The Indextrious Reader

Mr. G

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:57:00 +0000

Mr. G / Alan Lightman
New York: Pantheon, c2012.
214 p.

This latest book by Lightman, physicist and novelist, combines the ideas of quantum physics with the concept of divinity in the human imagination. It had its charms, even while not winning me over as completely as, say, Einstein's Dreams, still my favourite of his works. Think of this as a creation myth infused with quantum physics.

Mr. G is, in fact, God. Of sorts. He exists formless and shapeless in the Void, a place outside of human reckoning. With him are Uncle Deva and Aunt Penelope, a comic duo who somehow guide and direct Mr. G when he decides it is time to create something -- one universe, or many. Although I had a few reservations about these three characters at times, I found Aunt Penelope's injunction to Mr. G that he just needs to slow down rather amusing. "“You shouldn’t do things with such haste,” she says. “You rush into things. Slow down. Take your time with this project.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/20/3380241/book-review-mr-g-is-one-dull-deity.html#storylink=cpy

Mr. G puzzles over how to create a self-contained universe...what should the rules be? Should he be involved with its development or simply observe as it develops according to his primary quantum rules? He turns out to be a rather hands-off creator, putting the universe down while he wanders off for a walk through the Void, or goes for a nap, and finds upon his return that eons have passed within the Universe.

Lightman has stated that he is an atheist who doesn't believe in the idea of a creator -- but thinks that the human search for meaning and transcendence still adds value to our existence. This book takes both of those positions and combines them into an intellectual experience, with many scientific rules being explained and explored as Mr. G ponders how to set up the universe. Time, dark matter, the Big Bang, even chemical interactions that form life, are all discussed and made comprehensible through story. But, Mr. G also says about the self-aware life forms which develop on their own that “I admire their dreams of immortality. It is noble to try to imagine the unattainable”. Lightman sees scientific rules as the basis for life, rules which explain everything quite effectively. But the human search for transcendent meaning is also a part of life which won't go away, and he acknowledges the beauty inherent in that search.

The duality in this book between science and religious feeling perhaps reflects the idea that when something is created, so is its opposite: light/dark, matter/antimatter, Creator/Destroyer. Mr. G encounters a shadowy figure in the Void named Belhor, who questions him about his purpose in creating a universe and what he is going to do about it. When Mr. G created something new, he also brought into being this annihilator of Being.

I found this a dense, intellectual read, even with the humour and cleverness. The style reminded me strongly of Saramago, very strongly actually -- at times I felt I could nearly hear Saramago himself. It is a novel of ideas rather than plot or character, but was also a satisfying approach to this idea of our need for a "first cause". As Mr. G says after his universe has developed somewhat, "How was it possible that something I'd created from my own being was now larger than my being? Is it possible that the created can create its creator?"

If you like Lightman's work already, or if you are looking for an unusual read, try this.

Happy Year of the Dragon!

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:13:00 +0000

Happy Chinese New Year! This year we are entering the Year of the Dragon -- 2012 will be the year of the Water Dragon. What does this mean to you? Read more about how this affects each sign in the Chinese Zodiac.

As for me, I enjoy sharing books featuring each animal yearly...some years are easier than others! There are many more enjoyable dragon books than ox books, for example :)

Please share your own suggestions and recommendations in the comments as well -- we each have our favourite discoveries. Each year I mainly stick to children's books, and this year is no different. Here are five of my favourite dragon books:

1. My Father's Dragon / Ruth Stiles Gannett

The 1948 classic about Elmer Elevator and his quest to free a baby dragon from Wild Island. He uses his cleverness to outwit the wild animals trying to stop him, by appealing to their vanity. The ending is particularly amusing in its choice of language.

2. A Book Dragon / Donn Kushner

A quiet tale of Nonesuch the dragon, whose family is wiped out during the War of the Roses. He shrinks to the size of a large insect to save himself, and finds a treasure to guard: a medieval Book of Hours. He accompanies this beautiful book throughout the centuries, ending up in the back room of an American bookstore in the 20th century. His life story is full of historical fact and intriguing side characters. Sadly, out of print, as far as I know.

3. The Secret in the Matchbox / Val Willis -- illustrated by John Shelley

Another book which is unaccountably out of print, this is a delightful picture book perfect for reading aloud. Bobby Bell takes a matchbox to school, one which has a dragon inside. Nobody believes him until he lets it out and it grows and it grows and it grows.... causing chaos galore! The illustrations, by John Shelley are also fabulous. See for example, the full grown dragon:

4. George and the Dragon / Chris Wormell

I love this book to distraction! Little George, a shy mouse, moves into a new cave right beside a dragon's lair. Upon unpacking, he finds that he has no sugar for his tea. Asking his new neighbour (a vicious princess-stealing dragon who happens to be terrified of mice) for a loan has repercussions George could never have imagined. A true delight, especially for tea lovers ;) And the illustrations are exquisite.

5. The Best Pet of All / David LaRochelle -- illustrated by Hanako Wakiyama

This is a cute story about a little boy who realllllly wants a dog, but his mother doesn't. She does say okay to a dragon, though... if he can find one. He finally does, at the drugstore. But is it a good pet? You'll have to read this to find out. The illustrations really make this book; they are vintage style and have great visual jokes in them -- the second to last page always makes me laugh.
Read it if you can... or you can listen to Reese Witherspoon reading it! (though the pictures are kind of hard to see)

Science Book Challenge 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:04:00 +0000

So glad to see that the Science Book Challenge is running again for 2012! I love this challenge and have tried to read for it each year since it began. It is hosted by Jeff from Scienticity, a science education non-profit in the States. The rules are easy as pi! (love that!) They begin:

Read three (or more!) nonfiction books in 2012 related to the theme "Science & Culture". Your books should have something to do with science, scientists, how science operates, or the relationship of science with our culture. Your books might be popularizations of science, they might be histories, they might be biographies, they might be anthologies; they can be recent titles or older books, from the bookstore or your local library. We take a very broad view of what makes for interesting and informative science reading, looking for perspectives on science as part of culture and history.

After you've read a book, write a short note about it giving your opinions of the book. Tell us what you'd tell a friend if you wanted to convince your friend to read it--or avoid it.......

As part of this Challenge, your reviews can be added as "Book Notes" to their database of science books recommended by readers, with a straightforward rating scheme. If you love reading science-related books and want to help build a community of reviews supporting this area of reading, please join in with this very relaxed and engaging Challenge. Also, you can join the new Facebook Group for the Challenge as well if you'd like to have ongoing discussion of books and science-y themes.

