A New Juliet

I don't like Juliet Capulet.  

There, I said it. 

I want to, but I don't like her.  Also, her name rhymes. 

That girl whiiiiines.  And she is needy.  And spoiled.  And a bit dense at communicating.  I know, star-crossed lovers, destiny, missed opportunities, true love, blah blah blah.  But couldn't she just be a bit more awesome in the process a little less, well...Juliet-ish?  C'mon kid.  Step up.  And MAKE SURE THE GUY KNOWS YOU ARE GOING TO DRINK SLEEPING DRUG. 

And...awkward internet silence.  

Sorry 'bout that.  I just don't love her.  

Also -- great cover.  

So when I read The Juliet Stories by Carrie Snyder, I actually started in really, really hoping that it would have nothing to do with Shakespeare's teenage concoction.  Thankfully, our little 10 year old protagonist was nothing like her Elizabethan counterpart and was a fabulously real, growing girl.  Struggling through the turbulent political and personal settings her parents fling her into, Juliet's stories are experiences of seeing people and their short-comings over and over again.  She learns, as we all do, that life is hard, that we are often only getting glimpses into people and that no one, not even our parents, are perfect.  But more than that, she learns how she will react and how she will hold her own story together.

The writing itself is a dance.  The moments are simple and complex, hot and cold, sticky and clean. Snyder moves you through time and place with an ease that is almost elusive -- I felt like I was trailing behind Juliet for the whole book, like I was along for the ride of her every day.  Snyder tells her story through moments: you are rarely hearing about big pieces of plot movement outside of Juliet experiencing them or simplying naming them.  The moments tell the story, lend pieces to a puzzle that you work out as you go.  Not everything is offered up front, but you get enough.  This book was a good reminder of how limited anyone's perspective is, including our own; no matter how much we want to think we 'get' things, we simply only see what we can see. 

I absorbed this book -- really, it absorbed me.  I felt like I wanted to keep holding it, get closer, read it again.  It was a quick read -- not too long or too dense, but so very, very full.  

I recommend it wholeheartedly.  So if you look for it check out your local, independent bookstore, ideally (mine is www.wordsworthbooks.com).  The author is from my hometown, so I was happy to support her and local business in the process.  

Read on, friends!

Spies. Food. Weddings. Marriage. Kids. 100 Year Old Men.

Friends!  It's been such a long, long time.  I've been sorting out life with two ever-growing but still pretty small guys as well as diving back into my (paid) job.  It has been a crazy, lovely winter and spring.  And now summer is fast upon us and I realized how long I had gone without spending time with all of you.

I've gone through blogging/reading slumps before, but this slump was really just blogging.  I've been reading devouring books.  Lots and lots of books -- reading 2 or 3 at a time.  And it has been amazing.  I've loved having my world filled out by characters both real and fictional, and some in between.  I've been reading books with friends, books with book club and books with my kids.  I've spent time with my Bible and been reading work-focussed books.  And you know what I found?  That I speak more aptly, respond more slowly and think more clearly when I am reading.  Such a good thing.  So here's a very brief overview of some of what I've been reading (and the settings I've been reading in!):


Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy (Eric Metaxas) This book fully rocked my world.  I'm a bit of a history nerd (and here and here) and so I like reading about history.  Not everyone does.  But my book club, whom I read this with, all agreed that it was pretty epic.  Epic in the way that you watch a man decide he is going to help assassinate Hitler without (somehow) compromising his deep set faith.  I really loved this book.  I actually had bought the e-book and then got the paperback (kind of unheard of for me) because I wanted to hold the book and flip the pages and remember significant things.  




The 100 Year Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared   (Jonas Jonasson).  Yup.  Most Descriptive Title Ever.  And that is what the book is about.  Light and lovely, this book weaves a magnificent tale through history while matching it with a fun and present story line replete with characters that you can't help but like, no matter how rough their edges may be.  Also, I totally quit on The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series, so this book redeemed Swedish lit for me...which sounds pretty flaky, but 'tis true. 

