The Blind Mechanic was already on my list when it was shortlisted for both the Democracy 250 Atlantic Book Award for Historical Writing and the Robbie Robertson Dartmouth Book Award (Non-fiction). And judging by how long my library copy took to come in, it's been on many others' lists as well. An already well-known survivor of … Continue reading Halifax Explosion: ‘The Blind Mechanic’ and ‘Breaking Disaster’
Surfing fixes everything, I knew that much. You don't need to be a surfer or cyclist to read this book, but beware: it might make you want to pull on a wet suit and catch some waves! I usually enjoy reading about others' adventures - cycling across the country, hiking a months-long trail, sailing around … Continue reading Louisbourg or Bust: A Surfer’s Wild Ride Down Nova Scotia’s Drowned Coast by RC Shaw
I was attracted to this book right away - partly because I was curious to read what these authors had to say (especially after falling so hard for Black Berry, Sweet Juice by Lawrence Hill) and also, I have to admit, because of the vibrant purple cover. There are twenty-five entries in this book, including the … Continue reading Black Writers Matter, edited by Whitney French
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
Coincidentally, I had been reading one of Margaret Atwood's poetry books when we decided to go ahead with #MARM. I'm not a big poetry reader, but I was really taken with the poems in Morning in the Burned House (1995). Particularly the ones about a woman's ageing father, and memories of their time together. From … Continue reading Margaret Atwood Reading Month: Poetry and Food #MARM
In March 2015, Sandra Phinney was reading a blog post by Melanie Chambers that explained her summer plans to explore her city of Toronto as a tourist. Sandra contacted her to let her know she was inspired to do the same in her home town of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. And that's how The July Project … Continue reading Waking Up in My Own Backyard by Sandra Phinney
I usually opt for fiction to gain understanding and empathy for topics that are far from my own experience, but sometimes I come across works of nonfiction that are just as moving. I found Homes to be especially powerful, perhaps because the story is told from the perspective of the boy who lived it. In 2010, … Continue reading Refugees: ‘The Boat People’ by Sharon Bala and ‘Homes’ by Abu Bakr al Rabeeah with Winnie Yeung
Here's what I got out of this book: Sex workers are everywhere, there are so many more than I would ever have thought, they come in all shapes and sizes and ages and genders, they could be anyone (maybe someone you know or work with). There is no one truth about sex work or the … Continue reading Rock Paper Sex: The Oldest Profession in Canada’s Oldest City by Kerri Cull
This spring and summer I got reading about Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia, inspired mostly by reading Lawrence Hill's Black Berry, Sweet Juice and by the subsequent discussion I had with my sister. Around the same time I also read Steal Away Home by Karolyn Smardz Frost. All of this made me want to know … Continue reading Literature on the Black Loyalists of Nova Scotia
A couple of years ago, I asked my family about their favourite books, and this is one of the books my sister Kate recommended. She sounded so passionate about it that I have had every intention of reading it ever since. Maybe it's all the global conversations happening right now about race and discrimination, or … Continue reading Black Berry, Sweet Juice: On Being Black and White in Canada by Lawrence Hill (And an interview with my sister)
