I read this excellent anthology over the Holidays, along with several other short story collections, and now it's late February. But I love this collection too much to let it go. Best Canadian Stories 2018 was edited by Russell Smith (author of short story collection Confidence) who says, "A great anthology does not have a … Continue reading Best Canadian Stories 2018, edited by Russell Smith
Category: Canadian Lit
Catching the Light by Susan Sinnott
Once I got into this book, it was very hard to put down. There are two main story lines in Catching the Light, and for what seemed like the longest time I wasn't sure if the two were ever going to meet. Which kept me powering through the book. Cathy grows up in a small … Continue reading Catching the Light by Susan Sinnott
K.D. Miller: ‘Late Breaking’ and ‘All Saints’
I have been itching to write about these books since reading them - since before I finished reading them. These stories are brilliant and addictive and I wanted them to last forever. Late Breaking (2018) Late Breaking is K.D. Miller's most recent book, and it's the one I read first (thanks to the folks at … Continue reading K.D. Miller: ‘Late Breaking’ and ‘All Saints’
Linked Story Collections: Paul Carlucci and Martine Desjardins
The High-Rise in Fort Fierce by Paul Carlucci (Goose Lane Editions) I feel like I read this book ages ago now - I better hurry up and write about it before I forget why I loved it so much. Obvious reasons: The High-Rise in Fort Fierce is made up of interconnecting stories about residents of … Continue reading Linked Story Collections: Paul Carlucci and Martine Desjardins
Hockey Anyone? – Tyler Hellard, David Huebert, and Angie Abdou
I am not a hockey fan. But sometimes, when you live in Canada, it cannot be avoided. Luckily, hockey in literature is much more fun for me than hockey on ice. Searching for Terry Punchout by Tyler Hellard (Invisible Publishing) I almost didn't read this. I thought, what am I doing with this book about … Continue reading Hockey Anyone? – Tyler Hellard, David Huebert, and Angie Abdou
Project Bookmark Canada: Love Enough by Dionne Brand (2014)
Dionne Brand's Love Enough is the 22nd Bookmark on the CanLit Trail. I'm happy that Dionne Brand has a Bookmark, and I'm happy that I have finally read one of her books. "Brand is our great observer - of actions, of emotions, of the little things that often go unnoticed but can mean the turn … Continue reading Project Bookmark Canada: Love Enough by Dionne Brand (2014)
Hummingbird by Devin Krukoff
Have I mentioned before how much fun it is to just plunge into a book and/or author (in this case, both) I haven't come across before? Hummingbird tells the story of a man named Felix. He lives alone (at least, at first, he seems to). He spends too much time on the internet visiting live … Continue reading Hummingbird by Devin Krukoff
Highlights of 2018
My last post focused on Best Atlantic Canadian Reads of 2018. Here's everything else... Best Books (in addition to Best of Atlantic Canada 2018, in no particular order): The Prisoner and the Chaplain by Michelle Berry You Are Among Monsters by Jon R. Flieger The Red Word by Sarah Henstra (winner of the 2018 Governor General Literary … Continue reading Highlights of 2018
The Best of Atlantic Canada 2018
Three years ago I decided to challenge myself to read more books from Atlantic Canada. In my first year I read 22 from the region, and in my second year 30. This year I read 23. % of books read from Atlantic Canada: 26% (last year, 32%) Newfoundland: 7 (last year, 6) Nova Scotia: 14 (last year, 17) … Continue reading The Best of Atlantic Canada 2018
Two Books that Slipped Through the Cracks: Elizabeth Hay and Ernest Buckler
The Mountain and the Valley by Ernest Buckler (1952) It's been a long time coming, but I've finally read this book. Everyone else around me has read it, being a Canadian classic set in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley. The author lived in the valley himself, and so I imagine this novel is partly autobiographical, although, … Continue reading Two Books that Slipped Through the Cracks: Elizabeth Hay and Ernest Buckler
Consumed by Ink 