Grade 5: 1976, Van Bellingham Elementary School, Winnipeg, MB Teacher – Mr. H. I was super excited to start grade 5. Age 9 felt pretty grown up. With that new maturity came new responsibilities – being a crossing guard, having a house key and going home for lunch on my own. There was also the teacher –... Continue Reading →
Tempest-Tost, by Robertson Davies. Book report #10 (2017)
Tempest-Tost, by Robertson Davies. Pub 1951 I confess here – this is the book I was supposed to read in school, but didn’t. It was in Grade 11 (or possibly 12), and it was for Canadian literature with Mrs. Kruk. One of the required books that term was Leaven of Malice, part of the CanLit... Continue Reading →
My Misspent Youth, by Meghan Daum. Book report #9 (2017)
My Misspent Youth, by Meghan Daum. Pub 2001 Tepid, vapid, insipid - are there any other -id words in this vein? They would apply here. I can't remember how I was tricked into starting this book, but if I ever remember or find the culprit, I'll buy them the blandest, most boring and lukewarm glass... Continue Reading →
Norse Mythology, by Neil Gaiman. Book report #8 (2017)
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman. Pub 2017. I picked this one up for a few reasons. One, I’ve always meant to read Neil Gaiman and just never have. Two, I enjoy mythological tales and have never really known the Norse versions. Third, I thought it was published in 2016, so could check that off my... Continue Reading →
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. Book report #7 (2017)
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Pub 1951. A classic of the dystopia genre, I was familiar with the essence of the story but had never read this one, nor anything else by Bradbury. There is much more going on in the story than the burning of books, and a fantastical future world is described. However,... Continue Reading →
Item #17: Pin Collection
One of a collection of items kept in the brown suitcase, this small box contains a diverse collection of buttons, badges and lapel pins from various points in my childhood. Spilling the box out was little trip down memory lane. Various pins and buttons from places lived, events attended, and memorable dates, I remember having... Continue Reading →
Book of Treasures: Grade 4
Grade 4: 1975, Van Bellingham Elementary School, Winnipeg, MB Teacher – Mrs. Delaquis Both Mrs. Delaquis and I graduated to Grade 4, and with many of the same kids in my class again. The “room” was open-area again, right next door to the previous year’s room. With the same school, teacher, room and classmates, I was... Continue Reading →
The Children Act, by Ian McEwan. Book report #6 (2017)
The Children Act, by Ian McEwan. Pub 2014 A friend who shares my fondness for “authors from the Brit circle”, such as Julian Barnes, sent me this book, a thoughtful and loving get-well gift. I had read just one other by McEwan – On Chesil Beach – which I did not love, or even really... Continue Reading →
The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes. Book report #5 (2017)
The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes. Pub 2011 This is a book I've read before (more than once), which is something I've done with a few books by Julian Barnes. This is a short one - just ~150 pages - but it is as full and evocative as his other writings. The characters are... Continue Reading →
Book of Treasures: Grade 3
Grade 3: 1974, Van Bellingham Elementary School, Winnipeg, MB Teacher – Mrs. Delaquis We moved in the summer of 1974, from a townhouse in East Kildonan to a duplex in Southdale. Complete suburbia, right down to the white fence. The school was right at the end of our street, so now I could walk to and... Continue Reading →
rclr 