The Halifax Reader - Halifax Public Libraries

Kate Atkinson - Member of the Order of the Britsh Empire

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Popular British author Kate Atkinson (M) was recently awarded a prestigious MBE award at Buckingham Palace in recognition of her literary accomplishments.

NoveList describes Kate Atkinson as follows: "With her elegant prose and superb storytelling skills, Kate Atkinson appeals both to fans of Literary Fiction and to fans of genre fiction; murdered bodies, fairies, time travelers, and private investigators have appeared in her various novels and short stories. In each book eccentric characters dance through a host of complicated storylines, which converge in a masterful act of plotting that even the most attentive readers cannot anticipate. Occasional violence and dark themes are leavened by frequent dashes of subtle humor".

Kate Atkinson burst on the literary scene in 1995, when she won a Whitbread Book of the Year Prize for her debut Novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum. (M)

"Ruby Lennox was conceived grudgingly by Bunty and born while her father, George, was in the Dog and Hare in Doncaster telling a woman in an emerald dress and a D-cup that he wasn't married. Bunty had never wanted to marry George, but here she was, stuck in a flat above the pet shop in an ancient street beneath York Minster, with sensible and sardonic Patrica aged five, greedy cross-patch Gillian who refused to be ignored, and Ruby...

Ruby tells the story of The Family, from the day at the end of the nineteenth century when a travelling French photographer catches frail beautiful Alice and her children, like flowers in amber, to the startling, witty, and memorable events of Ruby's own life. " -Publisher

"With a natural storyteller's flair, Atkinson tumbles forth an array of anecdotes, revealed secrets, and eccentric snippets of love and death that finally build into the splendid chronicle, ghosts and all, of Ruby's life. With a sly, biting humor and honest warmth, a thoroughly enjoyable first novel with the promise of good things to come" - Kirkus Reviews

Thus began a run of very well received novels. Perhaps her best known work on this side of the Atlantic is her Jackson Brodie mystery series. The first title in this popular series is Case Histories. (M)

"The scene is set in Cambridge, with three case histories from the past: A young child who mysteriously disappeared from a tent in her back garden; An unidentified man in a yellow jumper who marched into an office and slashed a young girl through the throat; and a young woman found by the police sitting in her kitchen next to the body of her husband, an axe buried in his head. Jackson Brodie, a private investigator and former police detective, is quietly contemplating life as a divorced father when he is flung into the midst of these resurrected old crimes... This wonderfully crafted, intricately plotted novel is heartbreaking, uplifting, full of suspense and often very funny. - Publisher

The latest series entry is Started Early, Took My Dog (M), released in 2010.

"Tracy Waterhouse leads a quiet, ordered life as a retired police detective-a life that takes a surprising turn when she encounters Kelly Cross, a habitual offender, dragging a young child through town. Both appear miserable and better off without each other-or so decides Tracy, in a snap decision that surprises herself as much as Kelly. Suddenly burdened with a small child, Tracy soon learns her parental inexperience is actually the least of her problems, as much larger ones loom for her and her young charge. Meanwhile, Jackson Brodie, the beloved detective of novels such as Case Histories, is embarking on a different sort of rescue-that of an abused dog. Dog in tow, Jackson is about to learn, along with Tracy, that no good deed goes unpunished." - Publisher

Seven 9/11 Novels

2012-02-12T06:00:00.003-04:00

Many novels have dealt with the way the world has changed since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City. The following novels show just some of these changes:

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (M)
by Jonathan Safran Foer

With it being an Oscar nominated film starring Tom Hanks, the novel has sprung back into peoples' consciousness. It was the cover of the novel that first drew me to it back in 2005. Mind you, I felt the same about the author's other novel, Everything Illuminated. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close presents the tale of nine year old Oskar Schell two years after his father died during the 9/11 attacks on New York City. Oskar's relationship with his father was "incredibly close" and one of the many things they did together was to solve puzzles. Thus when Oskar finds a key in a vase in his father's closet, he believes it is a clue. In his quest to solve this puzzle, Oskar travels across the city discovering various people's stories. In addition to Oskar's story, is the story of his grandparents and their own survival of the tragedy of WWII. By the end of the novel, beyond the pain and grief of the family, lies hopes. And that is all we can ask for.

Falling Man (M)
by Don DeLillo

Falling Man has been considered by many readers to be DeLillo's finest novel. The first sentence drops the reader right into the action " It was not a street anymore but a world, a time of falling ash and near night". Just that sentence brought back the images of ash covered people running along the streets of New York city in panic. It was so surreal to see this on the television. Keith, a 40 something lawyer, narrowly escaped from one of the falling towers. He turns up "all blood and slag" and "with a gaze that has no focus in it" at the door of his estranged wife, Lianne. There is a mental tug of war in the character. Will he reconnect with his wife and son? Or will he start a romantic relationship with a another survivor, Florence, whose briefcase Keith accidentally took while exiting a stairwell in the tower? Beautifully written, it is well worth the read to find out.

Blow the House Down (M)
by Robert Baer

Robert Baer certainly has the qualifications to write a thriller novel (or two). He ran CIA agents in the Directorate of Operations Department and has investigated numerous terrorist organizations. In Blow the House Down he presents a believable alternative version of the 9/11 events. Max Weller is a middle aged CIA agent who is obsessed with solving the kidnapping and murder of his friend, Bill Buckley. Buckley had in his possession a photograph of Osama bin Laden with a group of people. Who these people are and how they may be linked to September 11 is the premise of this fast paced thriller.

The Towers: a Dan Lenson n ovel of 9/11 (M)
by David Poyer

David Poyer is a retired American naval officer who began writing in 1976 and has since written over 30 novels. His most popular novels are a series featuring U.S. Naval officer Dan Lenson. The Towers is the 13th novel in the series. What is different with this novel on 9/11 is that the main character is visiting the Pentagon at the time of the attacks (instead of being in NYC). Lenson becomes involved with the military reaction to the attacks. His SEAL team is assigned to a mission that takes them to Afghanistan in order to hunt down, capture and kill Osama bin Laden and the Taliban/al Qaeda leadership. This novel is perfect for adrenalin junkies, as it is fueled with fast-paced action and heart-pumping drama.

One Tuesday Morning (M)
by Karen Kingsbury

And now for something completely different. Karen Kingsbury is a mother of six and is considered the Queen of American Christian fiction. She has written more than 40 novels and has over 13 million books in print. One Tuesday Morning is the first in her September 11 series. The story presents two men, a firefighter and a businessman, both having the "same face". This I found a bit far fetched. The two strangers meet on that fateful day in the stairwell of the South Tower, but only one of them makes it out alive. The remaining survivor has amnesia and is forced to become the man he never was. Like I said, I had problems with this novel, as I do with a lot of romance themed novels. My imagination can stretch quite far, but this was a bit much even for me.

Windows on the World (M)
by Frederic Beigbeder

I found it amusing when I discovered the novel Windows on the World by Frederic Beigbeder. After all, the US created such an anti-French movement for a period of time after 9/11. So when a French author writes a novel on 9/11, I pay attention. Adding to its appeal is the fact that it debuted at number 2 on the French best seller list and won the Prix Interallie in 2003. The novel begins with the striking "You know how it ends; everybody dies!". Alternating between two stories is an interesting concept used in this novel. One of the voices is Carthew Yorsten, a tourist with two small sons, who are having breakfast in the Windows on the World Restaurant, located on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center, on that fateful morning of September 11, 2001. The second voice is that of the author himself, who is having breakfast atop a Paris skyscraper. Each chapter represents one minute from 8:30 a.m. (just before the tower is hit) to just after its collapse at 10:28 a.m. It is a fascinating read.

A Disorder Peculiar to the Country (M)
by Ken Kalfus

The black comedy A Disorder Peculiar to the Country by Ken Kalfus is not your typical book on September 11. Joyce and Marshall are an unhappily married couple. Each believe the other has been killed in the terrorist attack and are horribly disappointed when the other arrives home. Instead of pulling together in the face of tragedy, they become even more disenchanted with each other. For people who enjoy reading dark, funny novels, these characters and this book are primed for you.

So there you have a tragic event that still touches people and has been used for the plot for comedies, romances, thrillers, tragedies and mysteries.

Canada Reads 2012 – and the winner is …

2012-02-11T06:00:00.001-04:00

One of the weeks I most look forward to each year is the one featuring Canada's own battle of the books, also known as Canada Reads. This year's competition hasn't left me disappointed. For the first time in its 11 years, the books selected were all works of non-fiction. This year's competition has included tears, jabs at the opponents, and much great debate about what makes a book or a writer Canadian.

And the winner is.

Something Fierce: memoirs of a revolutionary daughter (M)
by Carmen Aguirre

When Carmen Aguirre was six, she and her family were among the many Chileans who fled to Canada as refugees from the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, which overthrew Chile's democratically elected government of Salvador Allende in 1973. Five years later, her mother decided to join the Chilean resistance movement in South America, and she moved back to Bolivia, bringing her Carmen and her younger sister along with her. Something Fierce is Aguirre's memoir of growing up living a double life, torn between her dedication to the cause and a teenage girl's normal preoccupations of boys and pop music. There's both drama and humour in the stories of her harrowing adolescence and young adulthood. Something Fierce, which was published just last spring, has garnered rave reviews and been named to the longlist of the B.C. National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction. - Canada Reads 2012 website. The book was championed on Canada Reads 2012 by Canadian rapper Shad.

The runners up were.

The Game (M)
by Ken Dryden

This 1983 insider's look at Canada's favourite sport is still widely regarded as the best book about hockey ever written, and one of the best sports books of all time. Legendary Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden, who led the team to six Stanley Cup championships, chronicles his 1979 season with the team in this Canadian classic. Along the way, he offers vivid portraits of hockey greats such as Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Guy Lapointe and Scotty Bowman, and offers a of the life of a hockey player both on and off the ice. The Game was nominated for a Governor General's Award when it was first published in 1983. - Canada Reads 2012 website. The book was championed on Canada Reads 2012 by actor/comedian Alan Thicke.

On a Cold Road: tales of adventure in Canadian rock (M)
by Dave Bidini

Former Rheostatics guitarist Dave Bidini made the leap from music to the writing world with the publication of this book, his first, in 1998. The band caught a major break when they were asked by The Tragically Hip to open for them on a cross-Canada tour in 1996. Bidini kept a thorough tour diary, and his notes eventually became On a Cold Road, which chronicles the touring experience province by province. In addition to his own stories, Bidini includes tales of life on tour from a slew of well-known Canadian musicians including Randy Bachman (who relates an amusing story about the mutual resentment between The Guess Who and The Who), "Rompin'" Ronnie Hawkins and Trooper's Ra McGuire, among many others. On a Cold Road marked a turning point in Bidini's career, and he has since published nine other books on topics ranging from music to writing to sports (soccer, baseball and, his favourite, hockey). - Canada Reads 2012 website. The book was championed on Canada Reads 2012 by supermodel Stacey Mckenzie.

The Tiger: a true story of vengeance and survival (M)
by John Vaillant

A man-eating tiger is on the prowl in Russia. John Vaillant's nature thriller has the myth and mystery of a spooky fairy tale, but this account of a Siberian tiger terrorizing the residents of a remote Russian village is no fiction. Primorye (also known as the Maritime Territory) is a sparsely populated region of Russia that borders on China, and a locale where illegal tiger poaching and trading is a common source of income. Vaillant recounts the struggle between man and nature as a team of tiger trackers, including a man who usually works to study and protect the local tiger population, hunts down the powerful feline killer so vindictive that Valliant calls it a "weretiger." Inspired by Sasha Snow's documentary Conflict Tiger, Vaillant's book has been acclaimed nationally and internationally, and won a clutch of awards, including the B.C. National Book Award for Non-Fiction, the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Award, a Banff Mountain Festival Special Jury Prize, the CBA Libris Award for non-fiction, and the Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award. The feature film rights were purchased this year by Brad Pitt. Canada Reads 2012 website. The book was championed on Canada Reads 2012 by Quebec TV personality and lawyer Anne-France Goldwater.

Prisoner of Tehran: a memoir (M)
by Marina Nemat

Marina Nemat grew up a Russian Orthodox Christian in mainly Muslim Iran. She was a high school student in Tehran when the Islamic Revolution took power, in 1979. Three years later, at the age of 16, she was arrested for speaking out against the regime and thrown into the country's most notorious political prison, where she was tortured and narrowly escaped execution. Prisoner of Tehran is Nemat's candid account of her ordeal.

Through the intervention of a prison guard who fell in love with her, Nemat's death sentence was commuted to life in prison. He pressured her to convert to Islam and marry him, threatening to harm her family if she refused. He also worked for her release, and Nemat was eventually freed -- but delivered into forced marriage to the guard. Soon after he was assassinated, and Nemat was once again imprisoned. She was finally released for once and for all because of the efforts of the guard's family. Nemat subsequently married the man who had been her teenage sweetheart, and they escaped to Canada in 1991. Nemat's extraordinary tale of survival and recovery catapulted her from working at a local Swiss Chalet to touring the world as a renowned writer and sought-after speaker on human rights. An international bestseller, Prisoner of Tehran was longlisted for the B.C. National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction, and won the prestigious Italian literary prize the Grinzane Award. - Canada Reads 2012 website. The book was championed on Canada Reads 2012 by Arlene Dickinson, CEO of Venture Communications and a panelist on CBC-TV's popular series Dragons' Den.

Louise

All the News That's Fit to Print

2012-02-10T06:00:00.001-04:00

It was on a February 10th more than 100 years ago that the New York Times declared its motto - All the news that's fit to print. Newspapers large and small keep their readers informed and record the events that will be history. These fictional accounts of newspapers are populated by quirky casts of characters whose lives are as compelling as the stories they write.

Imperfectionists (M)
by Tom Rachman

"Fifty years and many changes have ensued since the paper was founded by an enigmatic millionaire, and now, amid the stained carpeting and dingy office furniture, the staff's personal dramas seem far more important than the daily headlines. Kathleen, the imperious editor in chief, is smarting from a betrayal in her open marriage; Arthur, the lazy obituary writer, is transformed by a personal tragedy; Abby, the embattled financial officer, discovers that her job cuts and her love life are intertwined in a most unexpected way. Out in the field, a veteran Paris freelancer goes to desperate lengths for his next byline, while the new Cairo stringer is mercilessly manipulated by an outrageous war correspondent with an outsize ego. And in the shadows is the isolated young publisher who pays more attention to his prized basset hound, Schopenhauer, than to the fate of his family's quirky newspaper." publisher

Some Great Thing (M)
by Lawrence Hill

"Mahatma Grafton is a disillusioned university graduate burdened with a famous name, and suffering from the curse of his generation -- a total lack of interest in the state of the world. The son of a retired railway porter from Winnipeg, he returns home for a job as a reporter with The Winnipeg Herald. Soon Mahatma is scoping local stories of murder and mayhem, breaking a promise to himself to avoid writing victim stories. As Mahatma is unexpectedly drawn into the inflammatory issue of French-language rights in Manitoba, with all its racial side-channels, he is surprised to find that he has a social conscience. Combating his boss's flair for weaving hysteria into his stories, Mahatma learns that to stay afloat he must remain true to himself. Populated with colourful characters -- including an unlikely welfare crusader, a burned-out fellow reporter, a French-language-rights activist, and a visiting journalist from Cameroon -- Some Great Thing is a fascinating portrait of a major urban newspaper and a deeply perceptive story of one man's coming of age."

Escape Artist (M)
by Ed Ifkovic

"In 1904 Edna Ferber is a nineteen-year-old girl reporter for the Appleton, Wisconsin Crescent, an occupation that many townspeople, including her own family, consider scandalous for a proper young girl. By chance, she interviews Harry Houdini, in town visiting old friends. Houdini, as Ehrich Weiss, spent his boyhood years in the small town. When Frana Lempke, a beautiful young German high-school girl, disappears and is soon discovered murdered, Edna asks Houdini for help in solving the murder....Piecing together the clues, she comes to see that her own life in the small town is unraveling. As the future best-selling writer starts to solve the crime, she understands that her involvement will impact her life forever." publisher

The Golden Age (M)
by Gore Vidal

"The Golden Age is Vidal's crowning achievement, a vibrant tapestry of American political and cultural life from 1939 to 1954, when the epochal events of World War II and the Cold War transformed America, once and for all, for good or ill, from a republic into an empire. The sharp-eyed and sympathetic witnesses to these events are Caroline Sanford, Hollywood actress turned Washington D.C., newspaper publisher, and Peter Sanford, her nephew and publisher of the independent intellectual journal The American Idea. They experience at first hand the masterful maneuvers of Franklin Roosevelt to bring a reluctant nation into the Second World War, and, later, the actions of Harry Truman that commit the nation to a decade-long twilight struggle against Communism—developments they regard with a decided skepticism even though it ends in an American global empire." publisher

The Shipping News (M)
by Annie Proulx

"Big, big-hearted Quoyle, with his "great damp loaf of a body," is the unlikely protagonist who has never done anything right and who doesn't recognize love unless it brings pain and misery. Raging strumpet Petal Bear, Quoyle's beloved and oft-forgiven wife, is the fulcrum of his misery. When Petal's flame burns out (shortly after selling their kids, Sunshine and Bunny, to a child pornographer), Quoyle is set in motion, if not exactly free just yet. Along with his elderly aunt, her toothless dog Warren, and his rescued offspring, he heads north for his godforsaken ancestral home to take a job on a nasty little newspaper that features car wrecks, sexual-abuse stories, and giant fake ads. Proulx creates an amazing world in Killick-Claw, Newfoundland--a cold, rocky place that nevertheless is populated by a fascinating variety of big-hearted, unlikely heroes who are revealed to have all manner of special talents." Booklist

Diligent River Daughter (M)
by Bruce Graham

"In 1914 when Canada is swept into the Great War, Charlene Durant is already a veteran of loneliness and heartbreak, yet her indomitable spirit and belief in her own intelligence keep her from sinking into despair. ...Charlene takes her unstable Aunt Matilda and leaves for Boston, where she lies about her age to get a job at a newspaper. She falls in love with a youthful crime reporter and befriends an old Irish sea dog who takes her into the midst of a kidnapping and murder. Charlene brushes against the great events of her time, the Titanic sinking, the Halifax Explosion, the suffragette movement, and the struggle of a young woman to be accepted into the man’s world of newspaper work. Overshadowing all is the war that changes the world and everyone in it. Diligent River Daughter is the story of how a brave and strong-willed young woman from the Parrsboro Shore fights for her independence and identity in a most troubled time." publisher

BCALA Literary Awards - fiction honours

2012-02-09T06:00:00.001-04:00

"The Black Caucus of the American Library Association announced the winners of the 2012 BCALA Literary Awards during the Midwinter Meeting of the American Library Association in Dallas, TX. The awards recognize excellence in adult fiction and nonfiction by African American authors published in 2011."