I'll be reading spontaneously for this, as the last couple of years I've failed miserably at reading the books on my premade lists! Any suggestions are welcome, although currently I'm thinking about reading The Poisoner's Handbook and/or Henrietta Lacks...

Looking forward to participating in this one once again... Join us!

Saturday Snapshot

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:41:00 +0000

I've never played along with Alyce's "Saturday Snapshot" meme before, but having seen it over at Bookpuddle a few times now, and even having my other half participate before I did, I decided to share a recent photo of my own.

This is the snow labyrinth I built on New Year's Eve day (well, it turned out to be half snow and half mud, thanks to our weirdly warm weather). I, and a few others, walked the labyrinth considering our year just passing, and what we wanted the year ahead to look like. It was a very nice day :)

The Invisible Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:56:00 +0000

The Invisible Mountain / Carolina de Robertis
Toronto: Anchor Canada, c2010.
448 p.

I received this book from Random House ages ago, and somehow didn't get around to it. But I was finally tempted by this gorgeous cover -- isn't it beautiful?? And it is a brilliant summation of the story itself; this book deals with three generations of women in Uruguay, and the cover says to me that they are three separate women yet somehow the same one at the same time. One family, three individuals.

I really enjoyed reading this once I finally opened it! The beginning is magical, with a rural family discovering their lost baby (now a little girl) in a tree, on the first day of 1900. Pajarita grows up to have a daughter, Eva, who has a daughter, Salomé. Each section of the book tells each woman's story, with the inevitable interweaving of all the characters as the story progresses. Each of the women is fascinating, although as with another "three generation" book I read last year (The Children of Mary by Marusya Bociurkiw), the middle generation gets slightly neglected in the depth of the telling -- is that the fate of all 'middles'? I ask as a middle child ;)

Still, this was a fabulous book -- complex, with a huge cast of characters who are all fully realized, even if not always likeable. The unsung star of the book is Uruguay itself, specifically Montevideo. I learned reams about the history and culture and landscape of Uruguay without even realizing it. The setting was so skillfully interwoven into the story, and such a key element in the events of all their lives, that it became just as important as the family dynamics. Of course, there are many, many dramatic events in the years that this book covers, so simply by living where they did, this family was in for some upheaval. From women's rights to civil war to gender identity and more, this story has it all. Yet it doesn't feel "issue-heavy". It feels like a sprawling family saga with lush surroundings, unfamiliar enough to me to be truly fascinating while reading. There is some movement between Uruguay and Argentina, Brazil and the US, but the primary setting is Uruguay and it is lovingly evoked.

There is too much going on over too long a period of time for a summary, but I'll try a brief explanation. Pajarita begins the book and the century, with her rural indigenous roots meshing with an Italian immigrant to Montevideo once she reaches adulthood. I think this was one of my favourite parts of the book, with the country so fresh and the magical experience of the travelling show that brought Pajarita's future spouse to her environs. Then bookish Eva, whose dreams are stifled when she has to drop out of school early to work to support the family -- and experiences much trauma and unhappiness doing so, until she finally finds love in late adulthood, in a very unexpected quarter. Salomé, faced with civil unrest in her youth, becomes an insurgent and spends years in prison (told in heartrending detail). All of these lives entwine to illuminate the tangled relationships between mothers and daughters, and between a country and its citizens.

What a book! Definitely a saga to ponder, and now to look up some history to fill in some gaps in my understanding... it's great when a novel sparks an interest in learning more about the place and events of the story. Even with more facts though, I'll always feel the characters in this book experiencing the things I'm reading about. They've defined this era for me, and will always colour anything else I learn. Definitely a great read for anyone who loves these kind of dense family stories.

Halfway to the East

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:09:00 +0000

Halfway to the East / Marusya Bociurkiw
Vancouver: Lazara Press, c1999.
90 p.

This is a collection of poems which takes the author's sense of disconnection, both as a child of Ukrainian immigrants and a lesbian in an unwelcoming setting, and transforms it into resonant art.

The first sections of the book "I Hear them Singing All the Time" and "Eternal Memory" deal mainly with issues of Ukrainian heritage. Her grandmother (Baba), born in Ukraine, is a dominating figure in these poems -- her wish to return to her homeland, her loss of her own family and her language play a part in the way the poems are shaped. Baba tries to hold on to traditions, making pysanky as a family activity, and baking Easter bread to be blessed at church. She recommends that the narrator stay home next year and make her own bread to take to church... "less trouble dat way".

Bociurkiw's own sense of loss of family and heritage is revealed in the next section of the book, "Strange Fruit", as some of these same themes are revisited in light of her identity as a lesbian. The shunning that occurs when Baba realizes what it means is sharp and painful; the few lines in which Bociurkiw's brother phones her to tell her not to come home for Easter were wrenching. Baba's helpful suggestion to 'stay home next year' begins to take on unintended meaning.

The last section of the book, "Anything to do with Roads", seems to be to tie everything together. In these poems, Ukrainian-ness and sexual identity seem to merge to become issues in one whole life. The image of roads and travel weave throughout this section, whether focusing on Ukrainian memory or on Bociurkiw's sense of always being at different points on a journey through life. There are poems relating long drives at Christmas, at the height of summer, across America or even walks down a city street, in which all of Bociurkiw's concerns seem to meld. The poetry is peppered with Ukrainian words, with Baba's own voice in stilted English, and it evokes a complex picture of a grandmother both known and unknown. Perhaps because of my own roots as a Prairie girl with Ukrainian background, I could clearly envision Baba and her surroundings. But the images are strong and yet multilayered enough to appeal to any reader, I think.

This was an unusual read, with similar themes to the novel I read by this author last year, The Children of Mary. The language is clear yet evocative of place, and I will close with just one example of an image that snagged my imagination:

Now sleep is the train you take back to the old country
a life flashing past in blurred window frames
sleep your rehearsal for death
your last immigration....

~from Eternal Memory

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Learn more about Lazara Press here

Nothing Like a Real Book

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:03:00 +0000

This was all over Twitter today and it is so worth watching! In fact I've watched it *cough* a few times now... It was made in a Toronto bookshop, Type, and it is truly amazing. So delightful! Please watch and enjoy :)

Happy Ukrainian Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:14:00 +0000

Happy Ukrainian Christmas!!

Enjoy yourself with some great Ukrainian singing and dancing to celebrate this wonderful holiday.

Then eat! If you're really going to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas, food is key :) Meatless dishes are traditional for Ukrainian Christmas, especially for Holy Supper on Christmas Eve. You can imagine what a perfect holiday this is for a vegetarian Ukrainian like myself!

A Lively Dame

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:23:00 +0000

This makes me happy:

Penelope Lively made a Dame (that's the female equivalent of being knighted).

