Dunbar, by Edward St. Aubyn. Pub 2017 My third foray into the Hogarth Shakespeare. While not as good either of the previous reads, this was a good (if not great) read, perhaps helped by the fact that I was not familiar with the play that it is based on. St. Aubyn updates King Lear into... Continue Reading →
The Secret Lives of Colour, by Kassia St. Clair. Book report #19 (2019)
The Secret Lives of Colour, by Kassia St. Clair. Pub 2016 I’ll confess to having envy – I envy those who can see and use and interpret colours. Those artists who make something remarkable appear on a canvas or through a camera lens, those fashion plates who effortlessly look fabulous all the time, birdwatchers who... Continue Reading →
Pops, by Michael Chabon. Book report #18 (2019)
Pops: Fatherhood in Pieces, by Michael Chabon. Pub. 2018 It was the title of this one that got me – not many people I know refer to their father as “pop” as I do – and also Michael Chabon as the author. I have read only a few of his books, and enjoyed each of... Continue Reading →
The Ten (Food) Commandments, by Jay Rayner. Book report #17 (2019)
The Ten (Food) Commandments, by Jay Rayner. Pub 2017 This book was a gift from my book club buddy, who shares my delight in good food and good writing. The author here is a regular contributor of restaurant reviews and food commentary at The Guardian, and I've read and enjoyed his style before, but this... Continue Reading →
The Library Book, by Susan Orlean. Book report #16 (2019)
The Library Book, by Susan Orlean. Pub 2018 This was my first reading of Susan Orlean (The Orchid Thief) in book form. I’ve read a few pieces by her in The New Yorker, but never a whole book. What I have I been waiting for? Starting out as bit of mystery, exploring a devastating fire... Continue Reading →
Fierce, by Hannah Holborn. Book report #15 (2019)
Fierce, by Hannah Holborn. Pub 2008 Rereading this book for the first time since 2008 when it came out. I have this book because I know the author: we met in 2007 in Pender Harbour, and she recommended a few other books (Wild Dogs, Raw Shark Texts) as well as her own forthcoming story collection.... Continue Reading →
Little Dogs, by Michael Crummey. Book report #14 (2019)
Little Dogs, by Michael Crummey. Pub 2016 New and selected poems from a favourite writer, this was a great way to get introduced to Crummey’s excellent poetry. The book includes selections from his previous four collections along with a set of new poems. The landscapes, the people, the history and the personal details are intertwined... Continue Reading →
Help the Witch, by Tom Cox. Book report #13 (2019)
Help the Witch, by Tom Cox. Pub 2018 An Unbound book, I don’t recall what took me to this one – likely a Facebook suggestion, or newsletter blurb make it sound intriguing. And it was. A quirky set of short stories, all with a ghostly theme, they are a bit uneven (trying to be eclectic)... Continue Reading →
The Raw Shark Texts, by Steven Hall. Book report #12 (2019)
The Raw Shark Texts, by Steven Hall. Pub 2007 Like Wild Dogs, I’ve at last gotten to this long-ago recommendation. I can’t believe I waited so long. This book was fantastic – literally. Part The Matrix, part Griffin & Sabine, with definite shades of David Mitchell, this adventure paranormal mystery love story is a page... Continue Reading →
The Red Car, by Marcy Dermansky. Book report #11 (2019)
The Red Car, by Marcy Dermansky. Pub 2016 My second taste of Marcy Dermansky was even better than the first. Dermansky creates characters real and recognizable, with a heroine (Leah) you want to like but don’t always. And despite Leah’s bad choices and missteps, you end up rooting for her throughout and cheering her at... Continue Reading →
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