These two memoirs are written by Nova Scotian authors--one from Halifax and one from Truro--and both tell deeply personal stories. It was interesting to note that Gallant felt isolated in her experience with infertility while Parker-Brown felt supported in her journey with ALS. A Womb in the Shape of A Heart by Joanne Gallant (Nimbus … Continue reading Maritime Memoirs: Joanne Gallant and Angela Parker-Brown
Disability Visibility, edited by Alice Wong This book is made up of a variety of essays written by members of the disabled community. Not only is there a wide range of disabilities represented in these essays, there are also contributors of different races, genders, sexualities, religions, and vocations. There are personal stories as well as … Continue reading What I’ve Been Listening To: dwindling attention spans, the horrors of processed foods, cults, OCD, and a gorilla
The Gunsmith's Daughter by Margaret Sweatman It's 1971 and Lilac Welsh is 18-years-old. She lives in an isolated location near Winnipeg, Manitoba with her parents. Her father--Kal--who was a professor of psychology, was severely injured in Vietnam in 1961, after which he moved his family to this isolated location and became very successful creating fire … Continue reading Two from Gooselane Editions: ‘The Gunsmith’s Daughter’ and ‘This Is the House That Luke Built’
Three of these books are by Nova Scotian authors and one is from Newfoundland. All focus mainly on female characters: mothers, daughters, sisters, neighbours, friends, and even a wellness guru. The Remembering by Susan Sinnott (Nimbus Publishing) The Remembering is about a family in St. John's, Newfoundland. St. John's takes a central place in their … Continue reading From the Library: motherhood, family, girlhood, and wellness
A few years ago, Sarah Emsley and I co-hosted a reading of The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. We've decided that it's time for another Montgomery readalong. After polling the readers of Sarah's blog post on the matter, we've settled on Jane of Lantern Hill. I haven't read this one in years, so I'm excited … Continue reading Announcing a Readalong of Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery: #ReadingLanternHill
These three books took me from western, to central, to eastern Canada. And from the future, to the past, to almost the present (the 1990s). I loved them all. Greenwood by Michael Christie (Random House) I'm so happy I finally read this book. I've been wanting to read it since it came out, and have … Continue reading From the Library: the future, the past, and the 1990s
My scattered thoughts on this fabulous bunch of books... science, memoir, history, essays, and adventure. The Invention of Nature This is a long audiobook, but I was riveted. There's history, science, politics, nature, travel, letters (so many letters!). I was amazed by how much Humboldt accomplished in his lifetime, and wonder why he's not as … Continue reading What I’ve Been Listening To: an enthusiasm for measuring, an enthusiasm for endorphins, our quest for a soul mate, how to breathe, amazing life stories, and the terrifying beauty of nature
I feel like I have some pretty major loose ends to tie up - good books I read last year that I didn't end up writing about. Why am I able to get my thoughts down about some books and not others? Why do some books get pushed to the back burner while others get … Continue reading (Fabulous) Loose Ends from 2022
Finding Edward by Sheila Murray (Cormorant Books) Finding Edward is a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction. The two main characters in this book are Jamaican-Canadian with a 70 year age difference. Cyril grew up in Jamaica and--having just lost his mother--has recently come to Toronto to attend university. Edward was given … Continue reading From the Library: Finding Edward, Quiet Time, and Ducks
Unfiltered: An Irreverent History of Beer in Nova Scotia Despite the fact that most of Laffoley's books are nonfiction, until now, I have only read his novels. (The Blue Tattoo, A Halifax Christmas Carol, and Halifax Nocturne) Because I liked them so much, I was happy to give his nonfiction a try. Beer isn't really … Continue reading Steven Laffoley: irreverent histories of food and drink in Nova Scotia
Consumed by Ink 