BarkskinsBy Annie Proulx At one time, forests, seemingly endless and eternal, covered much of North America. These forests were occupied by aboriginal people who understood the symbiotic relationship between humans and the forest ecosystem. As the Europeans arrived, wood became more than a source of shelter and heat: it became a commodity. Annie Proulx’ Barkskins […]
Commonwealth by Ann PatchettAnn Patchett’s new novel, Commonwealth, grabbed me from the first page. Some stories take a while to get into, but this one had me from the opening section of the novel, set at a family christening party. It flows — from character to character and room to room and even house […]
by Alexander McCall Smith The lovely setting of a train journey between Edinburgh and London lends itself to the tales we hear as we eavesdrop on four travellers who share a compartment in Trains and Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith. These travellers are thrown together by way of train tickets and have no other connection […]
Three Day RoadBy Joseph Boyden The violence and brutality of war are not my idea of enjoyable subject matter. Joseph Boyden’s Three Day Road is indeed a story of war. But it is also the story of best friends. Their physical journey from the Ontario bush to the trenches of Europe mirrors their interior journey […]
The Wonder TrailI checked out Steve Hely’s “The Wonder Trail: True Stories from Lost Angeles to the End of the World” for a few reasons: 1. He’s a former staff writer for “30 Rock”, which I think is one of the funniest North American sitcoms of all time; 2. Los Angeles is featured quite prominently […]
Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis I was first intrigued by this book when I saw it on the Globe and Mail’s “Best Books of 2015” list, because it involved two things I really like to read about: dogs and mythology. Fifteen Dogs: An Apologue, by André Alexis, opens with two of Zeus’ sons, Hermes and […]
the particular sadness of lemon cake For nine year old Rose, having her mother bake her favourite lemon cake for her birthday is a real treat, until the day she bites into it and can feel all of her mother’s despair and sadness in the otherwise tasty morsel. At first confused, Rose has trouble grasping […]
Little Black Lies by Sharon BoltonI read this book in a day. I got home from work and sat down on the sofa with a cup of tea and this book to pass time before dinner. When I finally looked up and away from the page, the sun was rising. Every sentence was perfect. The […]
Eating DirtBy Charlotte Gill Imagine a life of dirty, tough work out in the backcountry. Imagine that the wilderness is home for eight months of the year and that you can’t have a proper shower or get any real privacy during this time. Then imagine that this is the life you choose for yourself. This […]
The Buried Giant The Buried Giant, by Kazuo Ishiguro, is a fantasy novel that covers the journey of Axl and Beatrice, a couple who set off on a journey to find their son, who they have not seen for some time, and actually do not remember very well. As the story moves along with their […]