For Reading Ireland Month this year, I was determined to read one of Maggie O'Farrell's novels, after reading TJ's review of The Hand That First Held Mine and Cathy's review of The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox. I would have been happy with either of them. But the only two of her books in my … Continue reading Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell
Category: Other Books
But You Did Not Come Back: A Memoir of the Holocaust by Marceline Loridan-Ivens
I loved you so much that I was happy to be deported with you. But You Did Not Come Back is Marceline Loridan-Ivens's very personal memoir about her time in the death camps and how it overshadowed the rest of her life. She writes it in the form of a letter to her father who … Continue reading But You Did Not Come Back: A Memoir of the Holocaust by Marceline Loridan-Ivens
The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View From the Future by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway
The title of this book is a mouthful for such a slim volume. But the message is huge. Anyone concerned about the state of our world, or, especially anyone who isn't, should read this book. It won't take long. This novella can most effectively be summed up using passages plucked from its pages: The set-up … Continue reading The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View From the Future by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Thanks to Lory at The Emerald City and her Reading New England Challenge, I have finally read this book. Olive Kitteridge, how I love you. And here are some of the reasons why: ♦ Some might argue that love isn't the right word to use in respect to Olive Kitteridge, but I am here to … Continue reading Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante
Three months ago now I requested both this book and The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante for Novellas is November. There is no sign of Days of Abandonment (but I have since learned from Laura that it's still worth pursuing), and The Lost Daughter just showed up a week ago. I had a similar … Continue reading The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante
Literary Wives: A Circle of Wives by Alice LaPlante
Literary Wives is an on-line book club that examines the meaning and role of wife in different books. Every other month, we post and discuss a book with this question in mind: What does this book say about wives or about the experience of being a wife? Don’t forget to check out the other members of Literary … Continue reading Literary Wives: A Circle of Wives by Alice LaPlante
White Hunger by Aki Ollikainen
Mid-October is when I put a request in at the library for this book. It took 2.5 months to get to me and it came all the way from Ottawa. But it was worth it. It is 1867 Finland, and the population is suffering from a severe food shortage. As a mother and her children … Continue reading White Hunger by Aki Ollikainen
Looking Back On 2015
Am I allowed to have 36 books on my end-of-year list? Because that's how many I had at first, while trying to write a post like last year's (highlighting my favourite books by the month). So, I decided to simplify. Here's my pared down list (it only took me about 10 years to come up … Continue reading Looking Back On 2015
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
About Eileen: She is odd. She is awkward. She is painfully self-conscious. I liked books about awful things - murder, illness, death. I remember selecting one of the thickest books from the public library, a chronicle of ancient Egyptian medicine, to study the gruesome practice of pulling the brains of the dead out through the … Continue reading Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
Literary Wives: The Kitchen God’s Wife
Literary Wives is an on-line book club that examines the meaning and role of wife in different books that have the word “wife” in the title. Every other month, we post and discuss a book with these two questions in mind: 1. What does this book say about wives or the experience of being a wife? … Continue reading Literary Wives: The Kitchen God’s Wife
Consumed by Ink 