Tag canadian author
Fruit: A Novel About A Boy and His Nipples by Brian Francis is a heartfelt tale about 13-year-old Peter Paddington, who is overweight, gay, and unpopular. When his nipples poke out and start talking to him—with brutally honest opinions—he tries… Continue Reading →
In general, I’m sort of lukewarm on short stories, so I was pleasantly surprised when I read Up Up Up by Julie Booker. I did not want to put it down; Julie Booker’s writing is eloquent, thoughtful, funny, and tight…. Continue Reading →
Tangles: A Story about Alzheimer’s, My Mother and Me is a graphic novel by Vancouver author and artist, Sarah Leavitt. As the subtitle indicates, it’s the powerful and emotional (true) story of Midge Leavitt’s battle with Alzheimer’s and the effect… Continue Reading →
Off the Highway: Growing Up In North Delta is a memoir by local author Mette Bach and installment 18 in the Transmontanus Series published by New Star Books. The Transmontanus series, edited by Terry Glavin, are “short illustrated books about… Continue Reading →
I finished Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid by Evelyn Lau at least a month ago. I’ve had a bit of blogger-block and had difficulties pinpointing my feelings about this book. It’s very strange to read a non-fiction/memoir that takes… Continue Reading →
Alan Bradley wove another enjoyable and intriguing tale starring Flavia de Luce, the darker, British version of Harriet the Spy. I had already fallen hard for Flavia when reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and The Weed… Continue Reading →
I’m not sure if it was the melancholy tone, the lack of plot, or the fact that the main character is a writer writing about writing… but I had a lot of trouble getting into the book. Fortunately, I persevered… Continue Reading →
Incite: An Exploration of Books and Ideas is a new reading series curated by the Vancouver International Writer’s Festival and hosted by the Vancouver Public Library. It takes place every second Wednesday evening at 7:30pm in the downstairs rooms at… Continue Reading →
I first learned about Michael Christie’s book, The Beggar’s Garden, at the inaugural Incite reading series programmed by the Vancouver Writer’s Festival and hosted by the Vancouver Public Library. Michael read an excerpt from the first short story in his… Continue Reading →
I was shocked as most people to find out that Essex County by Jeff Lemire, a graphic novel, made the Canada Reads list this year. Canada Reads has strict criteria — no short stories, no poetry, fiction only. I was… Continue Reading →
I was having difficulty putting my thoughts and feelings into words when it comes to Mercy Among the Children by David Adams Richards. It’s a darkly depressing book but weaves a tale that really makes you feel compassionate towards the… Continue Reading →
I will admit I was a bit apprehensive about this book initially because I am not well-versed in politics — nor do I want to be. However, Terry Fallis managed to make the political observations, proceedings, and commentary manageable enough… Continue Reading →
As soon as I read the back cover copy for Sub Rosa by Amber Dawn, I knew I wanted to read it. The themes and character setting sounded a bit like Lullabies for Little Criminals, which I really enjoyed. In… Continue Reading →
I’ve been meaning to read The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon since it came out last year. The Golden Mean got tons of great reviews, nominated for the 2009 CanLit triple crown (the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Governor General’s Award… Continue Reading →
I’ve been hearing about Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill for a few years now in the Canadian Lit scene as it was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award and won the 2007 Canada Reads. When it popped… Continue Reading →
Yesterday, Friday evening I went to see a screening at the Vancouver International Film Festival (aka VIFF or “Film Fest”) called In the Wake of the Flood. The film is about Atwood’s latest book tour for The Year of the… Continue Reading →
Come, Thou Tortoise is a heart-warming book with really lovable characters. There was subtle humour with a quiet yet engaging plot. Audrey is brilliant, quaint, silly, admirable, and really just honest-to-goodness good. The book jacket blurb doesn’t do the novel… Continue Reading →
Kathleen Winter’s first novel, with House of Anansi Press, is the story of a young Labrador family secretly raising their hermaphrodite child as a boy. Winter’s prose is lyrical and lonely, yet relatable. Wayne’s story is magnetic, powerful, and has… Continue Reading →
I wanted to read this book after I listened to the Canada Reads debates in 2009. It wasn’t the winning book (that was The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill), but the positive things said about The Outlander by Gil… Continue Reading →
Lisa Moore’s second novel, February, got some good reviews when it first came out including The Globe and Mail, Quill & Quire, and shortlisted for the 2009 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. In February 1982, the oil rig Ocean Ranger sank off… Continue Reading →
Underground by June Hutton covers the adulthood of Albert Fraser, a young man from BC. As Al grows and changes, the book follows his story, thoughts, and confusion in life. Sometimes I felt like the book lacked direction, but it… Continue Reading →
When I heard that Life of Pi author Yann Martel had a new book coming out in April 2010, I was very excited. I read The Life of Pi when I was about 12 years old and remember discussing the… Continue Reading →
Having Faith in the Polar Girls’ Prison is a moving story about a 15-year-old girl who is locked in a prison with her premature baby (named Faith). Narrated by Trista in a stream-of-consciousness style, she tells her past through memories… Continue Reading →
As soon as I finished the first book in the Buckshaw Chronicles, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, I picked up my ARC of The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag. I am so pleased I had it… Continue Reading →
Book Review :: Better Living Through Plastic Explosives by Zsuzsi Gartner
Zsuzsi Gartner’s writing is witty, wry, satirical, and very intelligent. In her book of short stories, Better Living Through Plastic Explosives, Gartner scrutinizes everyone. From the real estate agent in her Hummer to the homeless person getting publicly funded plastic… Continue Reading →