P   U   R  G  E 

Mike Schertzer

10 years

      in 

        10 hours 

                 a reading marathon

Sat. April 3

Noon - 10 pm

Free

Blake's
221 Carrall. St.
Vancouver (Gastown)
899-3354

   Purge was the longest reading of original work in Canadian history. In true Canadian style this event was well attended by those I would have considered least likely to attend. At the same time it was ignored by those who should have attended, by those who claim to represent 'literate Vancouver'- I am of course talking about the press, members of the Shaughnessy School of Writing, faculty and students of the UBC Department of Creative Wronging etc. Banality doesn't like to be interrupted. I suppose the prospect of witnessing over a decade of dedicated work (for free!) was too much to expect from those who will never rise above adolescent diarizing. 
   To all those who attended, to all those who stayed 4, 5 hours... I would like to thank you. I hope I gave you something unique, memorable. I hope you could see some of the cracks in my edifice and therefore might build something more durable than I have been able to do. 
                   M.S.