She is an amazing writer, a favourite of mine, one of the only authors who has her own tag on my blog ;)

She has a new book out, How It All Began. I can not wait to read it. I've been reading her steadily for a few years and only have one or two titles left unread so very delighted to know there is another.

What the Bee Knows

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:09:00 +0000

What the Bee Knows: Reflections on myth, symbol and story / P.L. Travers
London: Penguin, 1993, c1989.
303 p.

This is a collection of spiritual essays by P.L. Travers, an author I only knew previously as the writer of Mary Poppins. This book was mentioned in passing in another book I was reading recently about labyrinths, as there is a wonderful essay included here on Travers' experience walking the labyrinth at Chartres, years before it became regularly accessible. She writes about the attraction she felt for it and is able to express her physical and spiritual reactions very vibrantly. If I didn't already have Chartres on my travel wish list, it would be there after reading this :)

Most of these essays were first published in Parabola: the magazine of myth and tradition. I wasn't even aware of this magazine before, either, but am now quite fascinated! Most of the essays are about the deeper themes in life, and if you have an interest in myth, world culture and the psychospiritual side of life you may find this intriguing.

I thought this was a fabulous read. The back of the book describes it as "a honeycomb of essays pointing to the truth-of-things handed down in the great popular stories of cultures around the world". And that is what it felt like, a honeycomb of brief essays covering a range of esoteric, myth-based and biographical themes. She shares tales of her friendships with literary types like Yeats and A.E. Russell, of her studies among many religions of the world, of her early experience with fairy tale and folklore which shaped her character. At times the writing gets a little ponderous and very "high Tolkien-ish" in tone, but that's only in bits... overall, it is quite accessible and idea-laden. I found if I only read a few at a time it was much more digestible, giving me time to reflect on the themes of the essays.

It provided a variety of thought-provoking quotes that I copied out to ponder later on. One of the early essays, "The World of the Hero", was about The Hero's Journey, and as my husband was reading the seasonally appropriate Gawain and the Green Knight at New Year's, we had a lot to discuss on this theme. I was struck by this quote:

Could it be...that the hero is one who is willing to set out, take the first step, shoulder something? Perhaps the hero is one who puts his foot upon a path not knowing what he may expect from life but in some way feeling in his bones that life expects something of him.

The title essay was also fascinating, with many facts about bees in world mythology and about their importance to our ecosystems. Travers shares many of the traditions followed among beekeepers, including the practice of telling the bees all the important news. This passage struck me as applicable to any situation in which someone in authority must communicate fully to those they are responsible for. It reads:

But this apprising of the bees, telling them, for all one knows, what they already know, is not the business merely of great ones. The bees are constantly being told. No beekeeper would fail to do it. For if they are not courteously kept informed of everything that happens, they will take umbrage, swarm, and fly away, or die of grief or resentment.

This was a really lovely, serendipitous discovery which I enjoyed greatly. Travers is so much more than "the Mary Poppins lady", and reading this gives a glimpse into her far-reaching interests and experiences.

To learn more, read a fabulous post about this book, with excerpts, by blogger Art Durkee

Best of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:27:00 +0000

I like to tally up my year's reading statistically...well, somewhat so, anyhow. It's entertaining to see what you've done over the year and to refresh your memory of some of the gems that were found over a year's reading. Once again, I've read more fiction than non-fiction, and more female authors than male. Pretty much normal. But I did read a lot more poetry than I do generally, not sure why, but it was enjoyable! Here is my record of 2011:

Total Reading: 159

Authors

Female: 97
Male: 58
Nongendered (collections, multiple authors, etc.): 4

Genre etc.

Fiction: 95
Non Fiction: 54
Poetry: 10

In translation:

Russian: 4
French (Quebecois): 3
Dutch: 2
Portuguese: 2
German: 2
Norwegian: 1
Korean: 1
Ukrainian: 1

My Own Books: 66
Library Books: 93

Rereads: 7

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The last week of the year is also my favourite time to think about the "Best of the Year" -- the best that I've read, as judged according to my personal taste and reading experience. These are titles that spoke to me in some way, either with fantastic writing, memorable characters, or an overall "something" that has stuck with me. Sometimes it just reflects how much fun I had reading! So this is not a Best Literature Ever list, it's a Best Books for Me This Year list. Hope you will enjoy.

10. The Right-Brain Business Plan / Jennifer Lee
I'm including this one because it was so meaningful in my business planning this year. I enjoyed it so much that I bought myself a copy that I continually refer to. It's a creative, inspiring way to look at business planning.

9. The Artificial Silk Girl / Irmgard Keun
Pre-Nazi Germany is the setting for this epistolary style novel. I said upon reading it: "Keun is a great discovery and provided a bracing reading experience."

8. Blackout & All Clear / Connie Willis
Excellent, excellent 2 volume novel that I loved -- as I have all of the Oxford Time Travel series. This was a fabulously enjoyable reading experience, even if I didn't talk about it in my blog!

7. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows / Alan Bradley
Love Flavia De Luce, and this was a wonderful addition to the series...Christmas in a big old house, fun stuff.

6. To This Cedar Fountain / Kate Braid
This collection was full of poetry based on my favourite Canadian artist, Emily Carr. I love Carr, and I was intrigued by Braid's eloquent take on her life via poetry.

5. Anya's Ghost / Vera Brosgol
I never did review this one, but it was a graphic novel that actually drew me in -- I loved it.

4. The Rose Garden / Susanna Kearsley
No-one can write romantic suspense/time travel like Kearsley. Great addition to her oeuvre!

3. Kaleidoscope / P.K. Page
I can't repeat often enough how much I love P.K. Page. This book is a huge collection of her work, vital to any fan of Canadian poetry, in my opinion. Gorgeous stuff.

2. The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt / Caroline Preston
This unusual book caught my fancy this year, and the illustrations were out of this world. I adore the Twenties and this fed my fascination with the era.

1. The Forest Horses / Byrna Barclay
I know we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover -- but I totally judged this one on its evocative cover, so much so that it made me decide to read it! And I'm glad I did...one of my definite favourites this year.

Hope you all had a wonderful reading year as well, and here's to marvellous new bookish discoveries in the New Year. Happy 2012 to all!

TBR Twenty, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:24:00 +0000

Emily of Telecommuter Talk held an "Attacking the TBR" Challenge two years ago which really helped me clear off some of the books I'd had sitting on my shelves for a long time. I enjoyed my reading, and the numbers of books I read from my own collection increased.