In the Fiction category BCALA recognizes two Honor Books:

Silver Sparrow (M)
by Tayari Jones

"Silver Sparrow tells the complicated story of two sisters unwittingly united by bigamy. Narrated by both women through dramatic dialogue this gripping novel tells each daughter's story as they struggle with similar issues of self-acceptance and identity. Tayari Jones is an Associate Professor in the MFA program at Rutgers-Newark University." -BCALA

The Taste of Salt (M)
by Martha Southgate

"In The Taste of Salt, Martha Southgate fearlessly explores the often taboo subject of addiction. Through the candid voices of the story's main characters, she tells a hauntingly compelling saga that forces the reader to grapple with the effects of addiction on individual identities and family bonds. Martha Southgate lives in Brooklyn, New York" -BCALA

Oral Storytelling & African Heritage

2012-02-08T06:00:00.001-04:00

Long before people could read and write, humans shared stories through oral storytelling. Listening to a storyteller is a more personal experience than the solo act of reading a book; hearing the storyteller’s voice and observing their facial expressions and body language adds dimension to a story beyond what even the most skilled writer can put on a page.

The tradition of oral storytelling continues to be strong in many cultures, including among African Canadians. Over the next few weeks, in celebration of African Heritage Month, there are a number of oral storytelling events taking place at Halifax Public Libraries and beyond. So, consider putting that book or eReader down, just for an evening, to take in (or take part in) a live storytelling or spoken-word event to experience a form of storytelling that predates books, audiobooks, films and of course, eBooks.

On February 9, there are two events from which to choose. The first event, Storied Lives, features filmmaker Juanita Peters (M) and historian, writer and researcher Donna Byard-Sealey (M). Juanita and Donna will share largely unknown stories of African Canadian lives using visual, oral and textual presentations to tell their stories. This program will take place at the Dalhousie Student Union Building at 6 p.m.

On the same night, beginning at 7 p.m., the Halifax North Memorial Library will host an Open Mic Poetry Night celebrating the literature of the African Diaspora. Everyone is invited to read aloud a favourite poem, original work or to choose a poem from a selection of library books that will be on hand. One of my favourite poets of the African Diaspora is Langston Hughes (M).

Past Poet Laureate Shauntay Grant (M) will be hosting a program called Wordrhythm at the Spring Garden Road Memorial Library on February 14 at 7 p.m. Wordrhythm is an improvisatory series that encourages the collaboration between spoken word artists and musicians and focuses on close listening. Shauntay is the author of Down Home and The City Speaks in Drums, two poetic books for children perfect for reading aloud.

For fans of writer and painter David Woods (M), February brings two opportunities to see him live. The first, on February 11 at 2 p.m. at the Tantallon Public Library, is when David will present Once, his collection of stories about the life and death of Africville. David’s performance of Once will be accompanied by an exhibition of paintings and woodcarvings by Halifax artist and Africville descendant Angel Gannon.

Your second opportunity to see David Woods comes on February 16 at a spoken word event called Speak! This event will take place at the Company House (ages 19+) and will start at 8 p.m. Admission is $5.

And since we’re talking about events in celebration of African Heritage Month, this is a good opportunity to direct you to a complete list of what’s being offered at the library in February. The library has a website dedicated to African Heritage, which features information about programming, a history of African Heritage Month at Halifax Public Libraries and other resource information. Another great source for programming information in February is the Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs.

In Memoriam - Dorothy Gilman

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

Dorothy Gilman (M), author of the Mrs Pollifax mystery series has passed away at the age of 88.

Mrs Pollifax was a grandmother who left her comfortable retirement to take up a later life career in espionage. Her first adventure was published in 1966:

The Unexpected Mrs Pollifax (M). "Mrs. Virgil (Emily) Pollifax of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was a widow with grown children. She was tired of attending her Garden Club meetings. She wanted to do something good for her country. So, naturally, she became a CIA agent. This time, the assignment sounds as tasty as a taco. A quick trip to Mexico City is on her agenda. Unfortunately, something goes wrong, and our dear Mrs. Pollifax finds herself embroiled in quite a hot Cold War--and her country's enemies find themselves entangled with one unbelievably feisty lady." Discover

Over the course of the next 30 years Mrs Pollifax uses her unassuming appearance to deliver documents to fellow spies in Turkey and Bulgaria. As her success grows she finds herself dispatched to Africa, China, Thailand and other exotic locales with the mission to rescue kidnapped agents and solve mysteries with her combination of keen observation, common sense and resourcefulness. In her final outing (Mrs Pollifax Unveiled (M)) "After facing down hijackers on a flight to the Middle East and saving the lives of the passengers on board, a young American woman steps off the plane in Damascus in a blaze of celebrity and disappears. The CIA believes Amanda Pym was kidnapped, possibly murdered. Masquerading as Amanda Pym’s worried aunt, Mrs. Pollifax begins her determined search, slipping through Damascus’s crooked streets and crowded souks . . . and trekking deep into the desert. Yet she is shadowed by deadly enemies, whose sinister agenda threatens not only Mrs. P. but the fragile stability of the entire Middle East. Only a miracle–or a brilliant counterplot– can forestall a disaster that will send shock waves around the world." publisher

Dorothy Gilman has a Nova Scotia connection which she describes in A New Kind of Country (M). In the early 1970s, with her children in college, Gilman abandoned her New York life and found peace in a coastal village (which she leaves unnamed) in Nova Scotia. Here she found strength in rural living. "Novelist Dorothy Gilman, author of the bestselling Mrs. Pollifax series, had reached a point of no return in her life. With her sons in college, Ms. Gilman was searching for something unknowable, unnameable . . . until she bought a small house in a little lobstering village in Nova Scotia, Canada. And so she began her life again, discovering talents and interests she never realized were hers, accepting the inner peace she had always fought, and most of all, understanding the untapped part of herself, almost as if it were a new kind of country, to challenge, explore, and love." Discover

In 2010 The Mystery Writers of America bestowed the honour of Grand Master on Dorothy Gilman recognizing her lifetime of achievement. Other illustrious recipients have included Agatha Christie (M), Elmore Leonard (M), and P.D. James (M).

What the Dickens?!

2012-02-06T06:00:00.001-04:00

You don't need an advanced degree in English Literature to know the name Charles Dickens (M). In the canon of great English novelists, his name is up there at the top. Many of us have encountered his timeless classics in high school—including A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations and more—but his influence can also be found in pop culture, modern literature and beyond.

In 2012, people around the world are coming together to celebrate Dickens' 200th birthday—he was born on February 7, 1812. To mark the occasion at Halifax Public Libraries, the Spring Garden Road Branch is hosting St. Mary's University English professor Stephen Cloutier for "What the Dickens?!" a talk looking at the life and influence of the great Victorian novelist. From Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel Cranford to the television series Doctor Who, Charles Dickens has been, at times controversially, a mainstay of popular culture. Join us on Dickens’ 200th birthday as we delve into his work and his ideas in an effort to understand why Dickens has become such an enduring literary icon.

Tuesday February 7th at 7pm
Spring Garden Road Memorial Public Library
5381 Spring Garden Road

US Black History - 3 pivotal moments re-examined

2012-02-05T06:00:00.001-04:00

Listed below for your reading consideration are three new publications that re-examine pivotal moments in the US Civil Rights movement.

Elizabeth and Hazel : two women of Little Rock (M)
by David Margolick

"*Starred Review* When Elizabeth Eckford braved the gauntlet of white hecklers leading to the newly desegregated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957, photographers captured her image and that of the angry young white woman behind her. Elizabeth, the stoic, and Hazel Bryan, the tormentor, were frozen as icons. Elizabeth was part of the Little Rock Nine, the black teens who became the targets of race hatred as well as national and international inspirations. Despite public-relations efforts to depict the success of the Nine and the overall move to desegregation, the truth was far more complicated, particularly for Elizabeth.

Margolick draws on interviews and press reports of the time to present a very nuanced analysis of how Elizabeth and Hazel were affected by the scene that made them famous. Elizabeth spent the remainder of her life a near recluse, scarred by the memory of that day, adrift emotionally, dodging the commemorations. In contrast, Hazel opened up, evolving into a free-spirited progressive. Hazel, who didn't even finish her year at Central High, later reentered Elizabeth's life with a heartfelt apology that went unreported until the two women reunited for a symbolic reconciliation and photo op back at Central. A complex look at two women at the center of a historic moment." - Booklist

The John Carlos Story : the sports moment that changed the world (M)
by John Carlos with Dave Zirin

"Nominated for an NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Literary Work Autobiography/Biography Seen around the world, John Carlos and Tommie Smith's Black Power salute on the 1968 Olympic podium sparked controversy and career fallout. Yet their show of defiance remains one of the most iconic images of Olympic history and the Black Power movement. Here is the remarkable story of one of the men behind the salute, lifelong activist John Carlos. John Carlos is an African American former track and field athlete, professional football player, and a founding member of the Olympic Project for Human Rights. He won the bronze medal in the 200 meters race at the 1968 Olympics, where his Black Power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith caused much political controversy. The John Carlos Story is his first book."- Publisher

Behind the Dream : the making of the speech that transformed a nation (M)
by Clarence B. Jones and Stuart Connelly.

""I have a dream." When those words were spoken on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, the crowd stood, electrified, as Martin Luther King, Jr. brought the plight of African Americans to the public consciousness and firmly established himself as one of the greatest orators of all time. Behind the Dream is a thrilling, behind-the-scenes account of the weeks leading up to the great event, as told by Clarence Jones, co-writer of the speech and close confidant to King. Jones was there, on the road, collaborating with the great minds of the time, and hammering out the ideas and the speech that would shape the civil rights movement and inspire Americans for years to come." -Publisher

Staff Pick - George R.R. Martin

2012-02-04T06:00:00.002-04:00

There are very few writers who transcend their genre and gain a new audience from readers who would not normally consider reading books from their genre. T.H. White (M) and J. R.R. Tolkien (M) were the only two fantasy writers I could think of that do that. I now add George R.R. Martin (M) to that list. Time magazine recently recognized Martin in their “2011 Time 100", a list of the most influential people in the world.

George R.R. Martin was born in Bayonne New Jersey in 1948. I have always had a prejudice that great fantasy writers are British; or at least European, but Martin has proven me wrong. Martin began to write at a very young age, selling stories to neighbour children for pennies. In high school he wrote fiction for comic fanzines. His first professional story published was sold to Galaxy magazine. Martin became a full time writer in 1979 and has written over 25 novels and numerous screenplays.

He moved to Hollywood during the 1980's. There he worked on The Twilight Zone as well as Beauty and the Beast. Perhaps this is why his fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire” adapted so well to television in HBO’s Game of Thrones (the first title in the book series). It helps that Martin himself is deeply involved in the show as executive producer. The first season of the show has received 13 Emmy Award nominations, including winning Outstanding Drama and Outstanding Supporting Actor for Peter Dinklage

The wonderful series of novels that makes up A Song of Ice and Fire continues to grow. Originally planned as a trilogy it now consists of 5 published novels with another 2 books planned. There are also 3 prequel novellas, with more in the works. Martin, quoting J.R.R. Tolkien, stated that the series “grew in the telling.” The series has been translated into more than 20 languages and has sold more that 15 million copies worldwide.

So what is all the fuss about? A Song of Ice and Fire takes place in a fictional world, primarily on a continent called Westeros and on a land to the east called Essos. The main characters are human, but as the tale goes on there are creatures introduced, including fire-breathing dragons and the “Others” from the far-north. The story is told through a number of characters; twenty-five by the end of the 5th book. These characters have many sides to them and at times you can not be sure who is the villain or the hero, or perhaps a bit of both. There are three plot lines that become interwoven as the novels continues. There is a competition for the Iron Throne by the five Kings, There is the rising threat of the “Others” from the North and the rise of Daemery Targaryen, the exiled daughter of a king who was murdered in another civil war 15 years previous. She returns to claim her rightful throne.

While this description may make the series sound too confusing, it really isn’t. You will be swept up into this world and its characters. Having not read all the series yet, my favourite characters to root for are Daemery and King Hand’s daughter, Arya. I hope you too discover this wonderful series and gain your own favourite characters. But be warned though; no one is safe! Martin is know for killing off major characters. He has stated “when my characters are in danger, I want you to be afraid to turn the page....”

While waiting for the next books to be written in the Song of Ice and Fire series you may want to consider reading the following:

Stephen R. Donaldson’s series, Last Chronicle of Thomas Coven ant (M)

Kate Elliott’s Spirit Gate (M), book one of the Crossroads series

Raymond E. Feist’s Magician (M)

Robert Jordan’s The Eye of the World (M), book one of the Wheel of Time series.

J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (M)

T.H. White’s The Once and Future King (M)

Tad Williams’ Dragonbone Chair (M), book one of the Memory, Sorrow, & Thorn series.

Staff Pick - Irma Voth by Miriam Toews

2012-02-03T06:00:00.001-04:00

Dark family secrets brought Irma Voth, an eighteen year old, and her family from Canada to live in a Mennonite community in Chihuahua Mexico. They appear to live in another place and time, living simply and tending to cattle. As an eighteen year old Irma's first experiences include using a pay phone and going to a movie. I began reading with the assumption that the book was set in an earlier part of the twentieth century until one of the characters mentioned googling something.

Irma's relationship with her family has broken down with her decision to marry a Mexican boy. Not only has she been shunned by her family, but her young and unpredictable husband has abandoned her as well. Irma is not an untypical teen with the desires for personal freedom and self-determination conflicting with a remaining degree of childish dependence. A movie company comes to town to make a film about the Mennonite way of life. Trilingual Irma finds herself employed as a translator and companion. Irma's father is violently opposed to the film project, and for her own safety and the safety of her younger teenage sister and her infant sister, the three girls flee to Mexico City to begin a new life.

Irma Voth (M) by Miriam Toews begins quite slowly with a somewhat bleak and moody atmosphere. It was a bit distressing to see this young girl abandoned by everyone in her life. I was just about to give up and move on when the action suddenly began to pick up pace. When the girls made the move to Mexico City, Irma, out of necessity, took charge of her young sisters and proved herself resourceful enough to secure them shelter and employment. The story seemed to become easier to read once the girls had something approaching a normal life. The characters which seemed lost and blurry in the first half of the book became clear and defined. Irma Voth is a thought provoking coming of age story which explores the effect of childhood trauma on subsequent generations, family violence and forgiveness.

Miriam Toews won the 2004 Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction and the 2006 Canada Reads Competition for A Complicated Kindness (M).

If you are interested in reading more about the Mennonite community, you might like to try Children of the Day (M) by Sandra Birdsell. "In Children of the Day, the Giller-nominated author Sandra Birdsell has created an indelible, life-affirming portrait of a marriage on the knife-edge of disaster, in the tiny mythical town of Union Plains, Manitoba. She not only captures the unruly hearts of Sara and Oliver Vandal, but also all the sticking points, strengths and traumas of their Mennonite and Metis cultures. Their meeting was a near-fatal accident, but from the moment that Oliver Vandal, driving cab in Winnipeg, almost ran Sara Vogt down, the lives of these unlikely lovers have been rudely, sometimes bruisingly, sometimes gloriously, intertwined. Sara, a Mennonite immigrant stifled by a bloody family history and the secrets and propriety of her people, took one look at the darkly handsome Oliver and made a flying leap into his arms. Through twenty years of marriage and ten children, she has hung on for dear life, using her considerable willpower to create a home that can harbour a dozen Vandals in a tiny house on the outskirts of Union Plains." Discover

Alone in the Classroom (M) by Elizabeth Hay is another example of Canadian literary fiction dealing with secrets in a small community. "In a small prairie school in 1929, Connie Flood helps a backward student, Michael Graves, learn how to read. Observing them and darkening their lives is the principal, Parley Burns, whose strange behaviour culminates in an attack so disturbing its repercussions continue to the present day. Connie’s niece, Anne, tells the story. Impelled by curiosity about her dynamic, adventurous aunt and her more conventional mother, she revisits Connie’s past and her mother’s broken childhood. In the process, she unravels the enigma of Parley Burns and the mysterious (and unrelated) deaths of two young girls. As the novel moves deeper into their lives, the triangle of principal, teacher, student opens out into other emotional triangles – aunt, niece, lover; mother, daughter, granddaughter – until a sudden, capsizing love thrusts Anne herself into a newly independent life. publisher

5 Fiction Titles to Watch for in February

2012-02-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

Already read all the new titles from our ones to watch for post last month?
Wondering what the buzz is for this month?

