Staff Pick - Why Men Lie by Linden MacIntyre

Well, having read Linden MacIntyre's Why Men Lie (M), I am no wiser about why men, or why people in general lie, but it certainly does make life more complicated.

Why Men Lie is the third book in MacIntyre's trilogy of stories set in Cape Breton featuring the intertwined Gillis and MacAskill families. It's not vital to read the books in order (beginning with The Long Stretch (M) and The Bishop's Man (M)) but it does flesh out the story a bit. We meet the Gillis cousins, John and Sextus, in The Long Stretch and learn about the family secrets that threaten their lives and have destroyed each of their marriages to Effie MacAskill. In the Giller Prize winning The Bishop's Man, Effie's brother Duncan is featured as a priest who resolves church scandals.

Why Men Lie is set mostly in Toronto in the late 1990's. Effie MacAskill, a middle-aged, comfortably situated Celtic scholar, faces a solitary period in her life, while still the hub for her ex-husbands. She doesn't appear to stretch much farther in her relationships than Cape Breton, as she becomes involved with a man who was involved with her set of friends in the 1970s. Despite the fact that the men in her life have mistreated or lied to her, she surrounds herself, with the exception of her daughter, with men. The new man in her life, JC Cameron, a television reporter/personality, is at first charming, protective and attentive, but quickly shows himself to be harbouring dangerous secrets.

Overall I would describe this novel as domestic fiction, yet it has the feel of a literary thriller. The lies and secrets are revealed (or mostly revealed) in an ever changing series of flashbacks and it is not always immediately clear where we are in the timeline. The complexity of the plot and the rich character development make this novel an absorbing and rewarding read. Everything I read about this book refers to the three books as a trilogy, however I have to wonder if there might be a fourth story here. A new character, Paul, is introduced, and he doesn't seem to fit neatly with the story. He appears to meet Effie by chance and pursues the relationship to the point of stalking, stealing from her an extremely personal possession. I never felt that his presence or actions were clearly explained and I can't help but to think that his secrets could turn this trilogy into a quartet.

Another Maritime Giller Prize winner is Mercy Among the Children (M) by David Adams Richards. "When twelve-year-old Sidney Henderson pushes his friend Connie off the roof of a local church in a moment of anger, he makes a silent vow: Let Connie live and I will never harm another soul. At that very moment, Connie stands, laughs, and walks away. Sidney keeps his promise through adulthood despite the fact that his insular, rural community uses his pacifism to exploit him. Sidney's son Lyle, however, assumes an increasingly aggressive stance in defense of his family. When a small boy is killed in a tragic accident and Sidney is blamed, Lyle takes matters into his own hands. In his effort to protect the people he loves -- his beautiful and fragile mother, Elly; his gifted sister, Autumn; and his innocent brother, Percy -- it is Lyle who will determine his family's legacy." Discover

2012 Toronto Book Awards

The shortlist for the 2012 Toronto Book Awards have been announced. "Established by Toronto City Council in 1974,the Toronto Book Awards honour authors of books of literary or artistic merit that are evocative of Toronto. There were 75 submissions for this year's award. The finalists have been selected, and the winner will be announced on October 11."


Copernicus Avenue (M)
by Andrew J. Borkowski

"Set primarily in the neighbourhood of fictional Copernicus Avenue, Andrew Borkowski’s debut collection of short stories is a daring, modern take on life in Toronto’s Polish community in the years following World War II. Featuring a cast of young and old, artists and soldiers, visionaries and madmen, the forgotten and the unforgettable, Copernicus Avenue captures, with bold and striking prose, the spirit of a people who have travelled to a new land, not to escape old grudges and atrocities, but to conquer them." publisher

Six Metres of Pavement (M)
by Farzana Doctor

"Ismail Boxwala made the worst mistake of his life one summer morning twenty years ago: he forgot his baby daughter in the back seat of his car. After his daughter's tragic death, he struggles to continue living. A divorce, years of heavy drinking, and sex with strangers only leave him more alone and isolated.
But Ismail's story begins to change after he reluctantly befriends two women: Fatima, a young queer activist kicked out of her parents' home; and Celia, his grieving Portuguese-Canadian neighbour who lives just six metres away. A slow-simmering romance develops between Ismail and Celia. Meanwhile, dangers lead Fatima to his doorstep. Each makes complicated demands of him, ones he is uncertain he can meet." publisher