Although this particular challenge isn't running this year, I am going to use the same idea for 2012 -- make a list of 20 books I want to read from the shelves I already own. It's a great way of keeping track of what is still on the shelves awaiting my attention. I've joined the Unread Challenge this year and these books will count for that -- but this is my working list just for myself of books I own and want to read next, books that don't fit in to any other Challenge listing. (and I am trying to include only titles I own for all of my challenges, as well, for the most part anyway)

The first six are titles from last year's list that I didn't quite get to - they will remain on the list for this go round and see if they get their turn this year.

1. All the Names / José Saramago

2. Mystery Stories / David Helwig

3. Translation of Dr. Appelles / David Treuer

4. The Postmistress / Sarah Blake

5. Exit Lines / Joan Barfoot

6. Passing On / Penelope Lively

7. According to Mark / Penelope Lively

8. With you the moments of my life are fading / Roy Lewis

9. ~~A Large Harmonium / Sue Sorenson~~

10. The Line / Olga Grushin

11. Everything Beautiful Began After / Simon Van Booy

12. The Ladies of Grace Adieu / Susanna Clarke

13. The Enchantress of Florence / Salman Rushdie

14. The Tortoise and the Hare / Elizabeth Jenkins

15. Mr. Skeffington / Elizabeth von Arnim

16. The Go-Between / L.P. Hartley

17. Excellent Women / Barbara Pym

18. The Cast Stone / Harold Johnson

19. Dandelion Wine / Ray Bradbury

20. The Disapparation of James / Anne Ursu

And some non-fiction, which I don't count as part of the 20 but as extras, in case I'm more in the mood for non-fiction at some point:

1. Must Write / Edna Staebler

2, The Arcanum / Janet Gleeson

3. The Paper Garden / Molly Peacock

4. Pursuing Giraffe / Anne Innis Dagg

5. Little Comrades / Laurie Lewis

6. Intersecting Sets / Alice Major

Challenges Ahead, v. 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:29:00 +0000

New Challenges:

There are a few Challenges that are new to me this year that I just can't resist. But there are also some old favourites that I'm going to continue on with for another year. Here are the Challenges I'm attacking this year!

What's In A Name 5 hosted by Beth Fish Reads

Here's How It Works:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories (no lists required but I always enjoy making my list of possibilities so here they are) :

A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title:
Bone Coulee / Larry Warwaruk
Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country / Louise Erdrich
A View of the Harbour / Elizabeth Taylor

A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title:
The Moon of Letting Go / Richard Van Camp
Aurora Montrealis / Monique Proulx
When Rain Clouds Gather / Bessie Head

A book with a creepy crawly in the title:
Feathered Serpent / Xiobin Xu
Serpent and the Scorpion / Claire Langley-Hawthorne
Read: What the Bee Knows / P.L. Travers

A book with a type of house in the title:
The Opposite House / Helen Oyeyemi
The Last House / Michael Kenyon
In the Spice House / Marnie Woodrow

A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title:
Textbook of the Rose / Joann McCaig
Letters of a Portuguese Nun / Myriam Cyr
The Chocolate Wars / Deborah Cadbury (because I always have chocolate in my purse, don't you?)

A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title:
Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis / José Saramago
The New Moon's Arms / Nalo Hopkinson
Aleta Day / Francis Marion Benyon

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Easter n Europe Challenge 2012 hosted by The Black Sheep Dances

Amy at The Black Sheep Dances is carrying this 2011 challenge over into another year due to popular demand -- yay! I love reading fiction from this part of the world, and as this year I aimed to read four books and ended up reading five, in 2012 I'm aiming at the next level: reading 8 by year's end. Some of my possibilities:

1. The Case of the General's Thumb / Andrey Kurkov
2. A Country Doctor's Notebook / Mikhail Bulgakov
3. The Master & Margarita / Mikhail Bulgakov
4. Dead Souls / Nikolai Gogol
5. Dreams of my Russian Summers / Andrei Makine
6. Russian Winter / Daphne Kalotay
7. Any of the books in Language Lantern's Women's Voices in Ukrainian Literature series

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Tea and Books Challenge hosted by Birgit at The Book Garden (a new-to-me blog!)

This one is too enticing to miss; look at the gorgeous button! The challenge is to read books of over 700 pages, no rereads, large print or audio allowed. Too bad about the rereads -- there are a couple I'd like to get back to, but oh well, I'm signing up as a "Berry Tea Devotee" (ie: 4 books over the year). My possibilities:

1. Sir Charles Grandison / Samuel Richardson (1159 p)
2. Daniel Deronda / George Eliot (727 p)
3. Celestial Harmonies / Peter Esterhazy (846 p)
4. The House of Nire / Morio Kita (765 p)

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Truth in Fi ction Challenge hosted by Amanda at the Fig & Thistle (another new-to-me blog!)

This Challenge has a great concept: read one fiction and one non-fiction book that are thematically related and then blog about them as a pair. There are 7 levels, but I'm going to stick with "Freshman" level and just see if I can get one pair read and reviewed. Any more than that would just be a bonus. Not sure what they will be yet!

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2012 Fearles s Poetry Exploration hosted by Serena at Savvy Verse and Wit (a great poetry promoter)

And because I love poetry, I have to sign up for this one too! It's easy: I'm signing up to read & review 2 books of poetry over the year, plus be a part of April's Poetry Month blog tour. Fun stuff - I do enjoy sharing poetry on this blog.

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This Challenge is just what it sounds like: read the unread books you have sitting around your house -- as many as you can. I'm going to join in on this one because I'm making an effort to include possible titles for all of this year's challenges from the books I already own. So far there are only a couple of titles listed for all of my challenges that I do not already own. And I am continuing on with my "TBR Twenty" for this year as well (more on that later) so we'll see how I do with this!

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Ongoing Challenges:

I know I'll repeat the Canadian Book Challenge when it flips over on July 1st - it is one of my favourites, definitely.

There are also a few seasonal challenges I like to join, most specifically the very Autumnal RIP Challenge held by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings (though I only read 3/4 this year).

But more on those later in the year!

Challenges Finished

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:28:00 +0000

I signed up for various Challenges this year, and as usual, completed some and completely failed at others! The important thing was, though, that all of them appealed to me for some reason and got me looking around at new reading potential. I don't like to overextend myself and feel obliged to read for any reason -- but I am pretty relaxed about reading challenges. I consider them fun ways to broaden my knowledge of books on various topics, and to encounter new bloggers and reviewers in a very enjoyable manner. So I continue on with Challenges!

This year's Challenges (and their results!) are as follows:

Canadian Book Challenge 5 (by John Mutford at Book Mine Set)

I love this challenge -- it's still ongoing, as it runs July 1st - July 1st each year in honour of our country's birthdate. I know I'll sign up for it again, as usual. The requirements are to read at least 13 Canadian books. The kind of reading you do is completely up to you, and there ends up being a huge variety of titles shared. My theme this year is "Small Press-Palooza" and I'm encountering many of the wonderful small presses which Canada has in abundance. And my total is at 13 already!