Here are 5 new novels that you should keep your eye out for in February.

A Good American (M)
by Alex George (February 7).

At the beginning of the 20th century a young couple leaves Germany to settle in America and begin a family, setting up a story that spans generations. From the library catalogue: "The Meisenheimer family is caught up in the sweep of history as they struggle to find their place in their newly adopted country. The small town of Beatrice, Missouri is populated with unforgettable colourful characters. Poignant, funny, and heartbreaking, A GOOD AMERICAN is a novel about being an outsider - in your country, in your hometown, and sometimes even in your own family. It is a universal story about our search for home."

Pure (M)
by Julianna Baggott (February 8)

Post-apocalyptic novels are everywhere these days, and there's a lot of buzz around this one. From Novelist: "In a post-apocalyptic world where those undamaged by the cataclysmic events are kept safely inside the Dome, a young girl on the outside teams up with a boy on the inside to search for his missing mother." I've seen multiple comparisons to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and The Passage by Justin Cronin for this fast-paced novel that offers a bleak look at an imagined future.

The Dressmaker (M)
by Kate Alcott (Feburary 21)

With the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic approaching, I thought there would be a lot of fiction arriving this season with the Titanic as a backdrop. I've actually only come across a few new titles, and this romantic first novel by Kate Alcott was one of the first I uncovered. In this story, the sinking is the starting point, it's what happens later when the survivors have been rescued and questions begin to circulate in light of all who were lost that forms the focus of the book.

Trail of the Spellmans (M)
by Lisa Lutz (February 28).

Oh those Spellmans, what are they up to now? Lutz returns with the 5th case involving the delightfully dysfunctional family of San Francisco private investigators. You can expect mishaps and hi-jinks, family fights and some kind of detective work (though likely carried out in a slapdash and/or unconventional fashion). The Spellman series is a delight, great for fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, and anyone who likes a good chuckle and a bit of adventure. If you've not encountered the series already, start with the first The Spellman Files.

The Carpenter (M)
by Matt Lennox (Feburary 28).

A first novel from a young Canadian author. From the library catalogue: "A suspenseful, darkly humorous, emotionally engaging work, THE CARPENTER is a powerful DEBUT novel. Set in a God-fearing small Ontario town in the 1980s, a town rife with secrets, grudges passed through generations and an undercurrent of criminal behaviour. Lee King, the carpenter, is returning after a lengthy stay in maximum-security prison to a community that still recalls his horrendous crime." The National Post's The Afterword blog named The Carpenter one of their 12 most anticipated books of the year.

George Elliot Clarke and El Jones at Halifax Public Libraries

2012-02-01T06:00:00.003-04:00

African Heritage Month is here! It is a time for celebration and reflection.

Halifax Public Libraries are very pleased to have wordsmiths George Elliot Clarke and El Jones appearing at our North Branch Library on Wednesday evening, February 2nd. As part of a larger speaking tour, these two awesome presenters will entertain and inform audiences about the history of Black refugees coming to Nova Scotia from the War of 1812.

I have a real fondness for George Elliot Clarke's talent, especially his novel George & Rue. I also had the great pleasure of hearing George read at the North branch in 2004 from his libretto, Québécité : a jazz fantasia in three cantos. It may be the most enjoyable reading I have ever attended. George is a person overflowing with positive energy, which is very infectious and uplifting. Any event with George Elliot Clarke gets a strong recommendation from me!

George Elliott Clarke with Guest El Jones: Black Refugees to Nova Scotia from the War of 1812

A presentation by George Elliott Clarke with guest El Jones. Sponsored by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Canada African Heritage Month/War of 1812 Speakers Series.

Halifax North Memorial Public Library
Thursday, February 2/7:00 pm

Profile: Psychologist Joe O'Loughlin

2012-01-31T06:00:00.001-04:00

Joe O'Loughlin (M) is a fictitious crime solving clinical psychologist created by Australian author Michael Robotham.

The series began in 2005 with the novel The Suspect (M), which garnered much praise around the world.

"Pleasantly creepy....Plotted with precision and narrated with real intelligence." - New York Times Book Review

"The brilliance of CRACKER, the complexity of REBUS and the suspense of PRIME SUSPECT in one novel" - Scottish Daily Record

Joe has a seemingly near perfect life- a great job, a beautiful wife and a loving daughter. But Joe has secrets, things he needs to keep secret, lest they wreak havoc with everyone's happiness. In The Suspect, Joe finds himself accused of a terrible crime, but the complications in his life forces him to keep his alibi secret. Joe must turn detective in order to clear his name and protect those he loves so dearly. Thus begins the crime solving career of psychologist Joe O'Louhglin.

Throughout the series, Joe develops a close working relationship with Detective Vincent Ruiz, the officer who originally arrested him in The Suspect. From this fateful exchange, begins the development of a crime solving duo for the ages.

Robotham's suspense novels are fast paced, cleverly constructed and have intriguing and realistic characters. The tone is on the darker side, with some violence and gruesome scenes. Joe's self depreciated humour does helps to lighten things up a bit for readers.

The Library has the first four novels in the series, with the fifth novel, The Wreckage on order.

Staff Pick - My Antonia by Willa Cather

2012-01-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

Published in 1918 My Antonia (M) by Willa Cather is considered to be one of her best novels. If you, like me, grew up devouring books by Laura Ingalls Wilder (M), you will certainly appreciate My Antonia.

Narrator, Jim Burden, travels to Black Hawk, Nebraska following the death of his parents to live with his grandparents. His grandparents are comfortable, prosperous farmers who provide him with a stable and loving home. Their neighbours were largely recent immigrants from Scandinavian and Eastern European countries who were struggling with language and with basic survival. One neighbouring family, the Shimerdas and their daughter Antonia, fascinate young Jim and become the focus of the story. Over the course of five books (or chapters) we read about the progress of Antonia's life. We see her as a young girl, strong and smart and proud to work as hard has her brother. As a young woman she goes out and work as a hired girl and sends all her money home to her family. She struggles with responsibility and the desire to be young and free. Perhaps the most touching book is the final one where we see Antonia as the mother of a large family. Despite the unhappiness in her life, she ends up surrounded by a loving family who appreciate her strength.

This is a relatively small book that deals with so many big ideas. Overall it is a reflective read that focuses on the inner emotions of the characters as well as evoking a strong sense of place. The narrator, Jim, plays an inactive role as an academic and an observer. This is a book about women and their role in settling the American west. It's also a story about the immigrant experience. Cather paints of picture of the struggle to learn a new language and to cope with unfamiliar foods and basically try to survive in a land where everything is strange. There are hints of the lives left behind filled with learning and music, given up for a promise of a prosperous future that might not pay off for a couple of generations. My Antonia reflects the idea of Manifest Destiny with the settlers' moral right to expand across the continent relying on hard work, self-reliance and neighbourly support.

Willa Cather was born in Nebraska and was acknowledged with a Pulitzer Prize in 1922 for One of Ours (M). You can read more about her fascinating life in Hermione Lee's Willa Cather: double lives (M).

If you enjoy character driven novels with evocative descriptions of natural landscapes you might also enjoy A Thousand Acres (M) by Jane Smiley and Plainsong (M) by Kent Haruf.

"A successful Iowa farmer decides to divide his farm between his three daughters. When the youngest objects, she is cut out of his will. This sets off a chain of events that brings dark truths to light and explodes long-suppressed emotions. An ambitious reimagining of Shakespeare’s King Lear cast upon a typical American community in the late twentieth century, A Thousand Acres takes on themes of truth, justice, love, and pride, and reveals the beautiful yet treacherous topography of humanity." publisher

"A heartstrong story of family and romance, tribulation and tenacity, set on the High Plains east of Denver. In the small town of Holt, Colorado, a high school teacher is confronted with raising his two boys alone after their mother retreats first to the bedroom, then altogether. A teenage girl -- her father long since disappeared, her mother unwilling to have her in the house -- is pregnant, alone herself, with nowhere to go. And out in the country, two brothers, elderly bachelors, work the family homestead, the only world they've ever known. From these unsettled lives emerges a vision of life, and of the town and landscape that bind them together -- their fates somehow overcoming the powerful circumstances of place and station, their confusion, curiosity, dignity and humor intact and resonant. As the milieu widens to embrace fully four generations, Kent Haruf displays an emotional and aesthetic authority to rival the past masters of a classic American tradition. Utterly true to the rhythms and patterns of life, Plainsong is a novel to care about, believe in, and learn from." Discover

2 New Nova Scotia Short Story Collections

2012-01-29T06:00:00.001-04:00

For your reading consideration - two new short story collections from local writers:

White Eyes : 16 stories (M)
by Larry Gibbons

"Larry Gibbons spent ten years on a Mi'kmaw reserve-held there by his love for a woman, not by any typical white role such as priest or social worker or teacher. Stirred by the tenderness, tenacity, and flexibility of Mi'kmaw extended family, and challenged by a native spirituality so different from his own upbringing, Gibbons found his voice as a writer. Out of that he created the remarkable stories in White Eyes.In a writing style that is casual but rigorous, Gibbons' voice-always passionate, often confused, frequently marvelously comedic-offers a unique bridge between white and native culture, even as he entertains with a sharp, self-deprecating eye." - Publisher

The Men's Breakfast: 19 stories from Cape Breton Island (M)
edited by Ronald Caplan

"The Men's Breakfast is built out of short stories by the likes of Frank Macdonald, Bill Conall, Dave Doucette, D. C. Troicuk and more-plus remarkable novels-in-progress by Maureen Hull, Brian Tucker, and Stewart Donovan that stand alone. In a shocking scene that turns on a breath, Joyce Rankin trumpets the challenges to which a woman rises to protect her children, and Phonse Jessome pulls off the tough-guy bravado of the best of crime writing.Caplan found the most fragile magic delivered out of the hands of Russell Colman and Tim Vassallo, and then some remarkable brute force masterfully carved by Paul MacDougall and Victor Sakalauskas.

Sharp wit and compassionate insight abound in this book, as The Men's Breakfast flowers forth with the finest in human relationship: a hard-bitten father's affection for his wayward son, a teenage youth caring for a dis-abled woman, a pack of kooky apartment-dwellers on a road trip to a funeral.As Caplan points out in a poignant introduction that explains the book's title, "Some of these 19 writers have achieved a bit of fame, others will be happy discoveries-and all are worth reading in this entertaining and thought-provoking book that has been built to last, to be returned to, and to share." - Publisher

5 Great Non-fiction Books- National Book Critics Circle Awards

2012-01-28T06:00:00.001-04:00

The National Book Critics Circle Awards have announced their shortlists for books published in 2011.

"Founded in 1974, the NBCC is a nonprofit organization of book reviewers and critics that honors outstanding writing and fosters a national conversation about reading, criticism, and literature, in part through annual awards for the year’s outstanding books. Books are directly nominated and chosen by leading book critics. The NBCC thus offers the unique opportunity for professional critics to recognize and reward literary excellence."

The nominees in the non-fiction category are:

Liberty's Exile: American Loyalists in the Revolutionary War (M)
by Maya Jasanoff

"In this lucidly told and engaging work, Jasanoff examines the loyalist diaspora following the American Revolution in which both white and black adherents to the British scattered across the empire to various locations including Nova Scotia, Jamaica, and Sierra Leone and attempted to reconstruct their lives in the face of tremendous obstacles.

Combining compelling narrative with insightful analysis, Jasanoff has produced a work that is both distinct in perspective and groundbreaking in its originality. Strongly recommended for both students of the Revolutionary Atlantic world and British Empire generalists."- Library Journal

Pulphead: essays (M)
by John Jeremiah Sullivan

"A sharp-eyed, uniquely humane tour of America's cultural landscape--from high to low to lower than low--by the award-winning young star of the literary nonfiction world. In Pulphead, John Jeremiah Sullivan takes us on an exhilarating tour of our popular, unpopular, and at times completely forgotten culture. Simultaneously channeling the gonzo energy of Hunter S. Thompson and the wit and insight of Joan Didion, Sullivan shows us--with a laidback, erudite Southern charm that's all his own--how we really (no, really) live now." - Publisher

The Information: a history, a theory, a flood (M)
by James Gleick

"Acutely sensitive to the human drama involved in pioneering thought and discovery, best-selling science and technology writer Gleick has developed an epic sense of humankind's quest for mastery of information, the vital principle. In this tour de force, the first book to fully chronicle the story of information and how it has transformed human thought and life, Gleick follows the path from the ingenious codes used by African drummers to the invention of the alphabet and writing, which made possible deep analysis and logic, the bedrock for information theory.

This is intellectual history of tremendous verve, insight, and significance. Unfailingly spirited, often poetic, Gleick recharges our astonishment over the complexity and resonance of the digital sphere and ponders our hunger for connectedness. Destined to be a science classic, best-seller Gleick's dynamic history of information will be one of the biggest nonfiction books of the year." - Booklist

A World on Fire: Britain's crucial role in the American Civil War (M)
by Amanda Foreman

"Whitbread Prize winner Foreman weighs in with a big book rich in description and strong in narrative, with a large cast of characters that includes British nobles and American statesmen jockeying for power, British journalists reporting the war, and Englishmen and Irishmen fighting, respectively, with the Union and Confederate armies in what they regarded as noble causes. Foreman's special strength is tracking the social relationships that bound together, or estranged, the movers and shakers in London and Washington, with keen insights on the political maneuverings that kept England out of the war.

The result is a very good read and a grand panorama of the war on land and sea, in the press, and in drawing rooms and public assemblies on both sides of the Atlantic" - Library Journal

To End All Wars: a story of loyalty and rebellion, 1914-1918 (M)
by Adam Hochschild

"World War I stands as one of history's most senseless spasms of carnage, defying rational explanation. In a riveting, suspenseful narrative with haunting echoes for our own time, Adam Hochschild brings it to life as never before. He focuses on the long-ignored moral drama of the war's critics, alongside its generals and heroes. Thrown in jail for their opposition to the war were Britain's leading investigative journalist, a future winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and an editor who, behind bars, published a newspaper for his fellow inmates on toilet paper. These critics were sometimes intimately connected to their enemy hawks: one of Britain's most prominent women pacifist campaigners had a brother who was commander in chief on the Western Front. Two well-known sisters split so bitterly over the war that they ended up publishing newspapers that attacked each other. Today, hundreds of military cemeteries spread across the fields of northern France and Belgium contain the bodies of millions of men who died in the "war to end all wars." Can we ever avoid repeating history?"- Publisher

What are we talking about, again?

2012-01-27T06:00:00.001-04:00

For a while, I used to write posts for the Reader under the theme of "Six Degrees of the Library Collection". They were fun little posts that connected authors and titles found at the library, through commonalities and links between the books or the writers. I recently noticed something that is more of a One Degree of the Library collection: a number of books that are all linked to each other through their very similar titles.

The book that got me thinking was What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank (M), a new short story collection by Nathan Englander that is to be released this February. Englander is an author to watch. His two previous publications—the 1999 short story collection For the Relief of Unbearable Urges and the 2007 novel The Ministry of Special Cases—both received rave reviews. Of The Ministry of Special Cases, Booklist said "Four p's best describe this work: poignant, powerful, political, and yet personal." Expect a similar approach in his newest, which has already received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Booklist.

When I saw a write up of the Englander book, I felt like I'd encountered the title before: or almost. The book that immediately jumped to mind was What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (M) by Haruki Murakami. Murakami is a well known Japanese fiction author, sometimes categorized as surrealist, who writes thoughtful, often melancholy stories that feature themes of science fiction and fantasy, and offer commentary on modern life. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is one of Murakami's few nonfiction titles. In it he talks about his personal interest and participation in long distance running.

Intrigued by these titular similarities, I also tracked down What We Talk About When We Talk About War (M) , the name of a talk given by Canadian author Noah Richler at the Frye Festival in Moncton in 2010. The lecture is due to be published as a book by Fredericton's Goose Lane Press this spring and, according to the publisher, discusses Richler's view "that in the past decade, Canada has gone from being a peacekeeping to a “warrior” nation, and he examines what this says about us as a country."

Keen readers may have already figured out the connection between these books: the short story What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver (and the collection of the same name). Both Englander and Murakami indicate that their titles are direct tributes to the Carver title, I haven't encountered whether Richler intended the same or not. Of Carver's collection, amazon.com said "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love is not only the most well-known short story title of the latter part of the 20th century; it has come to stand for an entire aesthetic, the bare-bones prose style for which Raymond Carver became famous." The stories from this Carver collection can be found in the Halifax Public Library in the collection entitled Where I'm Calling From (M).

Read Your Way Around the World - Sudan

2012-01-26T06:00:00.001-04:00

Read Your Way Around the World invites you to Sudan. Sudan is a large and ethnically diverse country with Arabic as the dominant language and a long history of conflict and civil war.

