The Lit Room
Wednesday May 13th, 2026 with Susan Johnston
JoAnn McCaig, Beneficiary (University of Calgary Press, 2026)

Join Susan for a conversation with Calgary novelist JoAnn McCaig about her novel Beneficiary (University of Calgary Press, 2026). The episode sarts with a short reading, followed by a discussion about Joann's protagonist's experiences of late‑1960s girlhood, communal living, single motherhood, addiction, an unexpected inheritance, and the upheavals of the COVID‑19 pandemic. JoAnn discusses the book’s non‑linear structure, its roots in 1990s drafts revisited during lockdown, and its engagement with second‑wave feminism, mental health, and the refugee crisis in Greece. In our interview, JoAnn shared multiple recommendations for books and films: Books 1. Swan – Carol Shields. 2. Possession – A. S. Byatt. 3. Joshua Then and Now – Mordecai Richler. 4. Stone Yard Devotional – Charlotte Wood. 5. Jack Hodgins (various works). 6. Michelle de Kretser (various works). 7. The Friend - Sigrid Nunez Film The Swimmers (2022) – Directed by Sally El Hosaini, co-written with Jack Thorne; produced by Working Title Films and distributed by Netflix. Recommended alongside Beneficiary's sections set in refugee camps on Lesbos.