CanadianContent discussion

This will be our first full week of 2017. Many have been working on their bingo plans, beginning to read the Canada Reads long-list and finding more book suggestions on the many lists that have been published (see the Book Lists 2017 thread). What are you reading this week? Are you enjoying any non-fiction resolution reads? Are you picking away at your TBR pile... or should I say mountain?

I am reading and am entranced by Betty Boo. This one I am reading for The Read Harder Challenge #4. It would also fit the Bingo Challenge #G4 - translated novel.

I also aim to finish An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth this weekend for my BDA bookclub as we meet next week to discuss it.

I plan in starting Up Ghost River: A Chief's Journey Through the Turbulent Waters of Native History this weekend too.

I finished Knucklehead this week; it's a fun read but not one that fits Canada Reads IMO. I also read That Summer in Provincetown written by a Vietnamese living in Montreal. Caroline Vu reminds me a bit of Kim Thuy in her writing. There is humor even when she is talking about some heavy subjects.

On audio I listened to The Mothers and I'm almost done. Wonderful book!

And.....on January 1st I started my 2017 goal of reading one short story per day. So far:

Jan. 1: Peace Shall Destroy Many by Miriam Toews - Granta Magazine 137
Jan. 2: Simple Recipes by Madeleine Thien – Simple Recipes
Jan. 3: indinawemaaganidog/all of my relatives by Leanne Simpson – Islands of Decolonial Love
Jan. 4: A Culturally Inappropriate Armageddon by Drew Hayden Taylor - Take Us to Your Chief
Jan. 5: The Arrangers of Marriage by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – The Granta Book of the African Short Story

I love that short story resolution @Louise!

My audiobooks this week are helping with the January nonfiction challenge. I finished Outliers: The Story of Success and just started Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption this morning.

I'm currently reading The Best Kind of People for my book club, but so far it doesn't have me hooked.

Good morning!

I remember @Allison saying that when she was south with kids, she read less than usual. No kidding! Me too! However, last night back home in bed, I finished up Knucklehead from the Canada Reads long list. I agree with @Louise -- it's an easy, fun (?) read, but I definitely DO NOT think that it's "the book that Canadians need now." Definitely not. In fact, I'd be really embarrassed if it won.

Back at my desk now, my library audio borrow Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty came in, so I'm just starting that up. Hoping to take a wee break this afternoon to start Up Ghost River: A Chief's Journey Through the Turbulent Waters of Native History.

Happy New Year and Happy Friday!!
Love seeing people's Bingo plans & resolutions!

This week I finished All the Light We Cannot See. What a beautiful book!! And the fact that I was in Saint Malo this summer gave me a better perspective and made the story far more enjoyable. Found this too:
http://www.hotel-in-saint-malo.co.uk/...

Next I finished When I'm Gone for my in-person book club. It was light and predictable. P.S. I Love You comes to mind.
I am now starting The Wangs vs. the World from the library, one of those books on the "do not miss" lists from last year. I hope it's not a let-down, since the reviews are not all favourable.
Have a great weekend, everyone!!

Happy Friday! Today is also Twelfth Night, which means it's the first day of Carnival season in New Orleans. :-)

My copy of Knucklehead arrived from Book Outlet yesterday and now I'm very curious about it, given Louise's and Allison's remarks! I also love your short story goal, Louise!

This week I finished Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, which was very interesting and an engrossing read. This is the first slave narrative I've read, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I also read Cat Person, a collection of comics that made me LOL many times.

I'm still making my way through The Empty Family, which is the first book of short stories by Colm Toibin I've read. And I started reading for bingo - hurrah! On the Farm is proving to be a great read - I didn't follow the Pickton case too closely so I'm learning a lot. And Stevie Cameron does a really good job of humanizing the missing women. Also for bingo, I'm reading October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard. Yesterday I learned that this is not a book to read on public transit. I started crying and it was embarrassing!

@Susan, On the Farm sounds like a great book!

I totally though my classes started next week but I've been informed I have one this afternoon. Surprise! Ah well, it's just going to be going over the syllabus.

This past week was a week of reading very short books.

- A Safe Girl to Love by Casey Plett. This was my last book of 2016. I'd been reading this short story collection since September and am glad to have finally finished it.

- Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins. This was a pick of mine for a readathon. I hadn't read a good romance novel in a while and decided it was time.

- Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. I actually never read this book as a kid and decided to fix that. It was different than I though but that's what happens when you have movie adaptations and time to build up a version in your head. Still good though.

- She of the Mountains by Vivek Shraya. I loved Shraya's poetry collection even this page is white and wanted to read more of her work. This was beautiful and I can definitely see the poetic style in her prose as well. First square of bingo complete!

- The Briefcase by Hiromi Kawakami. This read almost like a short story collection. One of the most realistic love stories I've ever read.

- Love Will Burst into a Thousand Shapes by Jane Eaton Hamilton. It's not often I find a poet who speaks to me completely. Props to MJ for picking this out of my mess of a TBR and sending it to me for secret santa. I love this collection and will have to reread it to get a more layered experience. Also second bingo square complete!

This week I'm reading way, way too many books. The most urgent one is The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall as it's due back at the library very soon and will 600 people on hold I can't renew it. I wasn't sure if I'd like this book but have been pleasantly surprised. I'm really enjoying Whittall's writing style and will have to check out her other work. Anyone else read this one? I'd like to hear your thoughts on it.

Allison wrote: "I finished up Knucklehead from the Canada Reads long list. I agree with @Louise -- it's an easy, fun (?) read, but I definitely DO NOT think that it's "the book that Canadians need now." Definitely not. In fact, I'd be really embarrassed if it won. ..."

Yeah *fun* might not be the right word, lol. It's more of a romp. I had trouble taking any of the characters seriously though so I wasn't really disturbed by any of the bad stuff.

I hope you had a great time on vacation @Allison! So much fun, but hard to fit in reading time, that's for sure.

I'm so jealous of your visit to Saint Malo @May! It sounds so beautiful in the book. Of course, the writing style in All the Light We Cannot See is simply poetic. I especially liked the way he described the Nazi character's cancer. It's the most eloquent description of the disease I've ever heard.

I am reading The Best Kind of People now @Shvaugn, but I don't find it that gripping. The problem could be me. I just haven't been "feeling" the reading this week.

Louise wrote: "Yeah *fun* might not be the right word, lol. It's more of a romp. I had trouble taking any of the characters seriously though so I wasn't really disturbed by any of the bad stuff. ..."

Knucklehead: Romp! Yes, that's the word. The story is a romp.

And yes, very hard to get attached to any of the characters. I think the writing style was just so far away from my experience base that I, too, just didn't connect at all. It's very much a *story* and that's it. I stick by my comment that if this book won based on "the book Canadians need to read next" I'd be very embarrassed.

@Louise, I'm glad to hear you like The Mothers, it's on my TBR and I've only heard good things.

I finished Intolerable: A Memoir of Extremes by Kamal Al-Solaylee and it was quite enjoyable. He delved into some hard hitting topics like cultural/racial self-loathing, whiteness, survivor's remorse, etc. It was very engaging, I learned a lot about a country in which I knew nothing (Yemen) and it was fascinating reading about his experience as a young gay man in the Arab world.

Inspiration from Intolerable has found me to begin Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje about his experiences in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and his mixed Sinhalese, Dutch and Tamil family. I'm hoping he delves into colonization, colourism, and other issues pertaining to mixed race heritage because that is what would make it worth while.

I'm also still working my way through The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz. I'm about halfway done. I've heard the critique of this book, how Díaz cannot write women, how the usage of the N Word is excessive and contradictory to what it is trying to achieve. I'm starting to formulate my thoughts thus far.

Happy reading, everyone! 1 book down in my 2017 challenge, 49 to go!

@༺ Allison ༻ I don't think it's gripping per say. I had no problem putting it down to read other things. But when I go back to it, it's easy to get back into the story. I think it's definitely a right place, right time kinda book and I'm not sure I would have liked it if I'd picked it up at a different time.

You are right @Shvaugn, the story is easy to get back into once you pick it up.

Happy 2017!

On New Year's, I finished Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A New Verse Translation, a translation by Simon Armitage, and loved it. Great finish to 2016.

This week, I've mostly been working on The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (like you, @Kristen!), for my in-person book club. We're meeting tomorrow to discuss it.

On the backburner I have How to Create the Perfect Wife: Britain's Most Ineligible Bachelor and His Enlightened Quest to Train the Ideal Mate. Very different tone than Oscar Wao! I've read the first couple of chapters and will get back to it after book club.