Mansour El Souwain who contributed to Beirut 39: new writing from the Arab world (M) has some interesting things to say in this interview about the relatively new concept of the Sudanese novel and its origin in a rich oral and narrative poetry tradition.

Sudanese writer Leila Aboulela tells the story of the wealthy Abuzeid family in Lyrics Alley (M). Sudan is on the brink of massive change as British rule comes to an end. The family fortune seems and secure and comfortable until their beloved eldest son Nur is seriously injured. Nur channels his disappointment into a creative career as a poet. Just as the country itself is changing, the Abuzeid family finds itself divided between traditional and progressive values. A family saga told from multiple perspectives.

Wilbur Smith was an early favourite author for me. Wilbur Smith's novels are fast-paced, adventurous and often follow a family through multiple generations. Two of his families, the Courteneys and the Ballantynes, are featured in The Triumph of the Sun (M). The action in this violent and maybe even melodramatic story centers around the Siege of Khartoum, a bloody event in Sudanese history.

Moving to modern times, Acts of Faith (M) by Philip Caputo is set against the Sudanese civil wars. The novel tells the story of aid workers whose actions, though well intentioned on the surface, are designed to further their own causes as well as those of the locals. This is a novel with a huge cast of characters that tells a really big story.

The Four Feathers (M) by A.E.W. Mason is a classic much-filmed novel about honour and courage set in 1882 England and Sudan. Harry Feversham, a British officer, resigns his commission out of fear that he will prove himself a coward. His fellow officers and fiance give him white feathers to symbolize his cowardice. In order to redeem himself he travels to Sudan and plays an heroic role in this classic adventure story.

Sudanese writer Tayeb Salih tells the story of two Sudanese men who were both educated in England in Season of Migration to the North (M). They meet in a small village in Sudan and are drawn together by their similar experiences. Season of Migration to the North is a literary novel which deals with the clash between cultures and traditions.

God Grew Tired of Us (M) is the arresting title of John Del Dau's book about his experience of being one of Sudan's "Lost Boys". In this memoir he describes how he was forced from his village and separated from his family in 1987 as a result of the civil war. We read about harrowing escapes, the terrible conditions in refugee camps and ultimately his resettlement in the US which allows Dau, ultimately, to return to Sudan and reunite with his family.

Staff Pick- Chinaberry Sidewalks : a memoir by Rodney Crowell

2012-01-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

Rodney Crowell is a singer songwriter from Houston. Early in his career he was championed by likes of Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. He later broke into the Nashville mainstream in1988, with a string five consecutive top ten country hits from his album Diamonds and Dirt. He later moved away from this lucrative mainstream country genre to create a body of critically acclaimed Americana music. He is was also well known for once being married into country music royalty, as the erstwhile husband of Roseanne Cash.

I first discovered Rodney Crowell during this second phase of his career His semi-autobiographical album The Houston Kid remains one my favourites. While reading his new childhood memoir, Chinaberry Sidewalks (M) I was quite struck with just how much of what he refers to in the book is alluded to in his songs.

"Mosquito truck blowing out DDT.
Barefoot heathens running wild and free.
Air raid buzzer at a noon day scream.
Leaving in a dream. On Telephone road"

His ragged childhood is the primary focus of this memoir, with only fleeting mentions of his later success as a performer. If you are looking for information about Nashville and/or his relationship with Roseanne, this is not the book. This memoir is really about his complex relationship with his parents.

His upbringing was brutal by today's standards. He lived in a dirt floor shack with a serious leaky roof. His father was a heavy drinker, a frustrated singer and often turned violent. His mother was just as rough and tough, just as apt to hit rather than to hug her only living child. Despite all this, Crowell comes to truly love his parents. He tells us fabulous stories about his parent's parties and his first use of a shotgun, about fiery preachers and lowdown sinners, neighbourhood bullies and epic battles with bows and arrows, and his first kisses and first guitars.

Although he had an awful lot to complain about, this is actually an uplifting book. Rodney Crowell has somehow managed to weather the storm with his dysfunctional family and ended up in in a place of love, respect and appreciation.

"Another Houston Kid. On a downhill skid. For Crying out loud."

Well written, entertaining and emotionally moving. Highly recommended.

Author Reading: Under the Same Sky by Genevieve Graham

2012-01-24T06:00:00.003-04:00

Local author Genevieve Graham has penned a fantastic debut novel, Under the Same Sky (M). A historical romance novel set in Colonial America and Scotland, it tells the heart wrenching story of lovers Maggie and Andrew. It is a winning combination of fast paced adventure, compelling characters, an emotionally engaging storyline, including a splash of the paranormal, along with a richly developed historical setting.

The early buzz surrounding this historical romance title is very exciting:

Book blogger Evie of Bookish says:"It was truly captivating, gut-wrenching and profoundly emotional. The story has so much depth to it, so much meaning, it's breathtaking! It's not your typical, shallow romance. It's a fabulous and brilliant piece of literature, definitely worth reading! The best part? You don't need to be a romance fan to enjoy this book. I'm fairly confident that this fabulous book can be greatly enjoyed even by people who usually stay away from any sort of romance novels. I highly recommend it to everyone!"

Kathe Robin of the Romance Times says "reader's will wait with bated breath for the sequel" and gave a highly favourable 4 star rating.

Tiffany's Bookshelf blog says "There is a deeply spiritual connection between Maggie and Andrew, and that is what makes this story so romantic. I am the type of reader who longs for that type of story in a genre that, despite its name, is often reduced to shallow sexuality. I think real fans of romance novels will enjoy this book, particularly those fond of historical romances and Highland romances".

Genevieve Graham will be reading from "Under the Same Sky" at the Keshen Goodman Public Library on Wednesday January 25th, 7:00 p.m.

Why not drop by the library and meet an up and coming literary star.

2011 Edgar Awards nominees

2012-01-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

The Edgar Award nominees for 2011 have been announced. There are a number of categories each with five nominees. The winners will be announced in April. For now, to keep you busy until then, here is the shortlist for the Edgar Award - Best Novel.

The Ranger (M)
by Ace Atkins

"Returning home to Mississippi to attend his beloved uncle's funeral, army ranger Quinn Colson finds himself fighting a power broker and meth-cooking white supremacists. Friends, including a beautiful deputy sheriff, follow his lead in the escalating confrontations. Quinn does not hesitate to draw on his training and combat experience, which means violence is a big part of the story. An effective companion plot shows the man Quinn might have become if he hadn't left town. Atkins, the author of true-crime-based novels (White Shadow; Wicked City) and the Nick Travers series, launches a new crime series set in the Deep South. Give this one to Stephen Hunter fans who like fast-moving plots and decisive good guys facing down evil." Library Journal

Gone (M)
by Mo Hayder

"In the fifth riveting entry in the series featuring haunted homicide detective Jack Caffery, his latest case seems to be a routine carjacking. But as the investigation proceeds, it becomes clear that the Jacker was really after the 11-year-old girl in the backseat and, what's more, is taunting police with the threat that he will strike again. He is so far ahead of the unit at every step that the investigation is continually being stymied, and Jack suspects the Jacker is privy to inside information. As the Walking Man, a vagrant with whom Jack has a special connection, tells him, the kidnapper is cleverer than any of the others you've brought to me. Meanwhile, police diver Flea Marley is recklessly ignoring protocol in her search for the missing girl and finds herself trapped in an underwater cavern. Hayder keeps the tension high as she switches between the distraught parents and the stressed-out investigators. The meticulously crafted plot is heightened by Hayder's skillful evocation of mood as she summons the specter of a highly intelligent criminal who is taking great satisfaction from every parent's worst nightmare. A captivating thriller." Booklist

The Devotion of Suspect X (M)
by Keigo Higashino

"Yasuko Hanaoka is a divorced, single mother who thought she had finally escaped her abusive ex-husband Togashi. When he shows up one day to extort money from her, threatening both her and her teenaged daughter Misato, the situation quickly escalates into violence and Togashi ends up dead on her apartment floor. Overhearing the commotion, Yasuko’s next door neighbor, middle-aged high school mathematics teacher Ishigami, offers his help, disposing not only of the body but plotting the cover-up step-by-step. When the body turns up and is identified, Detective Kusanagi draws the case and Yasuko comes under suspicion. Kusanagi is unable to find any obvious holes in Yasuko’s manufactured alibi and yet is still sure that there’s something wrong. Kusanagi brings in Dr. Manabu Yukawa, a physicist and college friend who frequently consults with the police. Yukawa, known to the police by the nickname Professor Galileo, went to college with Ishigami. After meeting up with him again, Yukawa is convinced that Ishigami had something to do with the murder. What ensues is a high level battle of wits, as Ishigami tries to protect Yasuko by outmaneuvering and out thinking Yukawa, who faces his most clever and determined opponent yet." publisher

1222: a Hanne Wil helmsen novel (M)
by Anne Holt

"A train on its way to the northern reaches of Norway derails during a massive blizzard, 1,222 meters above sea level. The passengers abandon the train for a nearby hotel, centuries-old and practically empty, except for the staff. With plenty of food and shelter from the storm, the passengers think they are safe, until one of them is found dead the next morning. With no sign of rescue, and the storm continuing to rage, retired police inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen is asked to investigate. Paralysed by a bullet lodged in her spine, Hanne has no desire to get involved. But she is slowly coaxed back into her old habits as her curiosity and natural talent for observation force her to take an interest in the passengers and their secrets. When another body turns up, Hanne realizes that time is running out, and she must act fast before panic takes over. Complicating things is the presence of a mysterious guest, who had travelled in a private rail car at the end of the train and was evacuated first to the top floor of the hotel. No one knows who the guest is, or why armed guards are needed, but it is making everyone uneasy. Hanne has her suspicions, but she keeps them to herself.Trapped in her wheelchair, trapped by the storm, and now trapped with a killer, Hanne must fit the pieces of the puzzle together before the killer strikes again." publisher

Field Gray (M)
by Philip Kerr

"It's 1954 and Bernie finds himself flown back to Berlin to work for the French or hang for murder. Bernie's job is simple: to meet and greet POWs returning from Germany and snag one Edgard de Boudel, a French war criminal and member of the French SS. But Bernie's past as a German POW in Russia is about to catch up with him -- in a way he could never have foreseen." Discover catalogue

Staff Pick : The Great Sperm Whale by Richard Ellis

2012-01-22T06:00:00.005-04:00

I love to read about the natural world. I have enjoyed quite a few books on a wide variety of animals, such as porcupines, ravens and deer. But the most exciting books for me are those about the apex predators, such as tigers, bears, sharks and wolves.

Well known marine biologist Richard Ellis' latest book is about the ultimate apex predator, The Great Sperm Whale (M). This creature is a total tour de force of animal power. Weighing in at 70 tonnes and up to 60 feet long, this is an impressive creature by any measure. Factor in a bunch of huge teeth and the ability to dive to depths of a few kilometers and it becomes apparent that this is one impressive hunter.

Richard Ellis' approach to writing is very similar to that of authors Simon Winchester (M)and Charles C. Mann (M). He provides in depth details about the history, biology and cultural influence of his topic, allowing the reader to fully place the book's subject matter into a larger context than is possible with a straight up biology or history book.

For example, Ellis spends a whole chapter on Melville's famed novel Moby Dick (M), as this was a pivotal piece of culture that greatly influenced the world's knowledge and perception of sperm whales. He also delves into the history of the whaling industry, providing fascinating insights to lives of those rugged souls whose livelihood depended on bravery and good luck. He also spends a fair amount of time chronicling the close relationship and epic battles between sperm whales and the giant squid.

Similar to a lot of Simon Winchester's books, you may find yourself learning more about the topic than you thought you wanted to know. But that is one of the main appeal of these books for me, that I end up with a very broad knowledge about the topic. How else would I ever know that the Sperm Whale was once the world's most prized source of oil for candles and sewing machines?

How They Lived, or, Histories of Everyday Life

2012-01-21T06:00:00.002-04:00

Reading history is all about making another time and place come to life. Social histories or historical biographies contain a wealth of details that not only draw you into that world but make it personal for the reader as well. The titles below have the elements of a great story, fascinating characters and a wealth of details satisfying to most history fans.

1700: scenes from London life (M) by Maureen Waller certainly made me fell grateful to have been born when I was. In and about 1700 London was essentially still a city caught in medieval times. The biggest problem appears to have been sanitation. The streets were open sewers and a little hand washing would have gone a long way to saving and prolonging life. I was struck as well by the unfairness of life; how poverty and desperation lead to crime which led to execution. At the same time London was a city on the cusp of great change. England had its first constitutional monarch and commerce was flourishing. The city was on the verge of being a world power. Crime, disease and death aside, you also see a London which was beginning to flourish in the fields of science, literature and philosophy. An enlightening and somewhat disgusting read.

In general I enjoy social histories that shed light on how ordinary people lived. Unfortunately, these ordinary people seldom had the time or the wherewithal to leave documentary evidence. Andrea Di Robilant's Lucia: a Venetian life in the age of Napoleon (M) tells the life story of Lucia, a Venetian aristocrat who was able to leave behind a rich collection of letters. Lucia lived during a remarkable point in Venetian history and was socially prominent enough to have had contact with major characters like Empress Josephine. Sixteen year old Lucia left behind interesting letters to her future husband which give interesting details about the complexity of arranging aristocratic marriages.

The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: a handbook for visitors to the fourteenth century (M) by Ian Mortimer is an entertaining read that should provide invaluable if ever you are transported back to the fourteenth century. It answers questions like what are the people like (young), what do they wear, what should you expect to eat, how will you travel, where will you sleep and, perhaps scarily of all. what happens when you are sick or find yourself in trouble with the law.

Moving from Europe to North America there is Robert Louis Stevenson's The Silverado Squatters: a sojourn in Napa County, California, in the summer of 1880. (M) Here we have a picture of California in the late nineteenth century from Stevenson's journals. He and his new wife landed there while he recovered from a bronchial condition. Unable to afford a hotel bill, they "squatted" in rather primitive conditions with less than adequate shelter and hauling water for their needs. At the same time, it was here that Stevenson first used a telephone. It's an interesting glimpse, as well, into the fledgling California wine industry.

Readers of histories might also enjoy fiction by Edward Rutherfurd (M), Peter Carey (M) and Ken Follett. (M)

The Story Prize: the best of US short fiction

2012-01-20T06:00:00.001-04:00

The Story Prize finalists for 2011 have been chosen. This award has been around since 2004 and is described as such: "an annual book award honoring the author of an outstanding collection of short fiction with a $20,000 cash award. Each of two runners-up will receive $5,000. Eligible books must be written in English and first published in the United States during a calendar year."

This year's finalists are:

Binocular Vision: new and selected stories (M)
by Edith Pearlman

Edith Pearlman's Binocular Vision combines 13 new stories and 21 previously collected stories, dating to 1976, from a career short story writer whose brilliant work has only recently captured much-deserved attention.

"*Starred Review* There is a vast difference between reading Pearlman's stories in a magazine or anthology and reading this collection. In settings ranging from unnamed South American countries to the Boston suburbs, from the current day to the last century (e.g., the Russian Revolution, WWII), depictions of people, places, and manners are so perfect that the stories become totally immersive... Give this wonderful collection to fans of such classic short story writers as Andre Dubus and Alice Munro and novelists like Nicole Krauss. They will thank you." - Booklist

The Angel Esmeralda: nine stories (M)
by Don DeLillo

Although The Angel Esmeralda is Don DeLillo's first short story collection, the nine powerful stories, published between 1979 and 2011, echo quintessential career-long themes.

"A collection of short stories, written between 1979 and 2011, chronicling - and foretelling - three decades of American life Set in Greece, the Caribbean, Manhattan, a white-collar prison and outer space, these nine stories are a mesmerizing introduction to Don DeLillo's iconic voice, from the rich, startling, jazz-infused rhythms of his early work to the spare, distilled, monastic language of the later stories" - Publisher

We Others: new and selected stories (M)
by Steven Millhauser

The 21 ingenious stories in We Others by Steven Millhauser include seven newly collected pieces alongside selected work from four previous collections, going back to 1981.

"The surreal, magical, and vaguely threatening universe of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Millhauser is grandly portrayed in this story collection. Among the new tales, book lovers will not want to miss "The People of the Book," a story in the form of a graduation speech to young people who learn of their strange heritage from a distant past. The title piece is an enthralling ghost story, detailing the journey of a departed "soul" and his relationship to a lonely woman whose house he comes to inhabit.... Entertaining and disturbing, these brilliant creations are recommended for most fiction readers; an especially good choice for libraries that don't currently have at least some of Millhauser's collections." - Library Journal

Stanzas in the Stacks -- an update!

2012-01-19T16:37:00.002-04:00

The original Stanzas in the Stacks post contained a date error, which has now been corrected but which may have been shared through other web sources. Please note that FRIDAY JANUARY 20TH is the correct date for this program.

Stanzas in the Stacks

2012-01-19T06:00:00.002-04:00

Ever wonder what it’s like to be in the library after it closes? Halifax Poet Laureate Tanya Davis did, and she approached the Spring Garden Road Library with a program idea that would settle her curiosity. The result is Stanzas in the Stacks: Poetry in the Library After Dark.