Writing the Revolution (M)
by Michele Landsberg

"A collection of journalist Michele Landsberg's Toronto Star columns, where she was a regular columnist for more than twenty-five years between 1978 and 2005. Michele has chosen her favorite and most relevant columns, using them as a lens to reflect on the the second wave of feminism and the issues facing women then and now. An icon of the feminist movement and a hero to many, through her writing and activism Michele played an important role in fighting for the rights of women, children, and the disenfranchised. Her insights are as powerful for the generation of women who experienced the second wave as for the rising tide of young feminists taking action today." publisher

Paramita, Little Black (M)
by Suzanne Robertson

"In her first collection of poems, Suzanne Robertson meditates on the nature of intimacy; the connective tissue that binds stranger to stranger, human to animal, soul to landscape, heart to mind. Inspired by the Buddhist paramitas ? actions that spark a spiritual sojourn, the poems attempt to both transcend and stay grounded in a conventional universe. Follow the humourous, pedestrian plight of a secretary/writer grappling with her noonday demon, her love affair with Little Black, and the metamorphosis of her marriage as she harnesses the practical power of poetry, marrying words "to the wind horse," "to the lies and the gossip and the truth of the river / as it pours out the mouth of right-now." Paramita, Little Black explores acts of transformation; documenting a journey to live and love authentically amidst the transient anatomy of our twenty-first century lives." publisher

Writing Gordon Lightfoot: the man the music and the world in 1972 (M)
by Dave Bidini

"July, 1972. As musicians across Canada prepare for the nation's biggest folk festival, held on Toronto Island, a series of events unfold that will transform the country politically, psychologically--and musically. As Bidini explores the remarkable week leading up to Mariposa, he also explores the life and times of one of the most enigmatic figures in Canadian music: Gordon Lightfoot, the reigning king of folk at the height of his career. Through a series of letters, Bidini addresses Lightfoot directly, questioning him, imagining his life, and weaving together a fascinating, highly original look at a musician at the top of his game. By the end of the week, the country is on the verge of massive change and the '72 Mariposa folk fest--complete with surprise appearances by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and yes, Lightfoot--is on its way to becoming legendary." publisher
~
Watch Dave Bidini as he reads from Writing Gordon Lightfoot at Halifax Public Libraries.

Books into film -- Fall 2012 edition

The big big news in book and film combos this fall is probably the November 16th release of Breaking Dawn, part 2 in the continuing film adaptation of the Twilight Saga novels (M). It really needs little introduction or explanation. While you're waiting for that one, here's a few more to consider.

There are several beloved books being adapted into films this fall -- always a tricky task in my opinion as fans them tend to be very attached to the story and feel film adaptations often can't do them justice. (click on the film poster to view the official trailers)

The adaptation of cult classic teen novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower (M) by Steven Chbosky (September 21 release) stands a bit more of a chance I think, as the director is none other than the author itself.

I count myself amongst the skeptical fans of the book Cloud Atlas (M) by David Mitchell (October 26th release) who are worried that the adaptation will be just terrible. I loved the book, a sprawling, structurally intricate but immensely readable novel that travels around the world and through time. It seems unfilmable but filmed it has been—the fact that the production required three directors and a wide cast with several actors playing multiple characters should give you a sense of the challenge. I'm intrigued by the trailer though and will probably go see the film, although maybe I should just read the book again.

Life of Pi (M) is based on the Booker Prize winning novel by Yann Martel (November 21st release), and like Cloud Atlas presents some huge hurdles in depicting it on a film. The story of a young boy who is shipwrecked at sea and shares a life boat for 227 days with a Bengal Tiger was hugely popular amongst readers, but many had a hard time with the suspension of disbelief with a fantastical tale that was presented very realistically. Time will tell if director Ang Lee is able to overcome that in the film version.

