This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger. Pub 2019 This is not a book I would have picked for myself, but came as part of a bounty that I won in a prize draw at my local bookstore. There are a few from that set that are on my to-read list, and some others that... Continue Reading →
The Cellist of Sarajevo, by Steven Galloway. Book report #35 (2022)
The Cellist of Sarajevo, by Steven Galloway. Pub 2008 I had read this only once before, not long after it first came out, but the story has stuck with me and it felt worthy of being read again (that, and "book with a place name in the title"). Using as inspiration the story of a... Continue Reading →
The Missing of the Somme, by Geoff Dyer. Book report #31 (2022)
The Missing of the Somme, by Geoff Dyer. Pub 1994, updated 2016 Last year, one of my favourite reads was But Beautiful by Geoff Dyer. At the time, I looked at his bibliography, but nothing leapt out at me. Then I heard him on a book-chat podcast a few months ago, and enjoyed his discussion, including a... Continue Reading →
At Night All Blood is Black, by David Diop. Book report #27 (2022)
At Night All Blood is Black, by David Diop. Pub 2018. Translation by Anna Moschovakis published 2020. I selected this book knowing only a few things about it: it is an award winner (Booker International 2021), it is a translation from the original French, titled Frère d'âme, and it has a colour in the title. It... Continue Reading →
River Thieves, by Michael Crummey. Book report #26 (2022)
River Thieves, by Michael Crummey. Pub 2001 Michael Crummey is a Newfoundland writer (funny how that seems more correct than to say Canadian writer) whose work is consistently terrific - creative, surprising, with exceptionally clear characters and evocative language. All of his stories have a historical basis, but he is consistent and clear in his... Continue Reading →
Triumph and Disaster & Genius and Discovery, by Stefan Zweig. Book report #22 (2022)
Triumph and Disaster, and Genius and Discovery, by Stefan Zweig. Pub 1927-1940. Translation by Anthea Bell. These editions published 2016, from translations published in 2013. Reading these was inspired by two previous reads: Stefan Zweig last year, and Benjamin Labatut earlier this year. I really enjoyed Zweig last year, and so wanted to read more,... Continue Reading →
A Thousand Ships, by Natalie Haynes. Book report #21 (2022)
A Thousand Ships, by Natalie Haynes. Pub 2021 Along the lines of Madeline Miller (author of past favourite Circe), Haynes speciality is historical fiction and Greek mythology fro'm the perspective of lesser-known characters, especially women (see last year's discussion of The Children of Jocasta). In A Thousand Ships, Haynes gives voice to the stories and... Continue Reading →
Framed in Fire, by Iona Whishaw. Book report extra #5* (2022)
Framed in Fire, by Iona Whishaw. Pub 2022 Book 9, the most recent in the series, picks up almost where the previous one left off. It is spring 1948, and (once again) Lane meets a stranger, discovers a body, and gets embroiled in mysteries. SPOILER ALERT: if you haven't yet read this or previous books... Continue Reading →
The Feather Thief, by Kirk Wallace Johnson. Book report #18 (2022)
The Feather Thief, by Kirk Wallace Johnson. Pub 2018 I first heard about this story and book in an episode of the podcast This American Life. It is one of those stories of a seemingly oddball crime by an oddball character that takes the journalist and ultimately the reader to some fascinating places and times.... Continue Reading →
A Lethal Lesson, by Iona Whishaw. Book report extra #4* (2022)
A Lethal Lesson, by Iona Whishaw. Pub 2021 In Book 8 in the Lane Winslow series, the Darlings have returned from their honeymoon and are starting their lives together in King’s Cove when – of course – mysteries begin. As Christmas approaches, a local schoolteacher is found unconscious amidst the wreckage of her own house... Continue Reading →
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