My Life in France (Julia Child)  I am perfectly, perfectly aware that Julia Child has died.  I am.  I knew that it was coming.  Nonetheless, after finishing her jaunty and endearing memoir, I was unprepared for her death.  (Bonhoeffer from above also dies, which I knew, but I finished both books in one week and it was painful.)  I really wanted some of these people to live because their lives were so very real to me and I want to know them.  Julia's story is full of foie gras and friends and France, all lovely and jumbly and delicious.  At one point she talks about how she and her husband had decided that people were more important than time.  I loved that.  What a brilliant starting point for making decisions.  Choosing people first and then busy-ness second. My compliments to the chef. 

Wedding Night (Sophie Kinsella) I've admitted before to Sophie as one my guilty pleasures.  And I did really like I've Got Your Number which she released last year.  But Wedding Night wasn't that good.  I'd even say weak -- disappointing!  I'm definitely prone to like her; yet this novel was thin on plot and character.  A little piece of me grieved that I might be outgrowing Sophie -- but I'm not willing to give up just yet.  

The Meaning of Marriage (Timothy Keller)  I'm reading this one in company of my husband and four other married couples.  Together, we are walking through some of the issues and ideas around marriage so that we can grow in our marriages and our relationships with one another.  Marriage should be our priority relationship and so we need to manage it like it is.  The book is good but the conversations and people are better.  If you are married, or thinking about it, find people to be with who will challenge and encourage you.  Marriage can do incredible things but it can also hurt incredibly.  Find places and people who will help you (and your spouse) on the journey. 

Knuffle Bunny (Mo Willems)  Yes, a children's book, but my oldest son love loves this book.  He loves the family running through New York and he loves the search for Knuffle Bunny.  I like to read it as though I am auditioning for different kinds of movies -- romantic, scary, funny, drama, gangster, etc.  It's incredible how much one book can change.  And I love watching my kids grow to love books -- they remind me each day how significant a little time with our imaginations can be.  And I just keep learning.  

That's a quick overview -- some highlights (and a few lowlights). 

I'm off to try to pace my reading of Juliet Stories by Carrie Ann Snyder.  Her prose is magical.

Happy reading,

sw

Science Fiction Fabulous

 Science Fiction.  Land of logical freedom -- the limits of science are both free and necessary to create worlds that are only *somewhat* like the one we live in. I've claimed that Sci-Fi is out of my box. As far as books are concerned it really, really is.  But truthfully, I like Sci-Fi TV and movies.  Nothing that hardcore--The X-Files was a bit too creepy for me.  However, I do love Star Trek, Star Wars and various other fun Sci-Fi-based films (read: Zombieland).  In the "what's your favourite action movie" game my answer is definitely the new Star Trek.  And not just because Chris Pine (aka Captain Kirk) looks just like my husand (wink, wink). I just like Star Trek.   When it comes to books my science fiction forays were few and far between.  Until recently...all of sudden book club and friends and websites (cause I listen to the interwebs) were all about Science Fiction.  And...

It has been so much fun!  Sobering events in the last few make it even more desirable to imagine that the world could change drastically.  (Obviously imagining the world away is not the solution; yet a break is still deeply appreciated.)  Onto nicer thoughts...

I have read three books -- a classic of Science Fiction Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card), a comedic one, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) and a present day sci-fi, Wake (Robert J. Sawyer).   What a lovely cross-section, no? 

Reading Ender's Game is like reading a intro to Science Fiction.  And it did what I never expect Science Fiction to do: grabbed my attention and held it.  I did social sciences in school -- I naturally am (geekily) enthralled by history, politics, trivia.  But futuristic claims?  Not what I'm used to.  Ender's Game, friends.  So great.  Here's what Science Fiction does that I love: using more far-fetched realities it creates real commentaries on our current society.  Most are built on the premise that in the future our problems will move to deeper extremes.  Thus, reading these books that exist in the 'extremes' of society helps to illuminate our own current problems.  When you read a book set in distant future and it seems to be pretty truthful to what is happening in present day (especially around propaganda), you know it is good.   Ender had characters that I grew with, plot turns that were widely unexpected and a full, complete story.  I found myself really wanting to talk to people about it which is definitely the mark of a book that has surprised and enthralled me. A great gift the reader in your life (which might be you) but also for a teenager -- boy or girl.  


Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (HGG) is essentially reading a British comedy.  Think of reading Run Fat Boy Run or Death at a Funeral (if you haven't seen those movies, you really should).  It's hilarious, slightly irreverent and quippy.  Thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It's commentary isn't subtle at all, but well worth reading anyway.  And you'll learn the answer to the eternal question.  What more could you ask? 







Finally, Wake.  This book was probably the biggest stretch for me (didn't have the far-off futuristicness of Ender's Game or the humour of HGG).  Set in present day Waterloo, Ontario Wake follows the story of 15 year old Caitlin, who is about to make some huge discoveries about the world and the Internet.  It weaves several disparate stories into one (albeit not quite -- this is the first book in the series and few pieces have been left hanging) which is a style I enjoy. I'm good with switching around and trying to perceive where all the stories will intersect.  Some of the Canadian/math/physics humour was a bit on-the-nose for me.  My big beef?  I don't like it when I have to read more books to get to the ending.  I like books that tells its own story and then I can choose to go farther if I want.   That being said, I totally want to know how it ends.

There is something about the Sci-Fi genre that loves a sequel.  All of these books are the first of series.  But with Ender's Game  and HGG I have been warned several times that the subsequent books aren't worth reading.  This is my PSA not to read the rest of those series.  With Wake, you can check in later.  I'm going to have to read the next two to find out what happens.  

Any recommendations of Sci-Fi reads?  Based on these three, I'm open to what the genre has to offer.  And yes, I have read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  And yes, it is awesome.  

Quitters Sometimes Prosper: Books I've stopped reading & others I should have stopped

I generally like to see things through to the end.  Especially food.  Chocolate should never be left unfinished.  Or these maple covered nuts.  Just sayin.

And I do like to finish most books. But every once and a while, I quit.  I just do.  My need for public confessions makes it clear that peace has not been made with these abdications.  I would love to know if you have ever finished one of these books, if you have loved it and even why I might try again.  (And I am totally up for trying again...that is how I fell in love with Margaret Atwood.  Long story.) I used to think that I would never quit a book--I would always see it through.  Then I became a parent and I learned that words like "never" and "always" are just plain foolish.  

So here is my confession.  I have quit some books. 

(Spoiler alert: At the end are some books I am looking forward to reading, lest this post feel too woe-is-me.)

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Series (Stieg Larsson).  I read the first book and part way through I started skimming.  A) I was (very) bored.  The characters ate way too many sandwiches.  B) I didn't like the violence.  I didn't feel the story was powerful enough to merit the amount of violence involved.  C)  EDIT (and I may be one to talk, but this is a blog, not a book).  So I quit on the whole series.  There was no way I was entering into another long, poorly edited, graphically violent book that seemed to be gruesome just for the sake of it.  But I'm willing to listen to another side of the story.

 

 

Middlemarch (George Eliot) A classic, right?  Have you read this classic?  I tried.  I QUIT.  It was too deep for me.  I don't balk easily at long sentences.  I like to think that any sentence, read properly, is understandable.  ERRONEOUS.  I had to read and re-read sentence after sentence.  It was hard for me to do so--this book as serious theological underpinnings and I have done some schooling in theology.  So I wanted to understand.  My pride wanted me to get it.  But I couldn't follow it.  And yes, it haunts me.

Vanity Fair (William Makepeace Thackery).  Again, a classic.  And while I could follow this story--I just got bored out of my skull.  I wasn't engaged.  Bigger confession: watched the movie just to see the ending. Terrible, I know.  

Lord of the Flies (William Golding).  I'm not sure I quit this one *per se* but I didn't really read the whole thing.  I read the beginning (in grade 11), got busy, saw the movie, read the end for a project (still grade 11) and then never got to the middle.  I feel like a Lord of the Flies flake.  I hope I can't retroactively fail grade 11 English.  

Uh-oh.  This list is getting longer the more I think about it.  Maybe I'll stop.

After all is said and done, I do think it is worth sticking most books out until the end.  That being said, here are a few I wish I had read differently:

Little Bee (Chris Cleave).  This book has a great beginning.  I loved it.  And then the whole thing falls apart.  My book club all felt the same way: great start, riveting and interesting...but then...blurg.  Everything goes downhill.  It is either a brilliant comment on the contrast between Western-suburban culture and rural African life OR it is just not that great.  I think the latter might be the case. 