This Friday, January 20, the Spring Garden branch will be open from 8-10 p.m. for a special program that will feature poetry readings, books of poetry, magnetic poetry and hot cider by lamplight. Curated by Davis, the event will feature readings in various locations throughout the library by local poets. There will be cozy reading areas set up through the branch, with chairs and blankets where one can read from poetry books on display, either out loud to anyone who wants to listen, or quietly, to oneself.

The idea for having the program after the library was closed hearkens back to Davis’ school days. She recalls the feeling of going to school at night to participate in concerts and how the building felt so very different at night.

Tanya Davis was named Halifax’s Poet Laureate in April 2011. Her short film At First Lonely, has had nearly 4 million views on YouTube. Her first book of poetry (M) by the same title was released in June of this year.

Who are some of your favourite poets? What will you chose to read out loud?

Staff Pick - The Astral by Kate Christensen

2012-01-18T06:00:00.001-04:00

Harry Quirk in Kate Christensen's The Astral (M) finds himself stripped of everything at age 57 and forced into the position to either reclaim or to rebuild his life. Thirty years of marriage to Luz ends with her unfounded suspicion that Harry is having an affair with his long-time friend Marion. Luz reaches this conclusion based on a book of Harry's poetry which, on the surface, appear to be lovingly about another woman. She destroys his manuscript and Harry is homeless, unemployed and bewildered. Harry and Luz's life has been contained within a neighbourhood of Brooklyn for thirty years. There they raised their two children in The Astral, a rose-coloured apartment building which has lost some of its former glory. The Quirks were self-contained within this neighbourhood - work, home, and friends were all at their fingertips. Harry, the dreamy poet, was accustomed to Luz, the practical nurse, taking charge of him and their family. For the first time he is on his own and is making a poor job of housing and feeding himself. He also finds himself, for the first time, coming to his children's assistance, helping his freegan daughter to liberate his religious zealot son from a cult.

The Astral was a delightful read and I would have been content for the story to continue to see what was next in store for Harry. It is a story about letting go and seeing things from another's perspective. Harry is introspective and perceptive making this an excellent read for anyone who is drawn to character-driven novels. In addition to Harry Quick, Christensen has created a cast of richly drawn characters, including Luz whose rage has consumed her life, care-worn and worried daughter Karina who struggles to maintain her idealized lifestyle and care for her troubled family, and intense and spiritual son Hector who may not be all that he appears on the surface. Christensen has excelled at creating a portrait of a middle-aged bohemian poet which brings to mind characters created by John Irving (M) or John Updike (M).

The Senator's Wife (M) by Sue Miller is another sophisticated, compassionate story of a family in crisis. "Meri is newly married, pregnant, and standing on the cusp of her life as a wife and mother, recognizing with some terror the gap between reality and expectation. Delia—wife of the two-term liberal senator Tom Naughton—is Meri's new neighbor in the adjacent New England town house. Tom's chronic infidelity has been an open secret in Washington circles, but despite the complexity of their relationship, the bond between them remains strong. Soon Delia and Meri find themselves leading strangely parallel lives, as they both reckon with the contours and mysteries of marriage: one refined and abraded by years of complicated intimacy, the other barely begun. With precision and a rich vitality, Sue Miller—beloved and bestselling author of While I Was Gone—brings us a highly charged, superlative novel about marriage and forgiveness." publisher

Brooklyn is as much a character in The Astral as any other and it was easy to picture Harry Quirk bicycling from one location to another. Sunset Park (M) by Paul Auster features another group of artists in a communal life in Brooklyn. "Auster (Invisible) is in excellent form for this foray into the tarnished, conflicted soul of Brooklyn. New York native Miles Heller now cleans out foreclosed south Florida homes, but after falling in love with an underage girl and stirring the wrath of her older sister, he flees to Brooklyn and shacks up with a group of artists squatting in the borough's Sunset Park neighborhood. As Miles arrives at the squat, the narrative broadens to take in the lives of Miles's roommates-among them Bing, "the champion of discontent," and Alice, a starving writer-and the unlikely paths that lead them to their squat. Then there's the matter of Miles's estranged father, Morris, who, in trying to save both his marriage and the independent publishing outfit he runs, may find the opportunity to patch things up with Miles. " Publishers Weekly

Mighty Mayors

2012-01-17T06:00:00.001-04:00

I admit that the idea for this post came from The Coast articles of January 5, 2012. The main theme of that week's The Coast was what would make a good mayor, including a piece on fictional mayors. I was reminded of a few books that I have read in which the mayor was the main character.

The Leftovers (M) by Tom Perrotta. There has been a lot of press lately about the end of days, the Mayan Calendar, and the Doomsday clock. What would happen if the Rapture came and you were left behind? This is the interesting premise to the latest novel by the author of Little Children. Perrotta has always been a thought-provoking novelist. In this novel he has the reader wondering what they would do if millions of people suddenly disappeared in a split second, and those who were taken were not selected based on religion, race or gender. How would this affect the “Leftovers”? Kevin Garvey, the mayor of Middleton, has to deal with his wife and son leaving him to join two different cults, as well as taking care of his troubled teenaged daughter. I found it very interesting to wonder what I would do if I was one of the “Leftovers”.

The Devil's Punchbowl (M) by New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles presents Penn Cage as mayor of Natchez, Mississippi. Most of Natchez's revenue comes from casino gambling boats that dock just off its shores. One boat in particular comes to Penn's attention, the Magnolia Queen. On board, high staked players come to satisfy their taste for bloodsports and other vices. With the money that the casino makes, it is easy to buy off people who make trouble, and if they cannot be bought, they are killed! It is up to Mayor Penn to battle against the evil that threatens to take over his town.

The Good Mayor (M) is the debut novel by author Andrew Nicoll. The story is told by Walpurnia, the 1200 year old bearded nun who is the patron saint of Dot. She watches over this Baltic city and especially Tibo Krovic. Tibo is known as the Good Mayor, as he always says and does the right thing. Tibo has been secretly in love with his lonely, married secretary, Agatha Stopak. He worships her from afar, or at least by peeking under the crack of his office door. Walpurnia steps into this relationship, and as we all know, the path to true love never runs smooth.

Dog Bites Man, City Shocked! (M) by James Duffy. I admit that just the title of this book attracted my attention. After all, I am sure that dogs bite people every day but to get such a tabloid heading is not usual. And that is because this satire reads like tabloid fodder. Highly regarded Columbian political science professor Eldon Hoagland is talked into running for mayor by his powerful friends. The first 30 pages of the novel focus on his rise to power. The rest of the novel tells of his downfall: the reason being something ridiculous. After a year and half in power, the mayor is brought down and not because of sexual or financial scandal. No, he is brought down because after a night of drinking, he steps on a dog as he leaves his friend's house. The dog then bites the mayor and the Mayor's bodyguard shoots the dog. What follows is a comedy of errors, sure to amuse the political junkie in all of us!

I have always said that I would rather be rich and not famous. I would never want to be in the public eye, especially after reading these novels. So good luck to all those mayors out there. You will need it!

Things You Never Thought You'd Be When You Grew up

2012-01-16T06:00:00.001-04:00

Typographer, gravedigger, grifter .... may not be what most children will tell you they will be when they grow up. The subjects of the memoirs below managed to get there and those paths lead to some engaging stories.

The digital age has made it possible for everyone to have an opinion on something that was an esoteric topic a mere twenty years ago. Just My Type: a book about fonts (M) by Simon Garfield explores the rich history of fonts and the impact that typography has had on our society. Today, most of us are able to declare our favourite font and some have gone as far to join a movement to ban Comic Sans due to its overuse. (I have to admit that I'm feeling a bit sorry for Comic Sans, much as I feel sorry for Pluto's demotion). Garfield also looks at some famous typographers - Claude Garamond, Lucas de Groot and the infamous Eric Gill amongst others.

How many of us can say, or would even want to say, that we spent a summer digging graves? In the Land of Long Fingernails: a gravedigger's memoir (M) by Charles Wilkins is a lively account of a summer spent in a Toronto graveyard in the nineteen sixties. Surrounded by a group of eccentrics, Wilkins learned to navigate his way around the apparently not-so peaceful final resting place where theft and neglect were always a possibility. The death industry has the potential to prey on the bereaved at a most vulnerable point in their lives. It is something we normally do not wish to think about until we are faced with the death of a loved one. It is an engaging and amusing read on a grim and sombre topic

What road leads a person from beginnings in the backwoods of Ontario to a human cannonball act? Shane Peacock answers this very question in The Great Farini: the high wire life of William Hunt. (M) Hunt was a daring adventurous child who, despite his parents efforts, became infatuated with show business when the circus came to town. He trained his muscles and developed fantastic acrobatic abilities which lead him to a high-wire act and eventually to performing feats over Niagara Falls. His career trajectory had him partnering with PT Barnum and later traversing the Kalahari Desert and claiming that he found the Lost City of the Kalahari.

Perhaps working in a library is not the most unconventional career choice out there, however a trip to a modern public library reveals that the library of today is not the fortress of quiet and scholarship it once was. Of this I will say no more but let Free For All: oddballs, geeks and gangstas in the public library (M) by Don Borchert speak for itself. "Not long ago, the public library was a place for the bookish, the eggheaded, and the studious—often seeking refuge from a loud, irrational, crude, outside world. Today, libraries have become free-for-all entertainment complexes filled with rowdy teens, deviants, drugs, and even sex toys. Lockdowns and chaperones are often necessary. What happened? Don Borchert was a short-order cook, door-to-door salesman, telemarketer, and Christmas-tree-chopper before landing a job in a California library. He never could have predicted his encounters with the colorful kooks, touching adolescents, threatening bullies, and tricksters who fill the pages of this hilarious memoir." - publisher

Eyeing the Flash: the education of a carnival con artist (M) by Peter Fenton tells the story of Fenton's transformation from All-American football player to conman and grifter. He showed a capacity for numbers and quickly learned the games and manipulation inherent in swindling. Publishers Weekly said of Eyeing the Flash "The well-paced story heats up as Fenton flees his rocky home life to work for Jackie and gets an education in the intricate chicanery of carnival work, shoplifting and wooing women. After months on the lower rung of carnival duty in Cleveland, Fenton discovers Jackie's been cheating him out of his fair share, so Fenton begins skimming cash from the games he operates. And when a new manager promotes Fenton to the higher stakes scams, Fenton and Jackie's friendship turns intensely competitive. This spirited story of obsession with the carnival's "alternating current of greed-fed euphoria and paranoia" is at once entertaining and informative."

Shattered - Historical Fiction by Jennie Marsland

2012-01-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

Every time I read historical fiction I am stunned by the amount of detail that goes into every page. Historical fiction authors, on top of developing a plot and writing a novel, spend a lot of time conducting research and confirming facts. It seems like a daunting task to me and I’ve always wanted to hear about the process from the perspective of a historical fiction author. Thankfully I had the chance when local author Jennie Marsland presented at the Keshen Goodman Library on Tuesday evening.

During her presentation Marsland talked about her writing process and shared her experiences. From Marlsand I discovered that that conducting research for historical fiction is indeed a complex process, however if you have the passion and the organizational skills the process will not be so daunting. In fact it can actually be fun!

Marsland also had the chance to read from her new historical-romance novel Shattered (M) - a love story set in 1917, on the cusp of the Halifax Explosion. Shattered is a novel that impressed me with its historical detail and it has the added local history appeal. It is a great read for anyone who enjoys locally set books or for anyone who enjoys a good-old fashioned love story.

For those looking for books similar to Shattered you may be interested in:

Black Snow: a story of love and destruction (M)

by Jon Tattrie

Black Snow is another love story set during the Halifax Explosion and should appeal to those who like the Halifax Explosion aspect of Shattered.

The Birth House (M)

by Ami McKay

For those who enjoyed the local setting of Shattered. The Birth House takes place in early twentieth century rural Nova Scotia.

Outlander (M)

by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander will appeal to readers looking to indulge their romantic side. With a time-travel twist Gabaldon successfully takes on both the post-WWII era and 1743 Scotland.

In Memoriam - Reginald Hill

2012-01-14T06:00:00.003-04:00

Reginald Hill (M), prolific and much beloved crime writer, has died at the age of 75. Hill was born in the north-east of England and, on his website, had this lovely thing to say about his childhood, "By the time I was three we had moved west to the county then called Cumberland, now by the dictate of bureaucracy Cumbria, which contains the Lake District, where you'll find the loveliest scenery in the country. I grew up there, went to school there, and generally came to the conclusion that the world was a happy place full of nice people." Reginald Hill was a teacher until he made the brave move to full time writing and has somewhere in the range of 40 books in his legacy.

He is perhaps best known for his Dalziel and Pascoe (M) series. Dalziel and Pascoe are Yorkshire detectives first introduced to us in A Clubbable Woman (M). One detective is gruff and fierce and the other is soft-spoken and educated. Over the course of the 24 or so books in the series they age and complement each other's world views. Hill's books are character-rich, fast-paced and with intricate plots. Hill was not afraid to be experimental as well with Dalziel and Pascoe investigating a murder on the moon in One Small Step (M).

His most recently published book is a stand-alone novel The Woodcutter (M). "Wolf Hadda's life has been a fairytale. From humble origins as a woodcutter's son, he has risen to become a hugely successful entrepreneur, happily married to the girl of his dreams. But knock on the door one morning ends it all. Universally reviled, thrown into prison while protesting his innocence, abandoned by friends and family, Wolf retreats into silence. Seven years later prison psychiatrist Alva Ozigbo makes the breakthrough. Wolf begins to talk and under her guidance gets parole, returning to his rundown family home in rural Cumbria. But there's a mysterious period in Wolf's youth when he disappeared from home and was known to his employers as the Woodcutter. And now the Woodcutter is back, looking for the truth — and with the truth, revenge. Can Alva intervene before his pursuit of vengeance takes him to a place from which he can never come back . . . ?" publisher

Reginald Hill was the recipient of the 1995 very prestigious sounding Crime Writer's Association Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement.

Superstitious Feeling

2012-01-13T06:00:00.001-04:00

Today's post is brought to you by the number 13. As in Friday the 13th, a special day for the more superstitious among us. I am crossing my fingers that writing this post doesn't bring me bad luck (knock on wood). Listed below are two novels and two short story collections that feature a central element of superstition:

Bats or Swallows (M)
by Teri Vlassopoulos

"Teri Vlassopoulos's stories are sharp, accurate, at times dark, but told with balance and skill. The innocence and clarity of her narrative voice reveals new and unexpected layers. Vlassopoulos brings readers into her characters' worlds; making their desires intelligible, showing how they frame their live's events in terms of abstract superstitions, allowing us to feel what they feel. Bat or Swallows is a debut collection of excellent short fiction, with a style and tone reminiscent of Julie Orringer's How to Breathe Underwater." - Publisher

Death in the Truffle Wood (M)
by Pierre Magnon

"Octogenarian Magnan is a gifted storyteller whose style successfully, if curiously, combines elements of Alain Robbe-Grillet's surreal landscape; David Lynch's dark, oddball humor; Agatha Christie's old-fashioned gentility; and Peter Mayle's French pastoral. Banon is a remote, highly superstitious Provençal village where not much happens beyond growing truffles, eating spectacular food, and enjoying illicit affairs. Then a group of latter-day hippies disappears, and bodies start turning up in bizarre circumstances (drained of blood and laid in a tomb). Commissionaire Laviolette, an old-fashioned investigator out of the Maigret school, is called in to investigate. " - Booklist

Bay of Souls (M)
by Robert Stone

"Michael Ahearn is an English professor at a backwater Midwestern university, generally content in career, marriage, and fatherhood. Everything changes when he becomes fascinated by an exotic new professor, Lara Parcell, and enters into an incendiary relationship with her. When he follows her on a supposed diving expedition to her revolt-plagued native island (where she hopes to reclaim her soul and extricate her family from extralegal complications), things change even more. Lara succumbs to ritual, and the only diving Michael does-to retrieve contraband from a shot-down tail dragger-nearly kills him. Back in the Midwest after this trip to hell (as he takes it), Michael finds himself sick, near divorce, and regarded as a pariah. Months later, a weird back-roads encounter with Lara, just a ways from a redneck honky-tonk, is almost (or perhaps really) phantasmagoric.

Stone (Damascus Gate) is at his best here, and that's very, very good. This starts like Richard Russo, evolves into Joseph Conrad, and resolves almost as Daniel Woodrell. Highly recommended" - Library Journal

Galileo's Children : tales of science vs. superstition (M)
edited by Gardner Dozois.

"This anthology of 13 stories by such celebrated sf writers as Ursula K. Le Guin, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Silverberg, and James Tiptree Jr. depicts the struggle for scientific knowledge against the forces of superstition and religious dogma. Selected by the Hugo Award-winning editor of the sf literary magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, the stories were previously published either in Asimov's between 1991 and 1999 or in other magazines and books between 1955 and 2004. A short biographical and bibliographical essay about each author precedes each story, giving context to the authors' contributions to the genre.