Argo (October 12th release) is not based on a book, but it is based on a true story and credits an article by a journalist--Joshuah Bearman--in the film's credits. Interestingly, a new book called Argo: how the CIA and Hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history (M) by two different journalists has also just been released. It focuses on the same story of espionage and tells of an incredibly daring rescue in Iran during the late 70's.

The film Killing Them Softly (October 19th release) is based on the book Cogan's Trade (M) by George V. Higgins. I never get when they change the name of the movie that a book is based on, it really just confuses everyone doesn't it? Although I guess I have to admit the film title is catchier than the book one in this case. Publishers Weekly commented that author Higgins "was considered on of the leading crime writers of his day, often compared to Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett." Fans of those authors will want to keep their eyes peeled for the movie and perhaps dip into this and other titles by the author.

And two more to round it out: The Paperboy (M) based on the book of the same name by Pete Dexter has already hit the festival circuit and has a limited theatre release starting in October. Dexter is a respected author of gritty, noirish books that tend to have characters at their centre. The Paperboy is about a journalist who returns to his Florida home town to investigate the murder of the local Sheriff. And finally a new adaptation of Anna Karenina (M) starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law is scheduled for a November release. If you start now, you probably have time to get through the book before the film hits the screen.

Read Your Way Around the World - Guatemala

Read Your Way Around the World invites you to Guatemala, a Central American country, with a diverse ecology and a history dating back to the Mayan civilization and beyond. Despite being one of Latin America's poorer countries, Guatemala recognizes it's own literary tradition with its annual Guatemala National Prize in Literature. In 1967, Guatemalan writer Miguel Angel Asturias (M) won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

If the books below are to be believed, be sure to tread carefully in the Guatemalan rain forest.

The Divine Husband (M) by Francisco Goldman is a love story set initially in late nineteenth century Central America. Maria de las Nieves Moran is a novice nun until the convents are closed. Moran goes on to become a translator and becomes involved with four men, one of whom is a famous Cuban poet Jose Marti, for whom she may have borne a child.



Temperance Brennan, forensic Anthropologist, travels to Guatemala to assist in the exhumation of a mass grave in Grave Secrets (M) by Kathy Reichs. While there she is drawn into a modern murder that may involve the Canadian ambassador to Guatemala. Temperance has fear for her own life when her team is attacked by a gunman. Medical details abound and there are plenty of plot twists and surprises.



Miguel Angel Asturias is a Guatemalan Nobel prize winning novelist who published Men of Maize (M) in 1949. The indigenous people of Guatemala saw maize as being a sacred food while others simply saw it as a commodity. The Indians rebel as they find themselves driven from their land. This a a story of magic realism which connects Guatemala's history with deeply held spiritual beliefs.



Hunt at the Well of Eternity (M) by Gabriel Hunt as told to James Reasoner is a swashbuckling story featuring Gabriel Hunt and his brother, wealthy adventurers, who are living an Indiana Jones-type life. A damsel in distress is the inspiration of this exciting chase from New York, through Florida, to the jungles of South America where he explores the Mayan ruins and an ancient myth in the Guatemalan rain forest.



When the Ground Turns in its Sleep (M) by Sylvia Sellers-Garcia we meet Guatemalan born Nitido Aman. Raised in the United States, Aman knows little of his heritage. His parents never spoke of his homeland, and he is inspired to learn more of his background when his father dies of Alzheimer's. His plan is to teach in the village he believes he might have come from. Upon his arrival, he is mistaken for a priest and he decides to allow this misunderstanding to continue in order to be in a position to learn more from the locals about their and his parents' troubled past.



Having escaped from her family, Isabel Garcia Luna leads everyone. to believe that she is deep within the Guatemalan jungle doing anthropological research in Lies (M) by Enrique de Heriz. When her family mistakenly believes that she has been killed, she elects to take advantage of this and remains dead. The story alternates between Isabel's personal journal and her daughter's diary as they attempt to make sense of their troubled family history.