 

The Expats (Chris Pavone).  I didn't mind this book, I just wish I hadn't started reading it while I was home alone with my kids.  It was midnight before I went to bed because I had to know what happened.  Good read, Bourne-like mystery...but don't read it home alone.  Consider yourself warned.  

 

State of Wonder (Ann Patchett).  This book is added to the list hesitantly because I like Ann Patchett's writing, especially Bel Canto (it is a go-to recommendation for me).  However, this story was too thin or almost too thick--I'm not sure which.  It was well-written but weakly told.  Great moments but too long before anything happens.  However, if you are looking for an exercise in character writing, you could check this book out.

Most books I have read from start to finish, whether I like them or not.  But sometimes, you just have to give up and let a book slide.  Not to worry.  Behind each disappointment is another book waiting to wow you.  I'm off to start Divergent (Veronica Roth), Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)  and The Virgin Cure (Ami McKay).  I'm sure my high hopes will be met!

Why I love Graphic Novels

Oh, the graphic novel.  All of a sudden, a few years back, these came across my radar.  In my naivety, I scoffed--pictures?  comics?  Who needs those?  I like the pictures I create in my head; slowly building up the details as the author paints a word picture.  I'm a reader, I don't need pictures!  Then again, I've been wrong before.  

After all a picture is worth a thousand words.  Especially a good, provocative picture.  Then it is worth a million words (or maybe more).  Graphic novels can go to deep places quickly, because the pictures can move with a speed words cannot. It might not take long to read, but this genre leaves a lasting impression.  

My first graphic novel came from Canada Reads 2011:  Essex County.  I read it as I decided to read all the books but was the least familiar with the style and content of Jeff Lemire's work.  Turns out, it was gripping.  Great story, interesting pictures, heartfelt.  I really enjoyed it.  But I still felt 'out of touch' with the world of graphic novels.  How does one even begin to engage a whole new kind of book.  My limited, incorrect definition of comics (Saturday mornings, super heroes, or Japanese anime) crippled me when I walked into the section.  I hardly knew where to start.  I really liked reading Essex County, but then what?  

 

Recently I came across Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City by Guy Delisle (from CBC Book's Summer Reading List).  Also a graphic novel, I was excited to dig in.  And while Essex County was heartfelt, Jerusalem was heart wrenching.  With a wit that transcends his pictures and a poignant eye that notices truth in little moments, Delisle's take on the people, the realities and the challenges of life in the Holy Land fascinated me.  Delisle's story follows his year there with his wife (works with MSF/Doctors without Borders) and children, showing aspects of daily life (like finding a good playground) and big moments (like living through bombings).  He provides lots of simplified background information so that his vignettes are accessible even if you aren't familiar with Middle East relations.  Absolutely challenging subject matter.  But this book is a great way to start engaging with a reality that ought not be ignored. 

Both graphic novels I have read opened my eyes to the beauty of the genre and to the emotions, truths and moments which pictures can convey better than words.  I'm on the hunt for more (probably going to check out Delisle's other books).  Any suggestions? 

Juliet, Czechs and the Saddest Book Ever

I like starting books when I know nothing about them -- it adds a sense of adventure to my literary travels.  Going on recommendations or just curiosity, I stumble into incredible worlds and stories that I might have steered away from had I read the back.  

So it was with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  The title gives away nothing and I walked in blind, joined by a few friends, to the world of Juliet Ashton.  Even though I highly recommend starting books without knowing exactly what to expect, I am going to give you a small snapshot of this book.

World War 2 has just ended and England is searching for footing, hope and stability after a long and arduous war.  Rationing, coupons and devastation still fill the air as author Juliet Ashton provides some relief through her light-hearted stories.  While searching for subject matter that goes deeper, she engages with a group on the small English Channel Island of Guernsey and...well, that's all you need from me.  

