Best Canadian Stories 2018, edited by Russell Smith

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

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’

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

Alistair MacLeod Short Story: As Birds Bring Forth the Sun (1985)

I felt like it was time for another short story from Alistair MacLeod's Island collection, and thought it would be nice to find one appropriate for summer. So I chose As Birds Bring Forth the Sun - sounds summery, right? (I can hear those of you who know this story laughing at me already.) How … Continue reading Alistair MacLeod Short Story: As Birds Bring Forth the Sun (1985)

Sarah Selecky #2: This Cake is For the Party

While I was reading Radiant Shimmering Light, which I wrote about last week, I was also reading Sarah Selecky's short story collection, This Cake is For the Party. I have to say, and this is rare for me when comparing novels with short stories, that I'd be hard pressed to say which I enjoyed more. … Continue reading Sarah Selecky #2: This Cake is For the Party

Atlantic Canadian Short Stories: Brennan, Skibsrud, and Crocker

A Certain Grace by Binnie Brennan A couple of years ago I read Binnie Brennan's novella Harbour View and loved it so much I was destined to go on to read her collection of short stories. It's hard to compete with Harbour View, but A Certain Grace is also a joy to read. A nice mix … Continue reading Atlantic Canadian Short Stories: Brennan, Skibsrud, and Crocker

In the Fall: A Short Story by Alistair MacLeod

Not long after writing about Alistair MacLeod's short story, The Boat, I started hearing about plans for making In the Fall into a short film, which you can read about here and here. It's going to be a beautiful film if they can capture the atmosphere from the story, but boy is it going to … Continue reading In the Fall: A Short Story by Alistair MacLeod

Peninsula Sinking by David Huebert

Look at the cover of this book. It couldn't be more stunning. With stories to match. Peninsula Sinking is David Huebert's first short story collection. He has won the CBC Short Story Prize, the Sheldon Currie Fiction Prize, and the Walrus Poetry Prize, and is the author of one poetry collection We Are No Longer the … Continue reading Peninsula Sinking by David Huebert

The Boat: A Short Story by Alistair MacLeod #1968Club

Joining in on the 1968 Club this week seemed like a long shot for me until I came across this short story by Alistair MacLeod, published in 1968 and the first story in the collection Island. The Boat A Midwestern University professor looks back at his childhood in 1930s Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He grew … Continue reading The Boat: A Short Story by Alistair MacLeod #1968Club

A Bird on Every Tree: A Collection of Short Stories by Carol Bruneau

Carol Bruneau has been getting some standout reviews recently for her new story collection, A Bird on Every Tree. James at The Miramichi Reader says that Ms. Bruneau "writes with a graceful precision and has a deftness with words and their cadences". A reviewer at The Coast calls Ms. Bruneau "a master of imagery". A … Continue reading A Bird on Every Tree: A Collection of Short Stories by Carol Bruneau