PRESS
‘Newly published, “The Secret History Of My Hometown” brings an element of the fantastic to Cranbrook’s story, but in ways that would seem entirely possible, if the little details and day-to-day accidents of history had twitched just a little.
‘One sees the same town, but in a new light.’
— Barry Coulter, Cranbrook Daily Townsman
“Andrew Boden is the author of The Secret History of My Hometown, which is a brilliantly imagined history of his hometown, Cranbrook in British Columbia.”
— SAfia Shah, Founder of Kashfi’s Children and author of AFghan Caravan and Carnaby Street's Great Uninvited. Quoted From How Stories Can Help Exercise Your Child’s Brain
‘Wonderfully inventive and expansive, Andrew Boden’s The Secret History of My Hometown is an audacious debut. Set firmly in the interior of British Columbia yet embracing world history throughout the late 19th and post-war 20th centuries, these fictions bristle with intelligence and dark humour. A prescient fetus and a literate dog are only two of the wonders you’ll encounter in this profoundly entertaining and entertainingly profound collection.’
— Zsuzsi Gartner, Giller-Prize shortlisted author of Better Living Through Plastic Explosives and Writers Trust Fiction Prize finalist for The Beguiling
‘In 2010, the Journey Prize was at it again, promoting “the best of Canada’s new writers.” This year’s selection is edited by Pasha Malla, Joan Thomas and Alissa York, and I have no dispute with their picks, chosen from short stories initially published in small, literary magazines. The Journey Prize, of course, includes a $10,000 cheque to the best of the best.
‘Money aside, congratulations to the Vancouver Review. Two of the most remarkable stories here (in my opinion) were initially published there: Danielle Egan’s “Publicity” and Andrew Boden’s “Confluence of Spoors.” Krista Foss’s “The Longitude of Okay” was excellent, as was Lynn Kutsukake’s “Mating,” Mike Spry’s “Five Pounds Short and Apologies to Nelson Algren,” and Andrew MacDonald’s “Eat Fist.”’
— From the Underground Book Club, “a blog by Michael Bryson, founder of The Danforth Review.”
‘“Confluence of Spoors” is a good example of a story, too, that deserves and benefits from repeat readings. To me that’s the mark of a truly strong piece of short fiction: something that engages on the surface, but then, when you go back to it a second (and third time), gets richer, more nuanced and layered.’
— Pasha Malla, The Journey Prize Stories: 22
“Pop Goes the Zastava” by Andrew Boden also explores themes of memory and family. The story centres around a father-son hunting trip, integrating present-tense scenes with memories of the father’s experiences during the Croatian War of Independence. A tense, carefully written piece about the lasting effects of war.’