This year’s Hamilton Reads selection has strong ties to McMaster University.
The featured book, The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse, is by Toronto-based author and McMaster alumnus Vinh Nguyen.
The memoir explores themes of migration, identity, and belonging, creating space for readers to reflect on the diverse experiences that shape communities like Hamilton.
“Being chosen as this year’s Hamilton Reads title is very, very special to me,” said Nguyen. “I spent a good chunk of my adult life learning and growing at McMaster University—I became the thinker and writer that I am today because of the incredible mentorship and nurturing care I received as a graduate student in the Department of English and Cultural Studies. This recognition is a homecoming for me.”
Nguyen, who was born in was born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, works as a writer and educator. He is the author of the academic book Lived Refuge: Gratitude, Resentment, Resilience. He is also co-editor of two academic volumes: Refugee States: Critical Refugee Studies in Canada and The Routledge Handbook of Refugee Narratives.
In 2022, he was a Lambda Literary Fellow in Nonfiction for emerging LGBTQ writers. In 2024, he was a writer-in-residence at the Historic Joy Kogawa House.
The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Nonfiction, the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction, and the Toronto Book Awards. It was also named a best book of 2025 by NPR, CBC Books, The Hill Times, The Grind, and The Soapberry Review.
The Hamilton Reads program invites the community to read and discuss one selected book each year, often highlighting local voices and stories that reflect the region’s experiences. The initiative runs from March through November each year.
The initiative is led by Hamilton Public Library, in partnership with McMaster University, Mohawk College, and gritLIT, Hamilton’s annual literary festival.
Jeff Mason, innovation and entrepreneurship librarian at the Health Sciences Library and McMaster’s Hamilton Reads co-chair, says he is excited about this year’s featured title.
“One of the most rewarding parts of Hamilton Reads is seeing how a single book can open meaningful conversations across our community,” said Mason. “We look forward to the perspectives readers will bring to this year’s selection.”
As a Hamilton Reads partner, McMaster will host book clubs, special events, and author visits for readers interested in exploring the title. Copies of The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse are available to borrow from McMaster University Libraries and Hamilton Public Library branches, including the bookmobile, which makes weekly campus visits.
Community members, including McMaster students, staff and faculty, are also invited to participate in the Hamilton Reads short story contest, presented by McMaster University Libraries, the McMaster Office of Community Engagement, Mohawk College Library, and Hamilton Public Library.
Carrie McMullin, knowledge broker manager at McMaster’s Office of Community Engagement and McMaster’s Hamilton Reads co-chair, says the contest draws strong community engagement each year.
“We’re proud to support Hamilton Reads, and continue to strengthen relationships between McMaster staff, students, faculty, and the wider Hamilton community,” said McMullin. “We are particularly excited to support emerging local writers and provide a platform for community storytelling inspired by this year’s selection.”
The contest is free to enter. Submissions must be unpublished works of fiction that are 2,000 words or less. Stories should connect to themes from the Hamilton Reads 2026 selection. The submission deadline is Nov. 1, 2026
Learn more
For more information about Hamilton Reads 2026, including details about events and the short story contest, please visit the Hamilton Public Library website.
