”
—The newspaper (UofT)
—The Montreal Gazette
“Never, ever boring, within the wild trajectory of each piece, Robertson backtracks, repeats himself, changes his mind and displays his characteristic ribald humour. Why Not? is intentionally provocative, stirring readers to vehemently agree or disagree. But this is Robertson’s point: to be stirred at all, regardless.”
—University of Toronto Magazine
Robertson…proves that the success of a writer is through the universality of what is being said as he masterfully spans a select collection of quotes over fifteen topics in favour of living life through its struggles and its seemingly impossible hurdles.
– The College Experiments Blog