In addition to increasing readers' awareness of the sometimes bloody struggle between science and religion-a timely theme in our world today-the collection offers a span of perspectives and voices and a breadth of imagination. This would be a fine introduction to the best of sf short story writing." -Library Journal

Canadian True Crime

2012-01-12T06:00:00.001-04:00

True Crime is a genre that has been popular throughout the years that I have worked in libraries - and I am sure it always will be. Since the start of the New Year, there have been a lot of reports in the newspapers on crime and the problem it presents to society. Crime is not a new thing. Anyone familiar with the Bible will point out the tale of Cain and Abel. Unfortunately our own communities are not immune to the presence of crime and here are some books that show this:

On the Farm: Robert William Pickton and the tragic story of Vancouver's missing women (M)
by Stevie Cameron

The Pickton case was the largest of any serial killer case in Canada. Robert Pickton was convicted of the second degree murders of six women. He was also charged in the death of an additional 20 women. In 2007 he confessed to committing 49 murders to a undercover police officer. He stated that he wanted to kill 50 but he got sloppy and got caught. Pickton trolled the streets of Vancouver for his victims, often street workers or drug users. He would then take them to his pig farm where he would murder them. Award winning author Stevie Cameron presents personal histories of both the victims and the killer.

Murder : twelve true stories of homicide in Canada (M)
by Edward Butts

Edward Butts covers Canadian cases from the colonial times to the 20th century, from East to West and up to the Arctic. These twelve stories are a fascinating look at crime in Canada. The case that I found most interesting was the local one. How did an American con man end up in Cape Breton, only to be charged with murder? Read this book to find out.

A New Kind of Monster : the secret life and chilling crimes of Colonial Russell Williams (M)
by Timothy Appleby.

Camouflaged Killer (M)
by David Gibb

Col. Russell Williams was a well respected man. He was regarded as a model military man over his 23 year career in the Canadian Forces, including being the base commander at CFB Trenton. This all changed with his arrest in February 2010. Williams plead guilty to all 88 charges against him, which included 2 accounts each of first degree murder, sexual assault and forcible confinement, and 82 break-ins and attempted break ins. On October 22, 2010 Williams was stripped of his commission, rank and awards by the Governor General of Canada, and in a rare move, his uniform and metals were burned.

If you would like to read something about local crime:

Somebody's Daughter: inside the Halifax/Toronto pimping ring (M)
by Phonse Jessome

Even though this book was published over 15 years ago, it is still one of the most popular true crime books requested at our library. It takes the reader inside the lives of the pimps of Canada's prostitution rings, specifically the Halifax-Toronto pimping ring.

Murder at McDonald's: the killers next door (M)
by Phonse Jessome

Jessome continues to account the stories of local crime. In this 1994 book, he investigates the case of an infamous robbery gone wrong at a McDonald’s restaurant in Cape Breton

Life with Billy (M)
by Brian Vallee

Another very popular book at the library. We frequently get requests for this and the related DVD documentary. It has been over 25 years since the groundbreaking “not guilty” verdict was delivered in Jane Hurchman's first degree murder trial in Liverpool. Vallee's book details the hell-on-earth life of Jane's life with Billy Stafford, a violent psychopath and sexual sadist, and its aftermath.

O n South Mountain: the dark secrets of the Goler clan (M)
by David Cruise

Cruise writes of one the most shocking cases of abuse that I have ever read. On South Mountain in the Annapolis Valley there lived the Golar family, a clan of mostly uneducated and inter generational families living in poverty. In 1984, sixteen men and women of this family were charged with hundreds of cases of incest and sexual abuse of children as young as five. The family was brought up feeling this behavior was “normal”. It is hard to believe that this behavior still exists in a civilized country.

Crime will always exist, but maybe by reading these books we can learn to prevent it from happening to you or those around you.

Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-fiction - 2011 shortlist

2012-01-11T06:00:00.002-04:00

The Charles Taylor Prize commemorates Charles Taylor's pursuit of excellence in the field of literary non-fiction. The prize will be awarded to the author whose book best combines a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style, and a subtlety of thought and perception.

Here are five finalists for this year's prize of $25,000.00.

Afflictions and Departures: essays (M)
by Madeline Sonik

"Afflictions & Departures is a collection of first-person experiential essays by writer and academic Madeline Sonik. Although Sonik explores some of the salient personal experiences of her young life, the essays in Afflictions & Departures are not traditional memoir. In addition to incidents and feelings recaptured from memory, Sonik seeks out connections between the microcosm of of the daily events of her childhood and the social, historical, and scientific trends of the time." - Publisher

The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: a Canadian story of resilience and recovery (M)
by Andrew Westoll

"In the Canadian wilderness, the unstoppable, resourceful, endlessly compassionate Gloria Grow has created a rehabilitation center like none other. Thirteen chimpanzees, some from zoos but most from medical testing laboratories, now call Fauna Sanctuary home. After decades of cruelty and deprivation at the hands of humans, at Fauna these resilient primates are finally free to eat, sleep, play, and roam in peace—all while fighting their personal demons and struggling to form the complex society that defines chimpanzee nature. Primatologist and author Andrew Westoll lived and worked at Fauna for one remarkable summer, and The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary is his poignant testimony to the capacity of these animals to heal—and to learn to be chimps again. This is an absorbing, big-hearted story of communion with the species that is more closely related to us than any other." - Publisher

Eating Dirt: deep forests, big timber, and life with the tree-planting tribe (M)
by Charlotte Gill

"A tree planter's vivid story of a unique subculture and the magical life of the forest. Charlotte Gill spent twenty years working as a tree planter in the forests of Canada. During her million-tree career, she encountered hundreds of clearcuts, each one a collision site between human civilization and the natural world, a complicated landscape presenting geographic evidence of our appetites. Charged with sowing the new forest in these clearcuts, tree planters are a tribe caught between the stumps and the virgin timber, between environmentalists and loggers. Shortlisted for the Hiliary Weston Writer's Trust Prize for non-Fiction " - Publisher

Into the Silence: the Great War, Mallory, and the conquest of Everest (M)
by Wade Davis

"A magnificent work of history, biography and adventure. If the quest for Mount Everest began as a grand imperial gesture, as redemption for an empire of explorers that had lost the race to the Poles, it ended as a mission of regeneration for a country and a people bled white by war. Of the twenty-six British climbers who, on three expedtions (1921-24), walked 400 miles off the map to find and assault the highest mountain on Earth, twenty had seen the worst of the fighting. Six had been severely wounded, two others nearly died of disease at the Front, one was hospitalized twice with shell shock. Three as army surgeons dealt for the duration with the agonies of the dying. Two lost brothers, killed in action. All had endured the slaughter, the coughing of the guns, the bones and barbed wire, the white faces of the dead. In a monumental work of history and adventure, ten years in the writing, Wade Davis asks not whether George Mallory was the first to reach the summit of Everest, but rather why he kept on climbing on that fateful day..." - Publisher

The Measure of a Man: the story of a father, a son, and a suit (M)
by J. J. Lee

"Taking as its starting point a son's decision to alter his late father's last remaining suit for himself, this is a deeply moving and brilliantly crafted story of fathers and sons, of fitting in and standing out -- and discovering what it means to be your own man. For years, journalist and amateur tailor JJ Lee tried to ignore the navy suit that hung at the back of his closet -- his late father's last suit. When he decides to finally make the suit his own, little does he know he is about to embark on a journey into his own past. As JJ moves across the surface of the suit, he reveals the heartbreaking tale of his father, a charismatic but luckless restaurateur whose demons brought tumult upon his family. He also recounts the year he spent as an apprentice tailor at Modernize Tailors, the last of Vancouver's legendary Chinatown tailors, where he learns invaluable lessons about life from his octogenarian master tailor. Woven throughout these two personal strands are entertaining stories from the social history of the man's suit, the surprising battleground where the war between generations has long been fought." - Publisher

Where Genesis Begins by Tom Dawe - Newfoundland and Labrador's Heritage and History Book Award winner

2012-01-10T06:00:00.002-04:00

Poet Tom Dawe has won the 2011 Heritage and History Book award. This award is sponsored by The Historic Sites Associations of Newfoundland and Labrador. The prize is granted to a work of literature that exemplifies excellence in the interpretation of the history and heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Dawe's winning entry is titled Where Genesis Begins (M) and it is a collaboration with painter Gerald Squires. The book is a comprised of 31 of Dawe's poems, along with 71 artworks by Squire. "These pages are both sumptuous and pristine in design…This writing is superb and makes Where Genesis Begins more than an art book."- Joan Sullivan, The Telegram

Renowned artist Christopher Pratt is quoted as saying “For those of us born and raised on this island, in this province of Newfoundland and Labrador,hard-wired into its weathers, tides and history, the combination of Tom Dawe and Gerry Squires resonates like fish and brewis — not necessarily in that order.”

Tom Dawe is the St. John's Poet Laureate and a Member of the Order of Canada

The 2011 shortlist also included:

Never More There: poems (M)
by Stephen Rowe

Shouting, Embracing and Dancing with Ecstasy: the growth of Methodism in Newfoundland, 1774–1874 (M)
by Calvin Hollett

Battlefront Newfoundland: Britain’s oldest colony at war, 1939-1945 (M)
by Jack Fitzgerald

Tiny Topics

2012-01-09T06:00:00.001-04:00

Even the smallest of things have their stories, and more and more those stories are being told in book form. Science and technical histories are popular these days, and its not just the big things—planets, inventions, social movements—that make for essential reading. Here are a few books on some of the tiniest of topics, that may prove immensely entertaining.

Dust: a history of the small and invisible (M)
by Joseph Amato.

From the publisher: "With Dust, Joseph Amato enthralls the reader with the first history of the small and the invisible. Dust is a poetic meditation on how dust has been experienced and the small has been imagined across the ages. Examining a thousand years of Western civilization—from the naturalism of medieval philosophy, to the artistry of the Renaissance, to the scientific and industrial revolutions, to the modern worlds of nanotechnology and viral diseases—Dust offers a savvy story of the genesis of the microcosm." Can't get enough dust? The Secret Life of Dust: from the cosmos to the kitchen counter, the big consequences of little things (M) by Hannah Holmes may also interest you.

Collider: the search for the world's smallest particles (M)
by Paul Halpern.

What is the Large Hadron Collider and what are scientists doing with it? Physicist Halpern brings the theory out of the realm of the folks with PhDs to explain to the average interested person what may be achieved through this immense project. The project itself might be big, but the things being examined are beyond tiny. Publishers Weekly said "Halpern makes the search for mysterious particles pertinent and exciting by explaining clearly what we don't know about the universe, and offering a hopeful outlook for future research."

Flu: a social history of influenza (M)
by Tom Quinn.

This may be the perfect season to read this title: if you're curled up at home with a fever, perhaps this history of the virus that afflicts you will be the cure. Flu virus in itself is microscopic, but its impact on humans has been huge. This book brings in some details the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918, but on the whole is a history of the flu in general.

On the Dot: the speck that changed the world (M)
by Alexander and Nicholas D. Humez.

From the library catalogue: "Despite the humble origins of its name, the dot has been one of the most versatile players in the history of written communication. The Humez brothers shed light on the dot in all its various forms--as a mark of punctuation and a notation in mathematics and music--take readers on an engaging tour of the highways and byways of language, ranging from the history of the question mark and its lesser known offshoots the point d'ironie and the interrobang, to acronyms and backronyms, power point bullets and asterisks, emoticons and the "at-sign.""

Salt: a world history (M)
by Mark Kurlansky.

Technically, I guess, salt isn't tiny, however in the form that most of us encounter it—table salt—it's pretty darn small. Kurlansky is a big name in the world of microhistory—books that tell the history of very specific things—and salt has played more of a role in the history of man than you might expect. Fascinating reading.

The Dance of Molecules: how nanotechnology is changing our lives (M)
by Ted Sargent.

Google dictionary tells me that Nanotechnology is "The branch of technology that deals with dimensions and tolerances of less than 100 nanometers, esp. the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules." Sounds pretty small! Sargent's book looks at the myriad ways that this growing technology is and will be impacting human life.

It's All Downhill

2012-01-08T06:00:00.003-04:00

Winter is a time for many people to head to the hills. Skiing, snowboarding, and my favourite, tobogganing are great winter fun. Reading about it can be fun as well, as evident by these light hearted skiing mysteries:

Double Black : a Ski Diva mystery (M)
by Wendy Clinch

"First in a very cool (literally) skiing series that introduces a sleuth who has ditched grad school, along with her cheating fiancee, to become a ski bum Twenty-something Stacey Curtis is living the life she' s always dreamed about--until she finds a dead body in the ski chalet. And after her new landlord turns out to be the local sheriff, her life contains a whole lot more suspense than she bargained for. Populated with quirky characters, loaded with New England atmosphere, and co-starring a handsome young hunk with nerve, a sense of humor about it all, and an enormous trust fund, Double Black is an exciting run down some mysterious and treacherous trails." - Fantastic Fiction

The Body in the Snowdrift : a Faith Fairchild mystery (M)
by Katherine Hall Page

"When caterer Faith Fairchild learns of her father-in-law's plan to celebrate his seventieth birthday by treating his children, their spouses, and his grandchildren to a weeklong stay at the Pine Slopes resort, her reaction is mixed. Yes, she likes to ski and yes, she loves the kin of her husband, the Reverend Thomas Fairchild, but both in smaller and shorter doses. The Fairchilds have been coming to the ski area since Tom and his siblings were toddlers and are old friends of the owners, the Staffords. All starts well as the family settles into neighboring condos, until Faith discovers a body on one of the cross-country trails..." - Publisher

Too Rich and Too Dead (M)
by Cynthia Baxter

"Have suitcase, will sleuth... Mallory Marlowe, travel writer for the Good Life magazine, heads to Colorado to answer the question: Can nonskiers have fun in Aspen? It's also a chance to visit a now rich and famous high-school classmate, Carly Cassidy Berman. Cheerleader, homecoming queen, and class president, Carly had it all then and still does - a sprawling mountainside home, an adoring husband, and a multimillion-dollar business centered around her super-exclusive Tavaci Springs spa. But not all is what it seems in Carly's golden life, because within twenty-four hours of Mallory's arrival, Carly's corpse turns up in a mud bath. Against a dazzling backdrop of majestic ski slopes, ritzy boutiques, and slumming celebrities, Mallory suddenly discovers that Aspen's main attraction is a dazzling array of suspects - one of whom is eager to see this accidental sleuth's travels come to an end. As Mallory begins to uncover the secrets hidden amid Aspen's snow, will a desperate killer make this playground for the pampered and privileged Mallory's final destination?" - Summary

Cdn Author wins a 2011 Costa Book Award

2012-01-07T06:00:00.001-04:00

Expatriate Canadian author Moira Young has been awarded a 2011 Costa Book Award for her debut teen novel Blood Red Road (M). It has been receiving all kinds of great reviews and buzz for quite awhile now. It has also been widely promoted as having cross-over appeal for adult readers, similar to The Hunger Games (M) by Suzanne Collins and Graceling (M) by Kristin Cashore.

"Young's powerful debut, first in the Dustlands series, is elevated above its now familiar postapocalyptic setting by an intriguing prose style and strong narrative voice that show a distinct Cormac McCarthy vibe." - Publisher's Weekly

"...it's the pace of the story that ultimately grabs you. There's vicious cage fighting, a flooded gorge full of churned up corpses and the deadly battle with the hellwurms before they even get to face the evil ruler of the wasteland kingdom. Young's vision of the future is hellish and frightening but if you wanted anyone in your corner in that place, then tenacious Saba's your girl. Roll on the second installment. " - The Guardian

"First-time novelist Moira Young has hit paydirt with Blood Red Road. The B.C. author's dystopian/post-apocalyptic YA novel is the first in a trilogy that has already been optioned for film by director Ridley Scott. It's poised to be the next big thing in teen fiction, and with good reason.... Young has taken familiar pieces of everything from Gladiator to Lord of the Rings and put them in the hands of a spunky, moody heroine who breaths new life into old motifs." - Quill and Quire

Here is the Publisher's summary:

"Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives bearing four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on a quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization."

Staff Pick - The King's Speech by Mark Logue

2012-01-06T06:00:00.001-04:00

I wonder if I'm alone in reading The King's Speech (M) by Mark Logue before having seen the movie (M). This is one of those less common cases where the book follows the movie. It is not a novelization of the movie, but rather based on diaries and letters that were discovered once the movie project was under way. The story is a simple one. A man who stutters seeks the help of a speech therapist to improve his success with public speaking. What makes this story film-worthy is that this man reluctantly becomes king and his speeches set the tone for a nation at war.

The book version of The King's Speech was written by Lionel Logue's grandson, Mark and takes a deeper look at Lionel Logue, King George VI's speech therapist. Logue's story, while not as dramatic as the King's, is equally interesting. Logue, an Australian, made his living teaching elocution in a time when how you spoke was more important and regional accents less acceptable. He had no formal training in speech therapy, but developed successful techniques working with shell-shocked soldiers returning home with speech impediments or unable to speak. Although the movie implies a shorter timeline, Logue worked with the King for several decades. While they undoubtedly developed a close personal relationship, there is no mention in the book of him calling the King Bertie, or of the King jumping about and swearing.

The book does not go deeply into Logue's techniques, but certainly it is reinforces again and again that the King was successful because he worked hard and he worked hard for years. Others asked Logue if he could "cure" them as he did the King and he would reply, yes, but you have to work as hard as he did. Mark Logue expressed some concern that modern readers might find Lionel Logue's letters to the King to be fawning, but in reality Logue had a deep and enduring respect for both the monarchy and for the man himself. I'm glad to have read the book first as I might have been looking forward to the drama and the emotion of the movie. What I did find was an engaging story of a man who became, almost unwittingly, an important player in a significant historical event, a warm and lasting friendship and a glimpse into a profession in its infancy.