You know what I loved about this book?  It was so balanced.  It was funny, sweet, poignant, intruiging, heart breaking, devastating, challenging and witty.  I was captured in minutes.  It took me two days to read this book -- and I have two children under the age of two.  So that meant something (ie, my own sleep) went largely neglected for the sake of the story.  But it was worth it.  When people want to read something 'light but not frivolous' I think this is what they want.  A good story, with great heart, that doesn't burden you with suffering but still goes deeper than surface interactions.  

What would I change?  Just one more chapter.  That's all I wanted.  One more look into what happened.  I would have liked that.  

I love reading about World War 2 (we go way back).  Here are some other books that I would recommend:

Far to Go (Alison Pick).  A story of Czech citizens in World War Two, this story is a present day-past day interaction that culminates in the past and present meeting.  Lovely writing, interesting story and made me want to head back to Prague.  Also, written by a Canadian.

The Book Thief  (Markus Zusak).  See my other posts.  READ!  

 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by (John Boyne).  This story is told from the perspective of a little german boy in WW2.  Adorable in his naivety, it is also one of the saddest books ever.  At one point my hand flew to my mouth and it stayed there until the end of the book.  However, it is a good read.  Just be warned: saddest book ever. 

The Wild West, Frontier America and Some Sisters Brothers

 Wild West might be an exaggeration -- but The Sisters Brothers is set in frontier America, on the West Coast, during the Gold Rush -- so really, similar timing, just a *bit* later on.  And, well, not really in the Wild West but more so in the Pacific Corridor.  But you get the picture -- gun-totting, horse-riding, beard-wearing, gold-stealing miscreants on a hit job.  Sounds violent?  It kinda is, but not so much that it is off putting.  Sound sweet and a little touching? No?  Well, it kinda is that too -- the characters are well developed in a simple style and with enough depth that you end up rooting for the apparent 'bad guys'.  

Patrick DeWitt's writing is compelling without being complicated and his off beat sense of humour jumps off the page in little fire cracker moments.  The sparse nature of his narrative adds to the setting and helps you feel the sparseness of life on the edge of the law and society.  Not surprised it won several awards.  Like good food, simple but well executed always triumphs. 

Truly enjoyable read!  That brought a few others to mind...

I've also read Willa Cather's The Song of the Lark and O Pioneers! which are both set in a similar time period -- the cusp of the modern era, the mid-nineteenth century, as the USA finds its footing and its personality.  Cather's writing is more dense (but compared to DeWitt, my 1 year old's books look wordy) but still entices you into a place that seems almost impossible to reach -- what is left of the imagination of discovery and pioneering?  Travel is simple, accessible and common.  I love the spirit of the characters in both DeWitt's work and Cather's: they are all attempting to forage out life against the odds.  

Finally, The Sisters Brothers couldn't help but make me think of one of the strangest little books I have ever read: McTeague.  I had to read McTeague for a class in university, with a professor who taught history without dates and just wanted you to get a 'feel' for the era.  Well, to his credit, I suppose I did.  After all, as I read The Sisters Brothers, that class came right back to my mind (and it has been awhile since I did my undergrad).  All I could think about was the characters and story of McTeague which are almost beyond description.  A multi-layered, graphic look into the psyche of a turn of the century San Franciso, McTeague stays with you -- for better or for worse. 

Books, babies and teething...

Monday morning: it's been a week and our little guy, A, has decided that he is above sleeping.  Or napping.  Or being content.  He has good moments, sure, but he certainly is not himself.  For the first time in 14 months, I feel pretty confident saying this little patch is teething.  Afterall, I can actually see molars and eye teeth pushing through with white little points and I'm guessing that can't feel good.  What also doesn't feel good?  Not sleeping.  Any of us.  And being nine months pregnant & not sleeping = a deep sense of worry.  What will I do when there are two babies?  So, as I cuddle A to sleep and remind myself that all of parenting is more or less a 'phase' I ask myself, what am I modelling for this child?  What am I teaching him?  I hope he is learning that he is deeply loved.  On top of that, I am trying to show him that we read, that we play outside, that we snuggle and that there is no greater gift than love.  But when all you want to do is drift off to sleep all day long, it is hard to remember parenting is an amazing honour and not a tiring burden.