The Queen Jade (M) by Yxta Maya Murray. A legendary blue jade, The Queen Jade, has the ability to imbue its possessor with ultimate power. In 1988 Hurricane Mitch uncovers a huge jade mine in Las Sierras de las Minas, a Guatemalan mountain range. Lola Sanchey is determined to find her archaeologist mother who disappears in search of The Queen Jade. Lola and her companions solve riddles and see plenty of action and romance in this adventure tale.

Who pun-it? Mystery novels

Librarians love a good pun, but apparently not as much as mystery writers (and their fans). I've been chuckling to myself a lot lately over the great titles on many of the mystery books that come through the library. I know we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but can we judge it by its title? If so, I give these funny pun-titled books full marks.

Murder for Choir (M)
by Joelle Charbonneau

First in the Glee Club Mystery series in which a high school choir coach investigates the murder of a rival choir's leader.


Quilt or Innocence (M)
by Elizabeth Craig

This one is subtitled "A Southern Quilting Mystery" and follows Beatrice Coleman, a retired art curator and new member of a small town quilting club as she tries to solve the murder of the landlord who wanted to raise the rent of the local quilt shop.


It was actually hard for me to pick just one book that substitutes the world "hearse" for "horse" in its punny title: it seems to be a real mystery novel title trope. Here are two to consider:


Hearse and Buggy (M)
by Laura Bradford


All the Pretty Hearses (M)
by Mary Daheim



Brew to a Kill (M)
by Cleo Coyle

There are some hilarious titles amongst the 11 (thus far) in this coffee themed series that features the part-time sleuthing of a small town coffee shop manager. This is the most recent (although the 9th in the series—Roast Mortem—is my favourite pun).


Dead Man Waltzing (M)
by Ella Barrick.

Ball Room Dance themed mystery anyone? From Library Journal "When one of her instructors is suspected of killing a renowned ballroom dance leader, studio owner Stacy. . . glides into action to clear his name." This is the second in the series, after Quickstep to Murder.



Threaded for Trouble (M)
by Janet Bolin.

The second in the Threadville Mystery series in which a small town embroidery show owner investigates crimes. The title of the first in the series Dire Threads (M) is a sort of a pun, but I think this one is better.


Fashion Faux Paw (M)
by Judi McCoy.

The latest in a dog themed mystery series that follows the work of professional dog walker/amateur sleuth. In this one the main character investigates the death of a famous designer at New York Fashion Week. This series is I think my favourite, title-pun-wise: Hounding the Pavement, Heir of the Dog, Death in Show (and more! there are six in the series so far). I think I have to stop typing now because I am giggling too much.

Lane Anderson Science Writing Award 2012

The nominees for the 3rd annual Lane Anderson Award for Canadian science writing have been announced.

"Lane Anderson Award honours the very best science writing in Canada today, both in the adult and young-reader categories. Each award will be determined on the relevance of its content to the importance of science in today’s world, and the author’s ability to connect the topic to the interests of the general trade reader.”

Harry Thurston, an Atlantic Canadian author, has made it to this year's finalists for his The Atlantic Coast: a natural history (M).

"The North Atlantic coast of North America -- commonly known as the Atlantic Coast -- extends from Newfoundland and Labrador through the Maritime Provinces and the Northeastern United States south to Cape Hatteras. This North Atlantic region belongs to the sea. The maritime influence on climate, flora, and fauna is dominant -- even far inland. This is where the great northern boreal forests intermingle with the mixed coniferous-hardwood forests farther south and where the cold, iceberg-studded Labrador Current from the Arctic and the warm Gulf Stream of the tropics vie for supremacy.

Filled with stunning photographs, the book includes chapters on the geological origins of this region, the two major forest realms, and the main freshwater and marine ecosystems and also describes the flora and fauna within each of these habitats. Finally, it looks at what has been lost but also what remains of the natural heritage of the region and how that might be conserved in future." publisher

Also nominated are:

Strange New Worlds: the search for alien planets and life beyond our solar system (M)
by Ray Jayawardhana

"We are living in an extraordinary age of discovery. After millennia of musings and a century of false claims, astronomers have found hundreds of planets around other stars since 1995. These discoveries have surprised us and challenged our views many times over. At the crux of the astronomers' pursuit is one basic question: Is our solar system, with planets in circular orbits, gas giants in the outer realm and at least one warm, wet, rocky world teeming with life, the exception or the norm? It's an important question for every one of us.

