This is the second part of a trilogy by Coetzee. In the first book, we meet Simón, Inés, and David, an unusual family in a strange world. The precocious and strong-willed David is beloved and indulged by his “parents”, and causes difficulties at school, leading to the family’s flight from Novillo to a distant city.... Continue Reading →
Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell. Pub 2004
I have been wanting to read this book for years, but have always been daunted by its length and alleged complexity (as per the movie version). After reading The Bone Clocks earlier this year, I was moved to try again. It’s a difficult novel to summarize - a puzzle of sorts, with stories cut into... Continue Reading →
2023 Reading Challenge – summary
A big year this year - 40 books. As in the past, book selections later in the year had to be more strategic to get through all the categories, which led to some interesting choices. I’m looking forward to a fresh slate for 2024. Here's the final book list for 2023: 1 - Book with... Continue Reading →
Consolations of the Forest, by Sylvain Tesson. Pub 2010. Translation by Linda Coverdale. Pub 2013
I sought out this book as the basis of a film we watched last year, Dans les forêts de Sibérie. The book is actually quite different, which was good, as the film, promoted as being about a man living alone for 6 months, is actually a very odd buddy-film. The book is very good. Tesson arrives... Continue Reading →
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, by John Koenig. Pub 2021
This has lingered on my shelves for a while now, something I started and stopped a few times. After the disastrous previous read about language, I decided to try again to make this one for my language category. We use foreign words in English to name things, for precision and greater expression of feeling. Words... Continue Reading →
The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman. Pub 2020
This book was a gift from a fellow book clubber who shares my affection murder mysteries. This book series is a best seller in England, and it’s understandable why – it is terrific. The eponymous club is comprised of four residents of Coopers Chase retirement community who share a penchant for true crime mysteries –... Continue Reading →
We, by Yevgeny Zamyatin. Original pub 1924. Translation by Clarence Brown, pub 1993
This selection was driven primarily by the need to complete the banned-book category, but also by several pieces in The Happy Reader (issue #10) which made me dig it out of my bookshelves. Briefly, the story is set in the future - the 26th century. After a 200-year war, civilization has settled down into a... Continue Reading →
The Adversary, by Michael Crummey. Pub 2023
Michael Crummey is a favourite author. I've read almost all his novels and short stories, and a few books of poetry, too. I heard about this book coming out, and while I'd normally wait till Christmas or for a paperback version, I also saw that Crummey was going to be part of the 2023 Vancouver Writers... Continue Reading →
Art, compiled by Shaun Usher. Pub 2020
I chose this book in order to satisfy the languishing category of "art" for this year's list. This little book of letters was delightful but very light. I think perhaps that artists - especially painters and sculptors - are not especially good writers. The best letters here are those from Oscar Wilde (of course), Martin... Continue Reading →
The Bone Clocks, by David Mitchell. Pub 2014
I've been meaning to return to David Mitchell after enjoying Slade House a few years ago. I chose this one as it's related to that other book in a prequel kind of way, and also because it helps to satisfy a tricky book club category (a book with a body part in the title). I was a... Continue Reading →