Pride and Prejudice is far and away my favourite book.  But when Elizabeth and her Darcy don't fit the bill, I often turn to another life long friend--Anne of Green Gables.  Particularly Anne of Avonlea and Anne of Ingleside, two in the 7 book series about Canada's favourite willowy red-head.  It was a good thing that I re-read (okay, skimmed for the parts that make my heart swell) Anne of Ingleside last week.  Now a mother, Anne finds herself living with the big adventures of little souls (as well as some classic Anne-Gilbert interaction) and spends a good deal of the book reflecting on motherhood.  She talks of chubby knees, velvet elbows and grasping hands that are so incredible, so lovely and so worth loving.  When A is crying in his crib and B and I are both living in sleep deprivation I listen hard to the words of Anne as she reminds me that this little man (and his soon-to-be sibling) are worth every minute.   What are a few hours of my night?  What are long hours of my day?  What else is more important than nurturing this little soul? Yes, my sanity is up there because that is what I need in order to do the nuturing, but motherhood has made me find that sanity at a deeper level.  Strength from new, deeper sources.  Although Anne Shirley and her little brood are ficticious and not a terribly well balanced look at motherhood, they are nonetheless an example of seeing beyond the precarious moment and remembering that this second is fleeting and worth savouring.   

Not that I think he needs to be spoiled--his newest baby sign language sign is 'please' and we are pretty insistent on responding to 'please' over the point-and-grunt that A so prefers to use.  I also know that sometimes he just has to cry and that you don't learn to walk without falling.  But when he is in pain, a little fevery and distressed, what else can I do?  Perhaps you have ideas.  But in the moment, all I have is my instinct. Thank goodness for books that remind me of truth beyond myself.  

With all The Elegance of a Hedgehog.

When I was in grade ten my history teacher told me I "wrote like a gorilla."  He even put it on my interim report card.  While it seems harsh, it was true.  I have always worked at writing--editing carefully (okay, not so much on the blog) and really forcing myself to take a detailed look at grammatical rules.  I'm still fuzzy on some things (like split infinitives) and ever mindful of number agreement (so much easier to use 'them' when he/she is the right choice) but more or less, I have gotten over my gorilla-like tendencies.  Even by the end of grade 10, great strides had been made.

So when someone loves grammar or is very aware of the rules, I'm a bit in awe.  After all, I am usually doing my best to keep my head above grammatical water, let alone be able to notice grammatical flaws in public places.  I can edit and edit and edit but I don't usually choose to edit my daily surroundings.  In my experience, being too critical always ends badly. 

Grammar, and all of it foibles, plays a central role in The Elegance of the Hedgehog (I really, really love the title).  Two characters tell their own quest for truth, meaning and beauty while facing the day-to-day limitations of life and culture in modern day Paris.  A little dense, yes.  A good read, certainly.  I openly admit to skimming sections that are waxing philosophical on art and the theory of art.  I much preferred the narrative elements to the philosophical, metaphorical musings.  But whenever the author was about to lose me because we had droned on about art long enough, the story reappeared and drew me in again. 

To summarize: if lofty language and academic prose aren't your thing then this book is not for you.  However, if you are willing to read with a dictionary close at bay (another argument for e-readers), this book is a sweet read with a touching finish.  And you will completely understand why such a a title would ever be given to a book. 

Next up: a recommendation The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More (Roald Dahl) and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)

When Art and Economics Clash...

Well, I just devoured Happiness Economics by Shari Lapena.  This book is one that came highly recommended by my favourite local, independent book store...but I couldn't bring myself to buy something quite so unknown.  Even though my local library didn't have it, they were very obliging and ordered it in for me (such a great system--I am practically on a first name basis with the Acquisition person). 

Touted as a great Canadian lit, I was a bit worried Happiness Economics would be dark (for some reason I associate Canadian literature with being dark--which I blame on reading A Cure for Death By Lightining at 15).  After reading a good chunk of The Tiger, I was very much in the mood for something lighter and a bit closer to home.  Afterall, Russian environmental and interpersonal politics are fun, but not light. 

Now, back to the book at hand.  Set in 2008 Toronto (note the timing--impending market doom), this book tells the story of a lost poet, his over-achieving wife, and the children caught in between their parents' struggles.  Enter Lily White, muse to poet and nemisis to wife, who will start a chain reaction of change in everyone's life. 