What's In A Name 4 hosted by Beth Fish Reads

I've enjoyed this challenge in all of its years so far. It is so oddly random -- choosing a book by a feature of its title -- that it feels like a game. I always have fun with it, and this year I actually read all 6 books for the 6 categories which were selected.

(The updated titles are noted on my original post)

Science Book Challenge hosted by Jeff of Scienticity

Alas, I've failed miserably at this one -- not sure why, as I usually love to read science books...guess I was distracted this year! I managed to read one title, Einstein Wrote Back by John Moffat, a physicist at an institute near me.

Nordic Book Challenge hosted by Zee at Notes from the North

I like Nordic fiction, and thought this would be a great impetus to explore a little further. Unfortunately I didn't get to read all the books on my "possibilities" list but I did get to a few, and also found some wonderful new titles that I now want to try! I only read 1/3 for this challenge!

Eastern Euro pe 2011 Challenge hosted by Amy at The Black Sheep Dances

I had high hopes for this one: I love to read books set in this area. I did read quite a few and even have a few outstanding reviews for books I've recently finished...but I know I won't get reviews done in 2011! Anyhow, I read and reviewed 5 good books for this challenge so beat my target of 4 -- and good news, this challenge is continuing for 2012 :)
(updated titles)

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 11:21:00 +0000

Merry Christmas to All!

May you have time to relax and read this holiday season!

Petunia's Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:39:00 +0000

It's Christmas Eve day! Happy almost Christmas, everyone :)

I had great plans to post a bunch of last-minute, end of year reviews, but somehow the time is just flying by and I am just not going to get to any of them. Besides, I've hardly been reading over the past week or two...so much going on...wonderful, seasonal fun, but it does cut into the reading!

In any case, I'm going to simply share one of my favourite Christmas picture books with you to celebrate Christmas Eve -- a vintage piece (out of print) that I was lucky to find in hardcover recently! Upon rereading I see that it really is vintage in its style and illustration. So here is:

Petunia's Chri stmas / Roger Duvoisin
New York: Knopf, 2004, c1952.

I love this tale: Petunia the goose goes out for a walk on a snowy winter's day and discovers Charles, a handsome gander, at a neighbouring farm. They fall in love but --alas -- Charles is being fattened for Christmas!

Petunia decides to rescue him and tries a few techniques, which don't work, then decides she will earn the money to buy him from the farmer. She makes wreaths, paper angels, stars, paper Christmas trees "and other Christmas things" and finally gathers enough coin to buy Charles.

She and Charles are married on Christmas Day, to great revelry with their own farmer and farmer's wife joining in. This was always one of my favourite images in the book -- a double page spread that I loved to look at. Here is one side of the illustration (what you can't see is right at the bottom of this page there's a tiny cat playing dominoes with a mouse - loved these details)

I think this book was the beginning of my journey toward vegetarianism -- couldn't stand the thought of anyone eating Charles! :) It's also a great book for young entrepreneurs; Petunia's creative initiative saves the day, and it is only through her hard work that the story ends happily. But aside from all the themes that appear to my adult eye, this book is simply entertaining and I loved it as a child. So happy I have a copy this year!

Try your local library or second-hand book dealer to get your hands on a copy. Until then, I thought I'd share, for your general amusement, a youtube clip I just discovered. It's a vintage television program which shared stories and in this episode, "Marian the Librarian" is reading the original version of Petunia's Christmas. It's all in black and white though, so do try to find the real book for its great colour images. A note about this video: be prepared to laugh at the opening sequence in which a witch captures Marian and locks her up in a tower to feed her story addiction....quite hilarious!

As Far as the Heart Can See

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:08:00 +0000

As Far As the Heart Can See / Mark Nepo
Deerfield Beach: Health Communications, c2011.
264 p.

I must be one of the last people around to have heard of this author -- he's been featured on Oprah and is apparently quite well known in his field -- how did I completely miss him? In any case, I recently read this book due to my particular interest in how story informs our lives. This book is a collection of 45 short pieces, some only a paragraph or two, some a few pages long, and each of them is a teaching story. Each holds some meaning that is then investigated further through the three things following each story: journal questions (for personal reflection); table questions (to be shared with friends and stimulate discussion); and directed meditations.

Nepo says "Stories help us. They are teachers. They are medicine. They keep us connected to what matters. They keep us awake. This has always been true. And so, As Far As the Heart Can See is a book of stories and parables about staying awake and staying close."

I loved this book because of its simplicity. The brief tales acted as a seed to grow reflection by the reader -- as I read it fairly quickly and by myself, I mainly focused on the journal questions (and of course, as this is my specific interest I was immediately intrigued). I didn't work with every single story, but with a few that I found meaningful personally. But there is lots of opportunity to explore further. If you want to see examples of what's inside this book, at Mark Nepo's website he has two stories (both of which I loved) in full, complete with the journal, discussion and meditation suggestions. Give them a read and get an idea of how this book is set up -- see if it appeals to you.

I really think that this would be a perfect book at this time of year, especially as the New Year approaches. During the last week of the year, a special time for me, it feels as if there is a pause to reflect and investigate one's life. At New Year's Eve, I prefer a contemplative evening rather than parties. With all of the gatherings going on, this book would provide a wonderful after-dinner moment for a congenial group; after good dinner discussion, sip some liqueurs and ponder a story together. Or read one with each course! I'd love to use this with a group and see what it sparks for others.

This is a great example of the power of story and how it helps us to consider our lives in a new light. I'd recommend it to anyone looking to delve deeper through narrative, or who wants a way to open discussion with others in a non-confrontational manner. Use it for your own explorations in your journal, or with others -- the questions for both can be used interchangeably and offer lots of inspiration for thought.

**review originally published at Four Rooms Creative Self Care

A Year in First Lines

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:43:00 +0000

And it is that time of year again, to do a blogging round-up by sharing the first line of the first post of every month. It always reveals something about the arc of the year, at least as it pertains to my reading life. I usually wait until the week after Christmas to share all these year-end wrap up posts, but I was working on this one on a lazy week-before-Christmas afternoon and thought I'd share right now :)

The "rules" are simple: Take the first line of each month's post over the past year and see what it tells you about your blogging year.

January:

A suitable book with which to begin a new year full of bookish talk and reviews, The Dodecahedron is all about books, text, and the elusive nature of written truth.

February:
Chinese New Year this year falls on February 3rd, and to continue a tradition, here is a book list featuring rabbits, in celebration of the Year of the Rabbit.

