Ian Williams on "What I Mean to Say: Remaking Conversations in Our Time"

Following the conversation, we invite you to join us for a meet-and-greet with the author, book signing and light refreshments.

"What I Mean to Say: Remaking Conversations in Our Time" (House of Anasi, October 8, 2024)

Ian Williams, Professor of English, University of Toronto; Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize

Brett Hendrie, Director, Strategic Events, Rotman School of Management

Enough small talk. Let’s get right to it: Why can’t we talk to each other anymore? What makes good communication? And how do we restore the lost art of conversation?

In contemporary society, much of our communication exists in a new dimension, the online space, and it’s changing how we regard each other and how we converse. In the digital realm, we can be anonymous, we can make false and hurtful comments yet evade consequences in a hurried scroll of clicks and swipes. But a good conversation takes time and patience, courage, even. We need to realize that one-half of our conversations is, in fact, listening. And aren't the best conversationalists—like the best musicians—good listeners?

With What I Mean to Say, award-winning novelist and poet Ian Williams seeks to ignite a conversation about conversation, to confront the deterioration of civic and civil discourse, and to reconsider the act of conversing as the sincere, open exchange of thoughts and feelings. Alternately serious and playful, Williams nimbly leaps between topics of discussion and, along the way, is discursive, digressive, and endlessly generous—like any great conversationalist.

Ian Williams is the author of seven books of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. He is the winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Danuta Gleed Literary Award, the Raymound Souster Award, and a finalist for the Griffin Poetry Prize. Williams is a professor of English at the University of Toronto, where he directs the Creative Writing program.

Brett Hendrie is Director, Strategic Events at the Rotman School, where he leads the school’s thought-leadership events portfolio through digital and live-event programs. Previously, Brett spent 20 years at Hot Docs where he served as Executive Director, developing major content and event partnerships with Netflix, Scotiabank, Rogers and CBC.

This event is available to attend in-person or virtually via livestream.

Rotman Events is committed to accessibility for all people. If you have any access needs or if there are any ways we can support your full participation in this session, please email Mandi Gosling [[email protected]] no later than 2 weeks in advance of the event and we will be glad to work with you to make the appropriate arrangements.

• The event will be hosted in Desautels Hall at the Rotman School of Management (105 Saint George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3E6). Your registration fee includes a copy of the book, meet-and-greet with book signing by the author, as well as access to a video replay of the session for 30 days.

• Rotman Events will email registrants a link to the livestream. Your registration fee includes access to the livestream, video replay for 30 days, a copy of the book and shipping fees. The book will be shipped to registrants after the event. Please allow 3 - 4 weeks for delivery.

• Unable to attend the event due to scheduling conflicts? Not to worry. All registrants (in-person or livestream) can access the full recording on-demand for one month after the live event.

• Refunds will only be issued for cancellations received in writing NO LATER than 24 hours prior to the event. Please email [email protected] for processing.

• In-person registrants who do not pick up their book at the event will have 5 business days to request postal delivery by emailing us at [email protected]. All unclaimed books will be returned to the publisher after that time.

Questions: [email protected], Mandi Gosling

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Rotman School of Management + Livestream, 105 Saint George Street, Toronto, Canada