If you are interested in the details of King George VI's life you might like to read King George VI (M) by Sarah Bradford. "King George VI's "great wartime partnership" with Churchill, who ironically was very much his second choice for prime minister, helped sustain England through its darkest hour. An insecure man who approached his kingship with dread, he was forced as a child to become right-handed (he was born a leftie) and to wear wood splints on his legs to correct knock-knee. In this absorbing biography, Bradford ( Disraeli ) reveals the private side of a shy, beleaguered king who is often dismissed as a good but unremarkable man. She discloses his youthful affair with Phyllis Monkman, describes his historic visit to FDR in 1939, and provides a detailed account of his acrimonious running feud with his older brother, King Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor), who abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, whom George saw as a social predator. This exhaustively researched biography also gives a thorough account of Anglo-American cooperation to suppress damaging evidence of Edward VIII's prewar pro-Nazi leanings." - Publishers Weekly

And for another, and rather different, view of the relationship between patient and therapist try Timothy Findley's Pilgrim (M). "Ageless. Sexless. Deathless. Timeless. Pilgrim is a man who cannot die, an astounding character in a novel of the cataclysmic contest between creation and destruction. It is 1912 and Pilgrim has been admitted to the BurghÖlzli Psychiatric Clinic in Zürich, Switzerland, having failed—once again—to commit suicide. Over the next two years, it is up to Carl Jung, self-professed mystical scientist of the mind, to help Pilgrim unlock his unconsciousness, etched as it is with myriad sufferings and hopes of history. Is Pilgrim mad, or is he condemned to live forever, witness to the terrible tragedy and beauty of the human condition?

Both intimate and expansive in its scope, with an absorbing parade of characters—mythic, fictional and historical—Pilgrim is a fiercely original and powerful story from one of our most distinguished artists." publisher

In Memoriam - Josef Škvorecký

2012-01-05T06:00:00.001-04:00

A superstar of Czechoslovakian and Canadian literature has passed away. Josef Škvorecký (M) has lost his fight with cancer at the age of 87.

Josef was born in Czechoslovakia in 1924 and later emigrated to Canada in 1968, at the time of the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. He became a Canadian citizen in 1972. He had a challenging time as a young man, including spending time as a forced labourer in Nazi Germany and as a soldier in the Czechoslovak Army from 1952-54. He entered university in Prague to study medicine but quickly switched to liberals arts, graduating with a Ph.D. in philosophy in 1951. He began his writing career in earnest with the publication of the novels The End of the Nylon Age (1956) and The Cowards (1958). Both books were quickly banned by the Communist Government.

A longstanding champion of political freedom and the freedom of expression, Škvorecký and his wife Zdena Salivarova continued their support of Czech writers by creating 68 Publishers in 1971, a Toronto based publishing house for the works of banned Czech and Slovak writers. It was named in honour of the Prague Spring of 1968.

He was awarded numerous awards including being made a Member of the Order of Canada (1992) and the Czechoslovakian Order of the White Lion.

He was multifaceted in his writing output, penning literary fiction, mystery novels, non-fiction, poetry, translations, and numerous magazine articles and radio shows. He was also named a Professor Emeritus of English and Film at the University of Toronto. Interestingly, he continued to write his books in his native language despite residing in Canada since 1968.

"I am a Czech and I am a loyal citizen of Canada," he told an interviewer in 2006. "Canada is the country where, for the first time in my adult life, I found freedom, including the freedom to be a Czech and at the same time a Canadian. My real country is the Czech language, which is the tongue I learned from my mother."

He was the winner of the 1984 Governor General's Literary Award for English Language Fiction for The Engineer of Human Souls (M) (translated by Paul Wilson). His last novel is Ordinary Lives (M) (2008).

He also penned a memoir in 1997, Headed for the Blues: a memoir with ten stories (M).

"The Engineer of Human Souls is a labyrinthine comic novel that investigates the journey and plight of novelist Danny Smiricky, a Czech immigrant to Canada. As the novel begins, he is a professor of American literature at a college in Toronto. Out of touch with his young students, and hounded by the Czech secret police, Danny is let loose to roam between past and present, adopting whatever identity that he chooses or has been imposed upon him by History.

As adventuresome, episodic, bawdy, comic, and literary as any novel written in the past twenty-five years, The Engineer of Human Souls is worthy of the subtitle Skvorecky gave it: "An Entertainment on the Old Themes of Life, Women, Fate, Dreams, The Working Class, Secret Agents, Love and Death." - Publisher

5 Fiction Releases to Watch for in January

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

Not only is it a new year, but it's also a new month of course, and so time for the latest peek at some fiction titles to watch for. Here are five that you'll be hearing about in January.

Running the Rift (M)
by Naomi Benaron (January 3).

The buzz around this first novel comes in part from its win of the Bellwether Prize in 2010. The prize is awarded to a previously unpublished work of fiction that "that addresses issues of social justice". The story of Jean Patrick Nkuba, who dreams of becoming an Olympic champion runner, the novel follows the Rwandan boy "from the day he knows that running will be his life to the moment he must run to save his life, a ten-year span in which his country is undone by the Hutu-Tutsi tensions." Library Journal has already given it a starred review, praising the book's "unflinching and beautifully crafted account of a people and their survival."

The World We Found (M)
by Thrity Umrigar (January 3).

Umrigar is an Indian-American novelist and journalist with several books to her name. Her novels frequently use Bombay (now Mumbai, but the author herself chooses to use the former name) as a setting, and generally follow women facing turmoil or change. The World We Found is no exception, beginning in 1970s Bombay, it follows 4 friends as they grow and change, drifting apart before they ultimately come together again as one of them is dying. Booklist says "Like [Umrigar's] previous works, The World We Found is eloquent and evocative, bitter and sweet."

American Dervish (M)
by Ayad Akhtar (January 9).

Love, religion and all their complications through the eyes of a young boy in this first novel from a author who has previously worked as a screenwriter. "Hayat Shah was captivated by Mina long before he met her: his mother's beautiful, brilliant, and soulfully devout friend is a family legend. When he learns that Mina is leaving Pakistan to live with the Shahs in America, Hayat is thrilled. Hayat's father is less enthusiastic. He left the fundamentalist world behind with reason. What no one expects is that when Mina shows Hayat the beauty and power of the Quran, it will utterly transform the boy."(publisher)

The Rook (M)
by Daniel O'Malley (January 11).

In the library we talk a lot these days about cross-genre books: ones that don't fit easily into a single genre category. The Rook could be the poster child for this phenomenon: part thriller, part fantasy novel but with a twist of satire that doesn't necessarily get equated with either genre. The story opens with a woman waking up in a park, surrounded by the bodies of dead men. She knows neither who she is nor what is up with all the bodies (let alone why they all have on latex gloves). The reviews are glowing, with lots of hunches about sequels: and don't forget about the humour. I like this summation from Kirkus Reviews: "O'Malley's narrative is peppered with sly humor, referential social commentary and the ironic, double-layered self-awareness that will have genre fans believing Buffy the Vampire Slayer has joined Ghostbusters."

Hope: a tragedy (M)
by Shalom Auslander (January 17).

If the dark days of winter leave you looking for a good laugh, you may need to look no further. Auslander's 2007 memoir The Foreskin's Lament told with biting humour the story of his Orthodox Jewish upbringing, and now he turns that same sharp wit to fiction. From Novelist: "Deliberately relocating his family to an unremarkable rural town in New York in the hopes of starting over, Solomon Kugel finds his efforts challenged by his depressive mother, a local arsonist and the discovery of a believed-dead historical specimen hiding his attic."

From the Author Stage - Ami McKay and Kelley Armstrong

2012-01-03T06:00:00.001-04:00

We recently hosted authors Kelley Armstrong and Ami McKay for author readings at two of our branch libraries.

Kelley read from her latest novel Spell Bound (M) to a packed audience at the Keshen Goodman Library in November.

Ami read from T he Virgin Cure (M) to a full house at the Spring Garden Road Memorial Public Library in December (special thanks to Canada Council for the Arts for sponsoring this reading).

Our Communications and Marketing Department were on hand to film both of these readings for your viewing pleasure.

The videos are now available for viewing on our Author Stage page. Enjoy!

Six String Biographies

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

For fans of music biography- six new memoirs from famous guitarists (including a bassist), covering the worlds of rock, folk, country and disco music!

Le Freak: an upside down story of family, disco and destiny (M)
by Nile Rodgers

"Most people may know Rodgers as the leader of the band Chic, whose songs "Le Freak" and "Good Times" raced to the top of the charts in the late 1970s. But there's so much more to the artist behind those songs. Raised in a mixed-race and counterculture family, Rodgers was almost destined to become a musician. His story culminates in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when he produced hits with such superstars as David Bowie and Madonna. His writing style is reminiscent of his music; full of life and energy and a whole lot of fun. Verdict Rodgers's story is thick with typical rock star excess, but it shouldn't be dismissed as such. His firsthand knowledge of the late disco and early 1980s pop-music scene makes his memoir an original and telling read." - Library Journal

Diary of a Player: how my musical heroes made a guitar man out of me (M)
by Brad Paisley

"Country music superstar guitarist and singer-songwriter Paisley has collaborated with [David] Wild on this somewhat unusual memoir. Paisley's focus is not so much on autobiographical detail as on the role that music-and specifically the guitar and guitarists-have had on his life. From his guitarist grandfather to established West Virginia artists who supported him musically during his prodigious teen years to his contemporaries, Paisley describes the connections that music and the guitar have helped him make to older generations, his heroes, and his friends." -Library Journal

Iron Man: my journey through heaven and hell with Black Sabbath (M)
by Tony Iommi

"This memoir, dead certain to appeal to heavy-metal fans of all ages, tracks Iommi's life and the history of Black Sabbath. Predictably, given its subject, it's full of drugs, booze, and controversy, but Iommi makes no apologies for that. It's his life, the way he lived it. With plenty of behind-the-scenes stories and fresh perspectives on some of music's most notorious characters (including, again, Ozzy), this is a frank and honest look at a special part of rock history." - Booklist

It's So Easy: and other lies (M)
by Duff McKagan

"McKagan was a founding member of the bands Guns N' Roses (GNR) and Velvet Revolver, and he has penned what seems on the surface a standard tale of rags to rock'n'roll riches to rehab; however, McKagan's smarts (he writes a column for Seattle Weekly and ESPN.com), his insider's look at the punk scenes in both his native Seattle and Los Angeles, and his honest self-analysis propel his book above the standard crop of celebrity memoirs. Fans will love the descriptions of the struggles and early triumphs of GNR, but McKagan's descriptions of his equally driven efforts at self-transformation are just as compelling (particularly his meditation on the redemptive power of reading and the satisfaction he receives in his intellectual as well as physical revitalization). Verdict Rock fans-and would-be rockers-will find much to savor here. McKagan has packed a lot into his life and a lot of his life into this book. Readers will enjoy the ride." - Library Journal

Chinaberry Sidewalks : a memoir (M)
by Rodney Crowell

"Crowell is among the best storytellers to emerge from Nashville. Up to now, he told his stories in song, but with this heartfelt memoir, he can now be called a writer of the first order. Houston, where Crowell grew up in the 1950s and early 1960s, was a city full of characters found in stereotypical country songs: hard-drinking fathers and long-suffering mothers singing along to the beer-soaked ballads of Hank Williams. But this is not fiction; Crowell actually lived the life, soaking up its exhilarating and disturbing atmosphere. Crowell is unsparingly honest, yet there is an admirable restraint here, too. He clearly loves his family, accepting their bountiful deficiencies even when he criticizes them or wishes them harm. He can now see the kind of lives his parents wanted to live, and how they fell woefully short. He calls his father an enigma and savant; he admires his mother, who suffered from double dyslexia and epilepsy, for her towering instinct for survival. But he also discusses lighter topics, such as his early days in a rock 'n' roll band, making for an exceptional memoir. *Starred Review* " - Booklist

No Regrets: a rock "n" Roll memoir (M)
by Ace Frehley

"Bronx, NY, native Frehley wanted to play guitar for a living, and he got his wish in 1972 when, responding to a Village Voice ad, he met Peter Criss, Gene Simmons, and Paul Stanley. After a slow start, their band, Kiss, exploded and became a brand that appealed to millions of kids and adults. However, Frehley found rock 'n' roll stardom inseparable from sex, drugs, brushes with the law, and near-death experiences. Unhappy with the band's direction and concerned for his well-being, he quit Kiss in the early 1980s. The following years brought him more close calls, a solo career, and a Kiss reunion (and another breakup). Now five years sober, he continues to record and perform for his loyal fans. VERDICT Frehley's memoir is a blast- candid, conversational, and funny. He seems to enjoy recollecting his alcohol- and drug-fueled shenanigans and is never preachy but makes it clear he knows how lucky he is. Required reading for all past and present Kiss Army members, as well as fans of rock/pop-culture memoirs." - Library Journal

12 New Novelists for 2012

2012-01-01T06:00:00.002-04:00

For many people the start of a new year is a time to try new things. Why not include a new novelist or two? Listed below are a dozen debut novels due out early in 2012. Place your holds now and avoid the rush.

Above All Things (M)
by Tanis Rideout
(Canadian author: March release)

"Into Thin Air meets The Paris Wife in this captivating debut novel that weaves together the harrowing story of George Mallory's doomed attempt to be the first man to conquer Mt. Everest with that of his wife as she journeys through a single, quietly momentous day, awaiting his return." - Publisher

Absolution (M)
by Patrick Flanery
(March release)

"In this stunning literary debut, Patrick Flanery delivers a devastating and intimate portrait of post-apartheid South Africa, and the perils of taking sides when the sides are changing around you. Told in shifting perspectives, Absolution is centred on the mysterious character of Clare Wald, a controversial writer of great fame, haunted by the memories of a sister she fears she betrayed to her death and a daughter she fears she abandoned. " - Publisher

The Bellwether Revivals (M)
by Benjamin Wood
(March release)

"Part Secret History, part Brideshead Revisited for the 21st century, The Bellwether Revivals is a page-turning, romantic, eerie tale of genius and, possibly, madness; a stunning debut for fans of Sarah Waters, Donna Tartt, and Lauren Goff." - Publisher

T he Carpenter (M)
by Matt Lennox
(Canadian author: February release)

"Debut novelist Matt Lennox is an exciting new voice on the literary scene. His first novel, The Carpenter, is a suspenseful, tightly plotted story set in a god-fearing small town in the eighties, rife with poisonous secrets, grudges passed on through the generations, and a dark undercurrent of crime." - Publisher

Partial History of Lost Causes (M)
by Jennifer DuBois
(March release)

"In Jennifer duBois’s mesmerizing and exquisitely rendered debut novel, a long-lost letter links two disparate characters, each searching for meaning against seemingly insurmountable odds." - Publisher

The Darlings (M)
by Cristina Alger
(February release)

"Cristina Alger’s glittering debut novel interweaves the narratives of the Darling family, two eager SEC attorneys, and a team of journalists all racing to uncover—or cover up—the truth. With echoes of a fictional Too Big to Fail and the novels of Dominick Dunne, The Darlings offers an irresistible glimpse into the highest echelons of New York society—a world seldom seen by outsiders—and a fast-paced thriller of epic proportions." -Publisher

Expats (M)
by Chris Pavone
(March release)

"Kate Moore is an expat mum, newly transplanted from Washington D.C. In the cobblestoned streets of Luxembourg, her days are filled with play dates and coffee mornings, her weekends spent in Paris or skiing in the Alps. Kate is also guarding a secret - one so momentous it could destroy her neat little expat life - and she suspects that another American couple are not who they claim to be; plus her husband is acting suspiciously... A thrilling debut-to-remember, Chris Pavone's The Expats will keep you guessing until the very end." -Publisher

The I nquisitor (M)
by Mark Allen Smith
(January release)

"A spectacularly original thriller about a professional torturer who has a strict code, a mysterious past, and a dangerous conviction that he can save the life of an innocent child... Mesmerizing and heart-in-your-throat compelling, The Inquisitor is a completely unique thriller that introduces both an unforgettable protagonist and a major new talent in Mark Allen Smith." -Publisher

The Professionals (M)
by Owen Laukkanen
(April release)

"Four friends, recent college graduates, caught in a terrible job market, joke about turning to kidnapping to survive. And then, suddenly, it's no joke. For two years, the strategy they devise—quick, efficient, low-risk—works like a charm. Until they kidnap the wrong man... A finger-burning page-turner, filled with twists, surprises, and memorably complex characters,
The Professionals marks the arrival of a remarkable new writer." -Publisher

Song of Achilles (M)
by Madeline Miller
(March release)

"Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart." -Publisher

Walk Across the Sun (M)
by Corban Addison
(January release)

" When a tsunami rages through their coastal town in India, 17-year-old Ahalya Ghai and her 15-year-old sister Sita are left orphaned and homeless. With almost everyone they know suddenly erased from the face of the earth, the girls set out for the convent where they attend school. They are abducted almost immediately and sold to a Mumbai brothel owner, beginning a hellish descent into the bowels of the sex trade... Corban Addison leads readers on a chilling, eye-opening journey into Mumbai's seedy underworld--and the nightmare of two orphaned girls swept into the international sex trade." -Publisher

White Horse (M)
by Alex Adams
(April release)

"White Horse is the first book in an absolutely unique debut trilogy—a post-apocalyptic thriller chronicling one woman’s quest to nurture those she holds dear against the backdrop of a shocking, new world. Thirty-year-old Zoe wants to go back to college. That’s why she cleans cages and floors at GeneTech. If she can keep her head down, do her job, and avoid naming the mice she’ll be fine. Her life is calm, maybe even boring, until the end of the world when the President of the United States announces that humans are no longer a viable species." -Publisher

The Art of Fiction

2011-12-31T06:00:00.002-04:00

For 2011, my favourite book was a first novel called The Art of Fielding (M) by Chad Harbach. It's a novel that revolves around a young shortstop on a college baseball team. Sort of: that description makes it sound a bit too folksy and this is very much a contemporary coming-age-story, complete with love and loss. It's a well drawn tale of the follies of modern life that uses the framework of competitive team sports to pull the reader in to the story.

