I heard about this book on a podcast and was interested in the story of people meeting on a hike. The novel delivered on its promise of a nice little love story, with two ordinary likeable people meeting in somewhat unusual circumstances, and the freedom they have both to be themselves and explore new things,... Continue Reading →
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume. Pub 1970
This is one of those “I can’t believe you’ve never read that” books. How did I make it through my pre-teen years without this one? Well, I did. I was reminded about this one recently while searching for books that have been banned, and so decided to at last check it off my list. Margaret... Continue Reading →
Foster, by Claire Keegan. Pub 2010
Another short delightful read from Keegan. Foster is really a short story or novella rather than a novel. Set in rural Ireland and told in the first person, the child (never named) is taken to spend the summer with a distant aunt and uncle who have no children of their own (their only son died... Continue Reading →
The Rise and Fall of Magic Wolf, by Timothy Taylor. Pub 2024
Timothy Taylor has long been a favourite author, one who I search for regularly in the hopes of a new book. This summer, my persistence was rewarded: a new book in September! I saved it up for a vacation read. Taylor is a Vancouver-based writer whose stories are often set here. He’s also a food... Continue Reading →
Liberation Day, by George Saunders. Pub 2022
This was part of the Christmas bounty from my sister in 2022. I recall starting this in early 2023, and then abandoning it for something a bit lighter. It felt like a book that needed vacation time to devote to it, and so now was the right time. This collection of nine stories is good,... Continue Reading →
The Waste Lands, by Stephen King. Pub 1991
Book three and still going strong, The Waste Lands picks up right where the previous book ended. Roland and his not-so-merry band are making their long and slow way toward the Dark Tower. Jake returns to the story, after we get to see a bit more about his New York life prior to his “accident”,... Continue Reading →
Lawrence & Holloman, by Morris Panych. Pub 1998
We saw this play in 1998 at the Arts Club Granville Island stage, and It is one that has stuck with me ever since. Morris Panych is a favourite playwright, with several good plays seen over the years at local theatres. Briefly, things start out casually, with Lawrence chatting with Holloman over a beer at... Continue Reading →
The Three Body Problem, by Cixin Liu. Pub 2006. Translation by Ken Liu. Pub 2014.
My sci-fi book buddy recommended this a few years back, but also warned that it was “hard sci-fi” so I had avoided it. Then I watched the first season of 3 Body Problem on Netflix, and decided to give this a try. To summarize this book is challenge, but here’s my attempt. An astrophysicist named... Continue Reading →
Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan. Pub 2021
This book is on the NYT “Best 100 books of the 21st century so far”, and the author came highly recommended by my fellow book-clubber. I found it during a summer book browse at a favourite shop in Victoria, and when I needed a break from a longer book, I decided this short one would... Continue Reading →
Goblin Market and other poems, by Christina Rossetti. Pub 1862
I was moved to get this collection after hearing a Rossetti poem used as a plot device in a classic movie (Kiss Me Deadly, 1955). A character named Christina quotes a Rossetti poem that turns out to be a clue for the detective. This is Rossetti’s most famous collection, including her signature poem, “Goblin Market”.... Continue Reading →
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