There are spoilers ahead, but this short Christmas story doesn't need to be 'unspoiled' to enjoy over and over. The narrator of To Every Thing There Is a Season is looking back at the Christmas he was a boy of eleven. Christmas is a time of both past and present and often the two are … Continue reading Alistair MacLeod Short Story: To Every Thing There Is A Season (1977)
It's been a while since I read and wrote about one of Alistair MacLeod's stories, even though my plan had been to go through them all. That's why I was especially pleased to see that Marcie at Buried in Print has chosen Alistair MacLeod for her newest short story project. Last week we read The … Continue reading The Vastness of the Dark: A Short Story by Alistair MacLeod (1971)
The first thing I have to say about these books is that each one deserves it's own post. So very good in their own unique ways. Three from Atlantic Canada, one from Quebec. Are You Kidding Me?! by Lesley Crewe, Nimbus Publishing Lesley Crewe is wildly popular here in Nova Scotia. Her books at the … Continue reading From the Library: some laughs, some crime, a coma, and a narrative meditation
The nominees for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award for Fiction have very few similarities, besides being great reads (and colour-coordinated). There's a short story collection and two novels. The settings take us from St. John's to Cape Breton to New York City. Dig by Terry Doyle, Breakwater Books You've seen this book … Continue reading Atlantic Book Awards 2020: Margaret and John Savage First Book Award for Fiction
The nominees for the Jim Connors Dartmouth Book Award for Fiction will take you to three distinct areas of Nova Scotia: Yarmouth, Lunenburg, and Cape Breton. From the 1910s and 40s to the present day. The Difference by Marina Endicott, Knopf Canada I was overjoyed by the inclusion of this book on the list. It is … Continue reading Atlantic Book Awards 2020: Jim Connors Dartmouth Book Award for Fiction
I'm seeing Crow everywhere right now; on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, and blogs. And I can see why readers are falling in love with this book. Meet Crow... I come from a long line of lunatics and criminals. Crazies on one side of the family tree, crooks on the other, although the odd crazy has a … Continue reading Crow by Amy Spurway
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)
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
Lesley Choyce has written a crazy number of books; over 80 for adults, teens, and children. I only own one that I deliberately bought a few years ago because I was anxious to read it. It is still unread. He also lives in Nova Scotia. All of this to say that I'm wondering what makes … Continue reading The Unlikely Redemption of John Alexander MacNeil by Lesley Choyce
The Inward Journey by Kate Evans (2016) Sylvia is not yet 70, but she is going blind and in a nursing home, and fighting it every step of the way. She complains about the food, the care, and refuses to try new ideas to learn how to cope with her loss of vision. In the style … Continue reading Playing Catch-Up: Kate Evans and Beatrice MacNeil
Consumed by Ink 