Remember Douglas Coupland's rant from last week? Well, Nathan Whitlock bites back on his blog. "The real problem with Coupland's rant, and many like it, is that it assumes some kind of systematic cultural conspiracy against fresh, youthfully ambitious writing."

Also, in exciting reading-over-breakfast news, General Mills is giving away kids books (with proof of purchase, naturally).

This is Not a Reading Series returns Sept 5 with an appropriate film-y subject matter. Professor Jerry White celebrates the publication of The Cinema of Canada and Of This Place and Elsewhere: The Films and Photography of Peter Mettler. Prof. White will be a-chattin with Yoram Allon (of Wallflower Press), Steve Gravestock, and Pages dude Marc Glassman. Doors 8p, Gladstone Hotel Ballroom.

If you missed it during Doors Open, you can peek around Coach House Press during their open house this Thursday, Sept 7, between 5-10p. Beers, snacks, literary cachet, what more could you ask for? What? A reprise of the Great Pushup Race of 2004 (I don't know what that is, but the mention in the invite sure makes me curious). Who knows what lengths bookish types can reach when drunk pushed? CHP is behind 401 Huron St, on bpNichol Lane.

For something a little more meaningful, Swami Sai Premananda makes an appearance at the Chapters in Brampton Market Mall meet/sign promoting his new book Principles of Higher Living. 2p on Saturday, Sept 9. I started reading it and, while I may disagree with the beliefs contained therein, I do admire books that spark a lot of thought - and that's only in the first couple of chapters.