March:
All of [Penelope] Lively's work seems to focus on the vagaries of memory; how remembering occurs, what the past means to us in the present, what is remembered and what is not.

April:
This post is part of a blog tour for Marthe Jocelyn's latest book. [Scribbling Women]

May:
This is an extraordinary book [The Forest Horses by Byrna Barclay]

June:
For my first day [of the 30 Days of Creativity Challenge], I wanted to ease into things...to create something small that I'd never tried before.

July:
Today is the opening Readathon for the kickoff of the Canadian Book Challenge 5!

August:

My recent holiday took me away from my blog for longer than I'd expected!

September:
Hurrah! It's hard to believe but it's RIP (Readers Imbibing Peril) time again.

October:
This is the last posthumous work by Saramago -- I recently read his memoir, translated after his death; it was very Saramago, and I enjoyed it very much.

November:
This charming book -- from the author probably best known for Love, Loss and What I Wore -- came to me via TLC Book Tours.

December:
This is a charming book; I received it via John's Canadian Book Challenge, quite a while ago, and have finally finished it!

That pretty much sums up the year: lots of books and reading; a little excursion into creative pursuits and holidays in the summer; and finishing up with two apparently charming books! Quite reflective of this year's reading progress :)

If you try this, please leave a link so we can all enjoy your first-line round-up as well!

Flying with Amelia

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:52:00 +0000

Flying with Amelia / Anne De Grace
Toronto: McArthur & Co., c2011.
313 p.

I've read all of De Grace's books and I really like her style. This novel follows in the tradition of her earlier ones, in that it is a collection of linked short stories. But this one is very ambitious: it attempts to tell us a story of Canada throughout the 20th century. It works beautifully.

It opens with "Across the Atlantic" (1847), in which an Irish family makes its way to Canada in the cramped hold of a ship, where lack of food and sanitation lead to a number of deaths. It is this family which begins the tale, and descendants pop up in later stories. While it is not a straightforward narrative following one family, part of the fun is recognizing the connections between earlier stories, the references to the locations and family members which influence later characters.

Stories take place all across Canada, from the East Coast where immigrants arrive, to the West Coast and all points in between, including North. One of the stories that I found most enthralling was the title story, presented mostly as letters between a woman from Nova Scotia and a man from Saskatchewan, befriending one another, sharing recipes, sending gifts, and eventually agreeing to meet halfway, in Ottawa. It's set right around 1934 and the On to Ottawa Trek, and as soon as I realized this I began to get anxious. (pitfalls to studying history!) It was so well done, though.

Each of the stories had a character who would catch your interest and prove memorable. I can think of most of the storylines immediately; young William, who meets Marconi -- newspaperman Murphy and rich Helen, in 1929 -- James, Fig & Myra in the draft dodger era -- the Millennium and a marriage at the point of collapse --it goes on and on. Each tale was a treat. I really enjoy DeGrace's narrative voice, and perhaps because I was a history major, I love the examination of each era from a micro-history point of view, from the perspective of one person's or family's life. The book finishes off -- very satisfactorily brought full circle --by the story "Across the Atlantic" (2012) It shows the descendants of the original family traveling back across the Atlantic, in the opposite direction, in search of their roots. Lovely thought.

This book as a whole has a great sense of breadth; the expanse of the country and the spread of historical moments over many years is expressed very well. DeGrace chooses smaller historical moments so that the story she is trying to tell isn't overwhelmed by pre-knowledge or overly familiar settings. In this way, I thought that each era was portrayed as a living and breathing present experience, no "heritage moments" to be found. There is a feeling of respect for all the varied people and the small everyday lives that have made up our history, and this feeling illuminates the entire book. I really appreciated this read, and savoured it slowly. Definitely recommended to my fellow Canadians (especially for Xmas gifts - great for those readers who may hesitate to pick up longer novels) or to anyone intrigued by historical fiction and/or the linked short story. Excellent read.

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For this year's Canadian Book Challenge I've chosen as my theme "Small-Press-Palooza" Thus, for each book I'm including a link to the small press who has published it. Take a look -- there are wonderful small presses all over Canada! I know McArthur & Co isn't exactly "small press" but they are not a subsidiary of any of the "big three" so I am counting them :)

Gold Boy, Emerald Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Gold Boy, Emerald Girl / Yiyun Li

Toronto: Random House, 2011.
256 p.

This is a set of short stories by Chinese writer Yiyun Li. I'd seen it mentioned a long while ago and thought it sounded appealing. Then Eva of A Striped Armchair gave it a rave review and I knew I'd have to take a look!

I like short stories, even if I don't read them as often as I read other forms of fiction. This collection was wonderful: no one story overwhelmed the others, or seemed pale in comparison to the others. The opening story, "Kindness", was long and in-depth. It told the story of a woman who is fairly unconnected to those around her, unhappy in a passive way. She is looking back on her experience training in the Red Army with other young women, at a time when they were all conscripts. The subtle clues to relationships and individual differences were outstanding; in a time when everyone was supposed to be identical comrades Yiyun Li is able to create an atmosphere of individuality revealed in small, particular moments.

In many of the stories, older women feature prominently. They are reviewing their lives, or wondering what went wrong, how they've missed out somehow. But the characters are all different people, despite their commonalities. There is no one character that always seems to be speaking for the author. I really admired her skill at creating settings that were alive, that seemed to be the natural place for each character to exist in. Most of the stories were set in China, but a few had American elements as well, and one of these ended up being a favourite for me. By chance, it's the title story, "Gold Boy, Emerald Girl", a phrase denoting an equally handsome married couple.

This is a tale of a older woman, a former professor, who matchmakes for her 44 year old son. He's been in America for many years and has decided to return to China, where he moves in with his mother and tries to decide what to do next. As the story progresses, it's revealed that he is gay, but he still goes along with his mother's decision that he should marry a former student of hers. The student is herself a middle-aged woman, who has a strong affection for the professor. The three of them will live with this new configuration, but not necessarily happily ever after:

They were lonely and sad people, all three of them, and they would not make one another less sad, but they could, with great care, make a world that would accommodate their loneliness.

This kind of calm, assured writing which never promises that things will be perfect is found throughout the collection. I enjoyed this read and all of the varied characters introduced to us. The Chinese setting was matter-of-fact and not "exoticized", as Eva mentions as well. Very rewarding read and I know I'll be looking for more by this author.

Isabel Dalhouse's Charming Quirks and Forgotten Affairs

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 02:57:00 +0000

Working with Random House is wonderful: they have so many great books that they send for review. I'm particularly fond of Alexander McCall Smith, as many of my readers know, and I was fortunate enough to have the last two Isabel Dalhousie books sent to me. I read them immediately upon receiving them, but have just realized I never reviewed the last one! So here is a double feature -- the last two books in the Isabel series considered as a pair...