Good read, solid read--nothing too heavy but still not fluff--I read it in a day (while baby slept) and found myself living day-to-day with the characters.  Also, it made me want to read poetry (which I rarely do). 

Recommend?  Yes.  Best book ever?  Not quite.  A glimpse into the problems of division of art and the marketplace?  Absolutely.

Enjoy!

Canada Reads #2...and I'm Sceptical.

Hockey.  Really?  Hockey.  I have to read about hockey.  My next Canada Reads book is The Game by Ken Dryden and I have committed to the Canada Reads books, so I will stay committed.  But, really?  Hockey?  I know it is a national past time and all that jazz, but do we have to read about it too?  Isn’t a nightly viewing and day-long televised unpacking of each play enough?  No? 

I do like some hockey.  Playoff hockey is great.  So is international hockey (bigger rinks, cleaner plays) and I generally love watching Olympic sports.  But everyday (and in Canada it is everyday) hockey is more than I can handle.   This book better be about some good hockey.  My husband B tells me it will be, but I am sceptical.  Super-duper sceptical. 

Then again, I never thought I’d enjoy reading about the Middle East but I have learned otherwise. 

So, Canada Reads book #2 is coming home from the library today – Ken Dryden’s The Game.   It’ll be good, right?  I am really, really hoping to be surprised.  And to be wrong about my hockey-book-based-scepticism (which has happened from time to time).

To console myself (and offset the hockey-ness), I’m also going to start reading The Food of Love by Anthony Capella which comes recommended by a fellow food lover.  Good books about food make you hungry.  I’m hoping for some cooking inspiration to flow from this one!     

Top 5 Books of 2011

2011 was a funny reading year for me.  Having my first child in January meant that  sometimes I was reading a lot and other times, not so much.  Now that I’m expecting my second child, I’m reading a lot – as bed time calls around 9:30 and I like to wind down with at least a few pages of something good.

Based on what I read in 2011 (rather than what was published this year), here are my top picks:

#5

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson

I really liked this book—I actually found myself shoving it in my purse or diaper bag *just in case* I ended up with time to read.  Well-written, with a poignant modern edge on the life of a staid older man, made for lovely read that left you with thinking not only of how you would want to spend the second half of life, but about what happens with cultures collide.  Are we really ready for a truly global world?

#4

The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou

I’m actually surprised I am putting this book at number four, because I LOVE IT.  Really.  I borrowed it from the library and ended up buying it, that’s how much I LOVE IT.  I’m not exactly sure why—it is the story of two athletes as they journey to the Sydney Olympics and I’m not so much an athlete (hence the blog on books!).  But something in the foreignness of the athletic mind fascinates me—the focus, the drive, the blinders to everything else—so different from my own multi-levelled-ever-changing ambition.  So interesting! And the story has a sweetness to it, almost a sweatiness to it, that draws you in.  I like reading a book that makes me want it to be longer and yet somehow satisfies.  Simple, sweaty and sweet.

#3

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I would love to just have the first two books in here as Mockingjay was a disappointment and, yet, I think you have to read them all so I’m holding them together.  That means that the first two were good enough for me to overlook the tragedy of the third.  Thematically, these books challenge our consumer culture (as I greedily consumed them all!) by highlighting the wastefulness of wealth and the unstoppable corruption of power.  Any book(s) that can tell a compelling story while shining the light on present day human follies without seeming preachy is right up my alley. 

#2

Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver

Okay, so I’m that person who also reads cookbooks.  And while I have come across many great cookbooks this year (also check out Canyon Ranch’s Nourish), the one that I think stuck with me the most in terms of learning about food and understanding cooking is Jamie Oliver’s teaching book Cook With Jamie.  He has great explanations and lots of interesting information and yummy recipes.  I made his berry meringue—still leaves me drooling!

#1

The Book Thief  by Markus Zusak

This might actually be not only the best book of the year but one of my top ten best books ever.  I almost don’t want to describe it; I just want you to read it.  I have never read anything so well written, so captivating and so powerful.  Granted it might take a minute or two to get in to the writing style, but please oh please, do not let that stop you!  I’m not even scared of overselling it, that’s how good it is!