Cover Stories: Frances Itani; Soho Writers' Festival; Gore Vidal

Canadian writers – all adopted, rather than born – dominated this year's Man Booker shortlist, which ended with Yann Martel's victory over Rohinton Mistry and Carol Shields. And a Canadian novel has made the international running since the Frankfurt Book Fair. Deafening by Frances Itani was bought by Hodder for almost a quarter of a million. Publisher Carolyn Mays, who bought Cold Mountain, predicts it will still be read 150 years from now. Set in Canada and on the Western Front in the First World War, it was inspired by the author's deaf grandmother. During her research, Itani spent time working with the deaf. The début caused a bidding war around the world.

* London's Soho Writers' Festival kicks off on 4 November with Will Self and Alexei Sayle. All events take place in the Soho Theatre on Dean Street and the focus this year is on script development for stage and screen, and for children. The Live Literature strand will feature an evening of "Voices from Palestine". More details from www.sohotheatre.com.

* Ever one to upset received wisdom, Gore Vidal is challenging America's right to declare war on whoever it pleases. His collection, Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace, brings together a mighty handful of essays and is published by Clairview Books this month. While most essays are not new (many are from Empire), his piece on 11/9/2001, which failed to find a home in the US, is sure to make provocative reading.