The Charming Quirks of Others

Toronto: RandomHouse, 2010.
256 p.

In this installment, Isabel is asked by an acquaintance to look into the backgrounds of three candidates for the principalship of a school -- the school has received a letter which hints that one of the three candidates has something shameful in his past that will embarrass the school (but of course it doesn't specify which one). Isabel must search out the secrets of the three men, one of whom coincidentally turns out to be her niece Cat's new boyfriend.

At the same time, Jamie is suggesting to Isabel that it's time to get married, a thought that isn't greeted with as much rapture as might be expected. Isabel has to deal with her ambivalence about this possibility, balanced with her definite devotion to him and to baby Charlie.

As usual, there is a lot of pondering of the fine shadings of ethical response to the various situations Isabel encounters. She ties herself in knots about things, at times, that to others would appear fairly simple. But that's part of her charm: she's a deliberate, thoughtful, woman who experiences some guilt about her easy life (inherited wealth, secure life situation). And of course, the incidental characters in this story are full of interest as well -- McCall Smith is able to communicate his fascination with everyone's stories, and make the slightest person seem intriguing. There are some moments that catch at your heart in this book, and make you wish for life to go a little more easily for certain characters.

The Forgotten Affairs of Youth
Toronto: Random House, 2011.
261 p.

In this book, just released in Canada today, Isabel is investigating the parenthood of an Australian philosopher she has just met. This philosopher, Jane Cooper, is studying in Edinburgh, and looking for traces of her past: she was adopted out as a child and her adoptive family moved to Australia shortly after. Isabel, of course, can't resist, and starts digging into the past. It's an interesting dilemma. Who are we without a sense of our family? What role does genetics play in self-identity?

The only slightly false note for me here is Jane's explanation that her adoptive parents are divorced and both have new partners and thus their relationship with her has drifted into something resembling casual acquaintance. Really? They've parented her since birth and are so easily distracted by a new partner that they don't consider her their child anymore? I wasn't totally convinced by it.

Meanwhile, niece Cat hires a replacement for regular staff member Eddie at her deli, and the new fellow -- a part-time model -- is a horrid creature. But he's awfully handsome, and Isabel worries about Cat's propensity for outer beauty over inner worth.

Charlie is beginning to speak -- at least to say more than "olive" -- and Grace continues to be an important member of the family, even sharing investment tips she's received from beyond the grave at her latest spiritualist meeting. But are they reliable?

The book closes on a happy note as Isabel and Jamie finally decide the time is right to formalize their relationship and with only Grace as attendant, legally wed. This scene in the church, with witnesses pulled in from the churchyard, is delightful. Once again, an enjoyable visit with Isabel and her peculiarly individual thought patterns..... these books are very quotable and very thought-provoking, though some of the characters (ie: Cat!) are so annoying! So great to be able to read another episode in Isabel's story, and the only problem now is waiting for the next one ;)

To This Cedar Fountain

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:34:00 +0000

To This Cedar Fountain / Kate Braid
Vancouver: Polestar, c1995.
95 p.

This was a serendipitous discovery for me, and I'm not sure why I've never heard of it before! It's too bad that this is now out-of-print. It's a deeply felt poetic Canadian response to a Canadian artist.

It's a collection of poetry which is a response to and a dialogue with Emily Carr. I hope that everyone knows about the artist and writer Emily Carr -- she is an amazing Canadian painter who I absolutely love. She also wrote a number of books in her later life which are just as wonderful as her painting. She was fiercely independent and original, despite both opposition and indifference from the art world in her era.

She wrote something that has become one of my very favourite quotes:

Do not try to do extraordinary things, but do ordinary things with intensity.

It's clear that poet Kate Braid is similarly enthralled by Emily Carr. This collection of poetry takes inspiration from Emily's art -- most of the poems are named after a painting, and one of them is a found poem from Emily's published journals. There are a few coloured prints of some of the works which Braid is responding to, which is nice. And each poem is faced with a quote from Emily's writings -- either something that Braid is responding to directly, or a few lines which illuminate Emily's thoughts about the painting that is the subject of the poem. It works wonderfully, and Braid's own experience working with her hands (she's a carpenter) shows in her understanding of Emily's struggles and inspirations. I think there is a resonance between Emily's love of the living forest and Braid's familiarity with wood as well. There's a connection that you can feel between these two artists. In fact, in one poem called "Wood Interior", Braid finishes with these lines:

Now I know who you are.
Another woman who knows wood.

Once I read this I looked further into Braid's work, and she has written another book of poetry inspired by Emily Carr and Georgia O'Keefe. She's also written a juvenile biography of Carr for a Canadian series. So the sense of connection obviously continued!

I enjoyed the earthiness of these poems: the physical connection to nature that Emily's paintings reveal is highlighted in some of the poems. Braid also draws out the feeling of isolation and loneliness that Carr's writings reveal; she had a hard life going her own way. The poems express Braid's thoughts about each painting -- sometimes a description of her own viewing of it, sometimes a look at the feelings Emily is trying to express through an image. There is a combination of two poems at the centre of the book which are marvellous: the first, a found poem directly out of Carr's work, and the second a glosa which uses some of the lines from the found poem to create an intimate dialogue with Emily's writing.

This book feels like an artistic collaboration between the two: the tone and the interaction between the words of both writers are at exactly the right pitch. I really enjoyed this book and Braid's interpretation of her experience of each painting. This book is a lovely idea that is wonderfully executed. Now to go see another Emily Carr exhibition....

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For this year's Canadian Book Challenge I've chosen as my theme "Small-Press-Palooza" Thus, for each book I'm including a link to the small press who has published it. Take a look -- there are wonderful small presses all over Canada!

Polestar Book Publishers was bought out by Raincoast in 2000, then disbanded when Raincoast decided that they were no longer publishing Canadian works, rather sticking to distribution and repackaging. Farewell, Polestar.

Here's more on Emily Carr!

Penguin Lost

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:38:00 +0000

Penguin Lost / Andrey Kurkov; translated by George Bird.
Brooklyn: Melville House, 2011.
160 p.

This is the follow up to Kurkov's first novel about Misha the penguin, Death and the Penguin. I read and enjoyed that book a while ago now, and was eager to get to this one, which I ended up reading via Netgalley.