The title of the novel The Art of Fielding refers to a fictional book the main character Henry Skrimshander holds dear: a how-to-manual by Henry's baseball hero Aparicio Rodriguez. The meaning of the title in both situations—the literal how-to field a baseball one and the more figurative that gets at how one deals with (or fields) the situations life present you with—is important in the book. Both types of fielding are an art—something that requires "skill and imagination". It got me to thinking about the art of device, and how it is used elsewhere in fiction.

Like the Art of Fielding, a lot of "art of" books seem to get at relationships and how to live:

The Art of Mending (M)
by Elizabeth Berg

The Art of Living, and Other Stories (M)
by John Gardner

The Art of Seeing (M)
by Cammie McGovern

The Art of Forgetting (M)
by Camille Noe Pagán

The Art of Salvage (M)
by Leona Theis

This book is told from the perspective of a dog, but it also seems to say a lot about human interaction:

The Art of Racing in the Rain (M)
by Garth Stein

A few "art of" titles focus on romance:

The Art of Seduction (M)
by Katherine O'Neal

The Art of French Kissing (M)
by Kristen Harmel

And it's a fairly common device in the mystery/thriller genre as well.

The Art of Survival (M)
by A. E. Maxwell

The Art of Deception (M)
by Ridley Pearson

The Art of Breaking Glass (M)
by Matthew Hall

The Art of Detection (M)
by Laurie R. King

The Art of Drowning (M)
by Frances Fyfield

There are lost arts too:

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets (M)
by Eva Rice

The Lost Art of Gratitude (M)
by Alexander McCall Smith

Like The Art of Fielding, my favourite art of title I've come across in researching this blog post, also has a touch of the literal and the figurative. The Art and Craft of Approaching your Head of Department to Submit a Request for a Raise (M) by Georges Perec

Staff Pick - The Stranger by Albert Camus

2011-12-30T06:00:00.004-04:00

I don't know what drew me to The Stranger (M) by Albert Camus as it might not be a perfect choice for the holiday season. I have always bypassed Camus as too difficult a read associated with mysterious and complicated ideas like existentialism and absurdism. What I found was compelling psychological fiction that is both moody and thought provoking.

Meursault, a French Algerian, is alerted by telegram that his mother has died. Somewhat against tradition his mother lived her final years in a retirement home rather than cared for by her son. Meursault attends his mother's wake and funeral, but is strangely detached. He drinks coffee and smokes cigarettes while his mother's elderly friends grieve for her. He returns home to fall into a romantic relationship with a co-worker. He tells her that he does not love her, but does not mind getting married.

Meursault shows poor judgement in aiding his friend Raymond by writing a letter to an unfaithful girlfriend of Raymond's, in order to lure her so that Raymond can beat her one last time. The girl's brother confront the pair with a knife and, in the course of events, Meursault shoots the man, not once, but four times.

Meursault is strangely detached from life. He experiences life through physical sensations rather than through emotions. His only explanation for shooting the man four times was that he was overcome by the heat and the bright sunshine of the day. He has a stunning lack of empathy, as illustrated by his utter unconcern for the welfare of Raymond's girlfriend. At his trial the prosecutor seems to base his case on Meursault's lack of emotion at his mother's funeral. The frustrated defense counsel puts forth that he appears to be on trial for a failure to grieve rather than murder.

The Stranger is a disturbing read that packs a wallop. Meursault only shows emotion when he rages at the prison chaplain. He appears to come to an understanding that the world is as indifferent to him as he is to it. He is anguished that the meaninglessness of his life has become apparent.

The Stranger made me think of Alias Grace (M) by Margaret Atwood, both for its disturbing tone and its complex psychological portrait of a murderer. "Grace Marks has been convicted for her involvement in the vicious murders of her employer, the wealthy Thomas Kinnear, and of Nancy Montgomery, his housekeeper and mistress. Some believe Grace is innocent; others think her evil or insane. Now serving a life sentence after a stint in Toronto's lunatic asylum, Grace herself claims to have no memory of the murders. Dr. Simon Jordan, an up-and-coming expert in the burgeoning field of mental illness, is engaged by a group of reformers and spiritualists who seek a pardon for Grace. He listens to her story, from her family's difficult passage out of Ireland into Canada, to her time as a maid in Thomas Kinnear's household. As he brings Grace closer and closer to the day she cannot remember, he hears of the turbulent relationship between Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery, and of the alarming behavior of Grace's fellow servant, James McDermott. Jordan is drawn to Grace, but he is also baffled by her. What will he find in attempting to unlock her memories? Is Grace a female fiend, a bloodthirsty femme fatale? Or is she a victim of circumstances?" publisher

The TBR Challenge: year end wrap up

2011-12-29T06:00:00.001-04:00

If you've been following the blog for a little while, you may know that this year I committed to a reading challenge this year: to read 12 books from by To Be Read (TBR) pile over the course of 2011. As the year is drawing to a close, I've been reviewing my progress in the challenge, ruminating on the nature of success and failure, and putting off writing my last post in hopes of finishing the last few books.

I think I've done pretty well in my challenge: I haven't made it through all 12, but I have made a pretty serious dent in my reading pile. As a means of a recap, here's what I committed to read, with the read titles crossed through (with links to the posts about them if it interests you).

1. ~~Zadie Smith: Changing My Mind~~ post
2. ~~F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Beautiful and Damned~~ post
3. ~~Louise Penny: Still Life~~ post
4. Z.Z. Packer: Drinking Coffee Elsewhere
5. ~~Lorrie Moore: A Gate at the Stairs~~ post
6. ~~Sandy Balfour: Pretty Girl in Crimson Rose~~ post
7. Nicole Krauss: A History of Love
8. Chris Adrian: The Children’s Hospital
9. ~~Haruki Murakami: Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World~~ post
10. ~~Mark Zusak: The Book Thief~~ post
11. ~~Paul Poissel: The Facts of Winter~~ post
12. ~~Wells Tower: Everything Ravaged Everything Burned~~ post

Although I didn't read all of my 12 challenge books, I see this as a victory rather than a failure: there are 9 books there that I'd wanted to read for quite some time that I've now read and—for the most part—enjoyed. Actually, there are 9.5, because although I can't move it to the finished column, I did read 4 of the 8 stories in Z.Z. Packer's Drinking Coffee Elsewhere (including the thoughtful and funny title story, and another called "Our Lady of Peace" which were wonderful glimpses at young women trying to find their way in the world).

Will I do a similar challenge this year? Maybe informally or maybe I'll commit to a smaller number of books. Although it's great to have read these books, a structure like this one takes a bit of the serendipity out of reading. I want to read because I want to read, not to check something off a list. Like when I visit another city, I'd rather sit at a coffee shop and watch the locals wander by for an hour or so than run around and see some arbitrary list of attractions that a guidebook has deemed important. Or, more accurately: I'd like to do a bit of both.

For 2012, I suspect my reading will reflect that bit of both: I'll have book club books that I'm scheduled to read, and a few TBR titles that I'll commit to (like the Nicole Krauss book from this year's list, really, I want to get to that one!), but I'll also have books that I hear about on the radio, or through this blog or in the newspaper that I'll pick up and read and finish (or not) and enjoy (or not).

And then I'll start a different book...

Staff Favourites of 2011 - Fiction (part two)

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

Staff Favourites of 2011 - Fiction (part one)

2011-12-27T06:00:00.001-04:00

~tune in tomorrow for the second part of this list.

The Affair: a Reacher novel (M)
by Lee Child

The Art of Fielding (M)
by Chad Harbach

Before I Go To Sleep (M)
by S.J. Watson

Cat's Table (M)
by Michael Ondaatje

Debbie Harry Sings in French (M)
by Meagan Brothers

Discovery of Witches (M)
by Deborah E. Harkness

The Free World (M)
by David Bezmozgis

The House at Sea's End (M)
by Elly Griffiths

I'll Never Get Out of this World Alive (M)
by Steve Earle

Joyner's Dream (M)
by Sylvia Tyson

The Leopard (M)
by Jo Nesbo

The Paris Wife (M)
by Paula McLain

Press Here (M)
by Herve Tullett

Staff Favourites of 2011: Nonfiction

2011-12-26T06:00:00.002-04:00

It's getting to that time of year when we look back on all that happened and decide what we liked and didn't like and, of course, we make those lists. I polled our keen readers on staff and they were more than happy to share with me their favourite reads of 2011. As always it is an interesting and eclectic list. As always no one nominated the same book. I hope you will find something new and tempting to try.

The 4 Percent Universe: dark matter, dark energy, and the race to discover the rest of reality
by Richard Panek

"The epic, behind-the-scenes story of an astounding gap in our scientific knowledge of the cosmos. In the past few years, a handful of scientists have been in a race to explain a disturbing aspect of our universe: only 4 percent of it consists of the matter that makes up you, me, our books, and every planet, star, and galaxy. The rest--96 percent of the universe--is completely unknown. Richard Panek tells the dramatic story of how scientists reached this conclusion, and what they're doing to find this "dark" matter and an even more bizarre substance called dark energy" - Publisher

1493: uncovering the new world that Columbus created
by Charles C. Mann

"From the author of 1491, the best-selling study of the pre-Columbian Americas, a deeply engaging new history of the most momentous biological event since the death of the dinosaurs. More than 200 million years ago, geological forces split apart the continents. Isolated from each other, the two halves of the world developed radically different suites of plants and animals. When Christopher Columbus set foot in the Americas, he ended that separation at a stroke. Driven by the economic goal of establishing trade with China, he accidentally set off an ecological convulsion as European vessels carried thousands of species to new homes across the oceans. The Columbian Exchange, as researchers call it, is the reason there are tomatoes in Italy, oranges in Florida, chocolates in Switzerland, and chili peppers in Thailand." - Publisher

Bossypants
by Tina Fey

"Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV. She has seen both these dreams come true. At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon -- from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence. Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy." - Publisher

Fred Herzog: photographs
by Fred Herzog,

"The definitive book about the stunning oeuvre of a pioneer of colour photography -- Vancouver's Fred Herzog . For more than five decades, Fred Herzog has focused his lens on street life, and his striking colour photographs -- of vacant lots, second-hand shops, neon signs and working-class people -- evoke nostalgia in an older generation and inspire wide-eyed revelation in a younger one. The images that we now consider iconic once relegated Herzog to the margins: his bold use of colour was unusual in the 1950s and '60s, a time when art photography was almost exclusively associated with black-and-white imagery." - Publisher

Ghost Wave: the discover of the Cortes Bank and the biggest wave on earth
by Chris Dixon

"Rising from the depths of the North Pacific lies a fabled island, now submerged just 15 feet below the surface of the ocean. Rumors and warnings about Cortes Bank abound, but among big wave surfers, this legendary rock is famous for one simple (and massive) reason: this is the home of the biggest rideable wave on the face of the earth. In this dramatic work of narrative non-fiction, journalist Chris Dixon unlocks the secrets of Cortes Bank and pulls readers into the harrowing world of big wave surfing and high seas adventure above the most enigmatic and dangerous rock in the sea. The true story of this Everest of the sea will thrill anyone with an abiding curiosity of-and respect for-mother ocean." - Publisher

In the Garden of Beasts: love, terror, and an American family in Hitler's Berlin
by Erik Larson

"Larson offers a real-life, eyewitness perspective inside the Nazi hierarchy as Hitler came to power. William E. Dodd, a mild-mannered professor from Chicago, became the first US ambassador to Hitler's Germany in 1933. Dodd, his wife, their son, and their 24-year-old daughter Martha lived in Germany for about five years. Drawing on Martha's diaries and letters, much of the book centers on Martha's romantic affairs with high-ranking Nazi officials and her eventual heroism as she realized Hitler's true character. Meanwhile, her father William Dodd informed the US State Department of increasing Jewish persecution, with little response from the State Department. The book sheds light on why it took so long for the world to recognize the threat posed by Hitler." - Publisher

Physics of the Future: how science will shape human destiny and our daily lives by the year 2100
by Michio Kaku

"Imagine, if you can, the world in the year 2100. In Physics of the Future , Michio Kaku-the New York Times bestselling author of Physics of the Impossible -gives us a stunning, provocative, and exhilarating vision of the coming century based on interviews with over three hundred of the world's top scientists who are already inventing the future in their labs. The result is the most authoritative and scientifically accurate description of the revolutionary developments taking place in medicine, computers, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, energy production, and astronautics." - Publisher

Prophet's Prey: my seven-year investigation into Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints
by Sam Brower

"Private investigator Brower gives readers a firsthand look at the investigation that brought down prophet Warren Jeffs and the cult-like Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Brower came to the aid of an FLDS church member being kicked out of his house and stumbled into a case that would dominate the next seven years of his life. Sifting through the lies and the strictly enforced code of silence of the FLDS church, he worked with law enforcement in three states to uncover the sexual abuse of underage girls that the church practiced under the shield of the claim to religious freedom. After years of watching children abused and families destroyed, Brower had the satisfaction of seeing Jeffs behind bars, incriminated by his own words written in his diaries and captured on tape. Verdict This compelling story of one man's crusade against a pedophile prophet will appeal to readers of current events and religious history as well as to crime fans.” - Library Journal

Profile - Santa Claus

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

Meet Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle - man of mystery. As you sit by the glow of your laptop, enjoying your eggnog, tracking Santa's progress via Norad or Google Earth have you ever wondered about the origin of this industrious and generous man? Some say gifted woodworker, others say holy man and others believe he wandered into the forest and was discovered by elves. Curiously, some writers below had the unique experience of hearing Santa's story from the big guy himself.

The Christmas Chronicles: the legend of Santa Claus (M)
by Tim Slover

"Snow is falling, and the clock ticks toward midnight on Christmas Eve while countless children, too excited to sleep, anticipate the arrival of Santa Claus. But in Tim Slover’s deeply charming and utterly thrilling new novel, that’s the end rather than the beginning of the story. It all starts in 1343, when the child Klaus is orphaned and adopted by a craftsmen’s guild. The boy will grow to become a master woodworker with an infectious laugh and an unparalleled gift for making toys. His talent and generosity uniquely equip him to bestow hundreds of gifts on children at Christmas." publisher

The Autobiography of Santa Claus (M)
as told to Jeff Guinn

"In "The Autobiography of Santa Claus", Santa reveals his story for the first time. Nicholas (his real name) was born in the Middle Eastern country of Lycia to wealthy parents who died when he was young. The kind people of Lycia taught him the lessons of goodness and generosity, which he began to practice as a child by sharing his wealth with those in need. As a young man, Nicholas realised that this generosity had bestowed upon him special abilities to distribute his presents to deserving children everywhere. And so it was that Santa broadened his gift-giving and spread his message to many others who also valued his belief in the goodness of giving. " publisher

Nicholas: the epic journey from saint to Santa Claus (M)
by Jeremy Seal

"Nicholas is a biographical travelogue tracing the evolution of one of the greatest cults of modern times—the rise of Santa Claus from his origins in Byzantine Turkey to his role as the jolly man who grants every child’s wish. It is a compelling story of religious worship and strife, cultural interpretation, and mass commercialization brilliantly framed by Jeremy Seal’s modern-day voyage in Santa’s footsteps. Saint Nicholas, as Santa was originally known, lived and worked in Myra on the southern coast of Turkey 1,700 years ago. He became a revered figure in the Orthodox and Catholic churches, attracting devotees across the Christian world as his cult shifted westward with the centuries. The saint’s bones are said to still exist, and Seal’s dogged pursuit of these relics launches his quest for Santa’s true lineage—one that takes him through present-day Turkey, Italy, Holland, England, America, and finally Lapland as he pieces together the history of this extraordinary man-to-myth transformation." publisher

Santa Claus: a biography (M)
by Gerry Bowler

"Offering the definitive chronology of hope and imagination, Bowler follows the Santa myth from its origins to the jolly man's appearance on the big screen. The lore of St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra and patron saint of maidens, fruitful marriages, students and children, has morphed with the various cultures that have adopted him as a symbol of Christmas spirit: he has inspired both charity and greed, and has been known to answer to generals during wartime. Bowler demonstrates how Santa Claus has flourished with the help of imaginative writers and artists and has endured despite the forces of advertising, politics and Hollywood. " publisher

Santa: my life and times: an illustrated autobiography (M)
created and produced by Martin I. Green

"The man, the myth, the legend: Santa Claus. The story behind Santa Claus has always obscured the truth about the real man who lies behind the beard. This is his revealing story, presented for the first time: from his early teenage years when he walked into a forest and was discovered by elves, to his first moments with the future Mrs. Claus, to today -- when Santa brings his message of hope, joy and love to the lives of people around the world." publisher