Astronomers expect to find alien earths by the dozens within the next three years, and to take their spectra, looking for telltale signs of life, before this decade is out. If they succeed, the ramifications for all areas of human thought and endeavour, from religion and philosophy to art and biology, are profound, if not revolutionary. What's at stake is a true measure of our own place in the cosmos." publisher

Cascadia's Fault: the deadly earthquake that will devastate North America (M)
by Jerry Thompson

"The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a crack in the earth's crust, roughly fifty kilometres offshore, running 1,100 kilometres from northern Vancouver Island to northern California. About every 500 years this fault generates a monster earthquake. There is roughly a thirty percent chance that it could happen again within the next fifty years. Or it could happen tonight. Without a doubt, the coming quake is one day closer today than it was yesterday.

The Cascadia Subduction Zone is virtually identical to the offshore fault that wrecked Sumatra in 2004, and it will generate the same type of earthquake, a magnitude nine or higher. It will send crippling shock waves across a far wider area than any of the California quakes you've ever heard about, slamming five cities at the same time: Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Portland and Sacramento. Cascadia's fault will wreck dozens of smaller towns and coastal villages -- and no one in these places will be able to call their neighbours for help." publisher

Upcoming Music Memoirs: Autumn 2012

In my work at the library, I spend a lot of time looking at what books are coming out soon, and I can tell you: if you're a fan of music autobiographies, biographies or memoirs, there's a lot for you to keep your eyes peeled for this fall. Here's a few to consider (for the most part, they need no introduction):

Joni: the creative odyssey of Joni Mitchell (M)
by Katherine Monk (September 7)


Cyndi Lauper: a memoir (M)
by Cyndi Lauper and Jancee Dunn (September 18)

Kicking and Dreaming: a story of Heart, soul, and rock and roll (M)
by Ann and Nancy Wilson (September 18): that's Heart with a capital H.


Who I Am: a memoir (M)
by Pete Townshend (September 29)

Waging Heavy Peace (M)
by Neil Young (October 2)



Mick Jagger (M)
by Philip Norman (October 2)

I'm Your Man: the life of Leonard Cohen (M)
by Sylvie Simmons (October 2)


Light and Shade: conversations with Jimmy Page (M)
by Brad Tolinski (October 23)

Makeup to Breakup: my life in and out of Kiss (M)
by Peter Criss as told to Larry Sloman (October 23)


Rod: the autobiography (M)
by Rod Stewart (October 23)

Bruce (M)
by Peter Carlin (October 30): a biography of Bruce Springsteen

Staff Pick - The Cloaca, by Andrew Hood

Working through my list of 5 books I want to read this summer, I read Andrew Hood's new collection of short stories, The Cloaca (M). I had mentioned in an earlier post that I had expected something edgy and experimental. Well I got that in spades! In a very good way.

The stories are all quite intriguing and quirky, with characters that ring really true. I swear that a couple of them live in my neighbourhood? Hood has a great ear for language and those little sayings and mannerisms that can define a person. The stories are full of humour and characters that, despite their many dysfunctions, are sympathetic. I really felt for Fickle Frances, a 30 something woman who follows a ten year old boy around town and Danny, an erstwhile rock drummer who runs around naked screaming at teenagers.

Hood's writing is so creative that I find it hard to describe it. After finishing a couple of the stories, I was left with a "What the heck was that?" feeling, demanding that I go back and re-read it. Perhaps the blurb found on the Invisible Publishing website describes it best:

The stories included in Andrew Hood’s sophomore collection are beautiful, gross, funny, and personal. The Cloaca is a train wreck of awesomeness. It’s your high school gym coach, drunk and dishing dirt on all the other teachers on the crosstown bus—a stomach-turning spectacle that’ll make you laugh out loud now, feel bad later. You won’t be able to look away for an instant.

I suggest that you "hit this book like it hit you first." Highly recommended.