I enjoyed it a lot, though it had a different feel than the first: for one thing, Misha is "offscreen" a lot of the time (thus the title) and I missed his silent seriousness. In this book, Viktor Zolotaryov has returned from his Antarctic exile where we left him at the close of Death and the Penguin. Conveniently he has also come into a lot of money so off he goes back to Kyiv, where he finds his foster daughter Sonya and her adult companion Nina living in his apartment with a new man. He wanders around Kyiv, gets involved with a young prostitute, falls into a handy job writing for a politician wanting re-election (which comes with room and board), then heads off to Chechnya to find Misha -- rumour has it that Misha was last seen there, in the midst of the conflict.

There is a lot of action in this tale, unlike the first one which felt melancholy, stolid and full of Soviet resignation. Viktor travels around outside of Kyiv for most of the tale -- from Antarctica to Moscow to Chechnya and eventually to South America. Actually, it reminds me a lot of another of Kurkov's books that I've recently read, The Case of the General's Thumb, with all the farcical coming and going and a full cast of eccentric bad guys.

Still, once Viktor arrives in Chechnya he ends up working at a makeshift crematorium in the woods and things get pretty dark and serious. He patiently waits for this newest trial to pass so that he can contact Misha's last known owner, a mobster. Eventually he does find Misha, living in a dog enclosure with protective huskies.

From then on there is a lot more complicated finagling to get Misha back to Kyiv with him -- and eventually to get them both out of Kyiv altogether. While parts of this scheme were pretty amusing, it was awfully convenient to have a beautiful young woman decide to marry him and take him along on a sea journey to South America. Still, this led to the poignant ending in which Misha finally finds freedom. I admit I got a bit teary saying goodbye to Misha at the end. Viktor I could take or leave, but Misha was truly endearing.

I've been waiting to read this book for a couple of years now, so took my time and reacquainted myself with the characters slowly. Even with the different feel to this book I really enjoyed it and was glad to find out more about Viktor's progress and miraculous survival! There was a lot of broad humour to be found in this one and I found it entertaining. Though the first book was deeper and felt more "Literary", this was a fine follow-up that I still liked a lot. Misha was the symbol of Viktor's search for meaning and connection, and it seemed that Viktor was only able to let his responsibility to his penguin go once he had forged a new life outside of Ukraine. Interesting conversations about nationality, one's place in the world, and responsibility to others could ensue if you decided to discuss this one over drinks! I really like Kurkov's writing and find lots to think about even in his lighter novels. This one, having Misha in it, was of automatic interest and lived up to my expectations. Definitely one I'd reread someday.

Iceberg Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:01:00 +0000

Iceberg Tea /Annelies Pool
Yellowknife: Prelude Books, c2010.

176 p.

This is a charming book. I received it via John's Canadian Book Challenge, quite a while ago, and have finally finished it! (John's review can be found at his blog as well) It's made up of light essays originally published as columns in magazines and newspapers, all about the life of a woman in the Canadian North. Pool discusses Northern-ish things like the Ice Road, snow, stockpiling firewood, the Northern Lights, and iceberg tea (tea made with water gathered by chipping chunks off of handy icebergs, of course!) But she also reveals details about herself and her marriage, as her husband Bill makes regular appearances in her tales.

One of my favourite essays was -- no surprise -- about her love for books. She recalls how she saved up to buy herself Nancy Drew novels at the thrift store as a child, and how this habit of reading has formed her. She states that she may not be "a great or important writer, but I have been able to make a living with words." There's another bookish tale about a time she freaked herself out by reading Stephen King into the wee hours and thought a vampire was at the window....I'll relieve your anxiety by telling you it wasn't a vampire.

There is also a delightful essay about immigrating to Canada at the age of four (they were Dutch) and her mother's challenges adapting to the language and to the strange customs in Canada -- repeating "Oh, that's how they do it in Canada", a phrase the author finds herself saying even fifty years later!

The writing is down-to-earth, often very funny, and Pool has a great sense of gentle self-mockery. She talks about everyday events and things we're all familiar with (Facebook, imaginary lotto winnings) and yet makes her observations amusing and/or touching.

Through her writing you get a glimpse at an everyday life in Yellowknife and the very sweet relationship shared by Pool and her husband. It is a book that I think people interested in normal, average lives (as much as any of us are average) would love. It's written honestly, clearly, and with great affection for living itself. Pool has an eye for the small things of life, and a gift of appreciation. Really an enjoyable book, very suitable to pick up and read one or two brief pieces with a cup of (regular) tea each day.

I appreciate John's CBC Challenge for introducing me to a book I am certain I wouldn't have uncovered otherwise! So many interesting tales have been shared through the five years of the Canadian Book Challenge -- this is the latest wonderful discovery.

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Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill

noreply@blogger.com (Melwyk) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:23:00 +0000

Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill / Dmitri Verhulst; translated from the Dutch by David Colmer.

London: Portobello, 2010, c2009.

145 p.

This brief book was a great find: it features Madame Verona, a renowned beauty whose husband dies young and in her grief she decides to stay in her house on the hill as long as it takes her to make a cello from the deciduous tree outside her home, even if cellos are usually made of spruce. This particular tree is special.

The village below, made up mostly of bachelors, is eager for her to choose one of them in her widowhood, but she stymies them all by remaining true to her husband's memory. The book begins as Madame Verona, aged 82, comes down the hill on a cold, snowy night. She sits in the town square and reminisces over the events of her life, in company with her dog. She and her late husband were both dog people: she decides that the virtue she will claim at heaven's gates is that she has always loved dogs.

It's told in a gentle narrative style, which reminds me slightly of José Saramago's style (fewer lengthy sentences and a bit more punctuation, though!) But the asides and the philosophical perspective of Madame Verona, as well as the ponderings about the deeper things in life (including the afterlife), recalls Saramago's themes. I enjoyed it despite its inherent sense of sadness. Various characters from the village are sketched out for us in addition to Madame Verona and her husband, and they all have something notable about them that makes them memorable.

I don't want to give away the storyline, as the discoveries as you go are part of the charm. But it's full of emotion, both regarding relationships and regarding tradition. There is affection for others, for a way of life. and Madame Verona herself is the pivot of the story. Really a lovely book; darkly moving, with lots of melancholy charm.

Other views:

Steph at Bella's Bookshelves reviewed this a while ago and says "Madame Verona is contemporary literature at its best, the kind that doesn’t smack of (self-conscious) contemporary literature, in fact, but rather stands alone and will likely pass the test of time into the realm of the classics. Or fables, as Madame Verona does herself."

Darren at Bart's Bookshelf said "Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill is a lightly told tale that conveys the sense of a love lost in a wonderful way, it may appear that nothing much happens in the book, and indeed it was only a little while after I had finished the book, that I realised just how well it had done its job."

Fleur Fisher says "Madame Verona Comes Down The Hill has at its heart a story that is simple, sad and lovely."