Happy Friday everyone!

I have four books on the go right now, which is a bit too much, but I got caught in the "all the holds at the library are now available" syndrome.

The Virgin Cure: Ami McKay's books are always such a joy to read, even when the subject matter may not be joyful. I am reading this because I wanted to have it done before I read The Witches of new York, but I am sure I can fit it into a Bingo square somewhere.

The Amazing Absorbing Boy-still early in this one, but am finding it an easy read- I will use this for the B1-100 books that make you proud to be Canadian.

Black: The Birth of Evil: this is a Christian Science Fiction Book that I am reading for a challenge in another group. I am listening to it in audio, and it was hard to get into at first, but I am getting involved in the plot which involves a person not knowing if his "awake" time is in one world or another because every time he falls asleep he wakes up in a different world.

The Map That Changed the World: I am listening to this one too, and it is pretty dry, non-fiction about the discovery of how fossils and rock formations could show the age of the rock, and could be mapped for things like coal deposits, etc. Also reading this one for a challenge where I needed a book about a scientific discovery.

Next on the list I am hoping to dive into the Canada Reads books, and I will be starting with The Break.

@Emmkay, I am dying to know what you discuss and some of the themes that come up. Please let me know!

Good morning everyone!!

I ended the year of with Nocturne: On the Life and Death of My Brother which was a heartfelt story of Helen's experience dealing with her brother's pancreatic ca and his death a few months later. It gave me more insight into her art of writing and her appreciation for music (hear brother was an accomplished pianist). I also finished Wonder which was a book my son is reading which was highly recommended by my niece. It is an important story for the grade 4-6 crowd about acceptance and belonging related to a boy with cleft lift and palate and other facial malformations.

I started the year off with The Heart Goes Last which also met the requirements for the sci-fi/dystopia bingo square which tells a story of a couple who make a choice to live in a community where they spend half their time in a nice home and the opposite month in jail. Other than all the sex scenes, it would be a great book to discuss with the YA crowd.

Today I am reading Everyone's An Artist (or At Least They Should Be): How Creativity Gives You the Edge in Everything You Do which is one of the books that I bought at the Art of Leadership Conference and discusses the importance of creativity for all types of work and just started The Reason You Walk.

@Shvaugn - I enjoyed The Best Kind of People - it was a different perspective on the effects of sexual assault on the accused's family.

@Louise - great goal of reading more short stories. It is a genre that I don't read often and I keep thinking I should have a book of short stories on the year!

Happy Friday everyone!

@Louise, Simple Recipes is on my TBR list. How are you enjoying it?

I'm still plodding through The Witches of New York. It seems like such a busy book. I'm about half way through, I'm hoping it picks up steam.

I have a couple books that are almost ready for pickup at the library that each have about 200 holds on them, so I don't want to get too deep into another book just yet.

Allison wrote: "I stick by my comment that if this book won based on "the book Canadians need to read next" I'd be very embarrassed.."

I don't think it will even make the short list. At least it *shouldn't*.

Megan wrote: "@Louise, Simple Recipes is on my TBR list. How are you enjoying it?..."

I have only read the first story so far because I'm trying to read different stories here and there, instead of reading one short story collection from start to finish. So ideally I want to have 7 books going where I read one story of each per week, although there will be the odd ss collection that I'll have to read all at once if it's for a book club or something.

But to answer your question, the first story was an absolute delight. She is such a beautiful writer. In fact, I enjoyed this short story more than her novels because the writing takes a front seat to the story, while in a novel I think the story always takes the front seat.

I am trying to second guess which books will be the final five, so I can make sure to get them read, so I have puts my bets on The Break to start and hopeful when I get done that , the shortlist is announced.

Heather(Gibby) wrote: "I am trying to second guess which books will be the final five, so I can make sure to get them read, so I have puts my bets on The Break to start and hopeful when I get done that , the shortlist is..."

Ooh, we should start a thread on our guesses for the final 5

I only plan to read the final 5. I'm betting on The Break as well, though I haven't read it yet.

༺ Allison ༻ wrote: "I only plan to read the final 5. I'm betting on The Break as well, though I haven't read it yet."

I read One Hour in Paris: A True Story of Rape and Recovery and Knucklehead from the long list thinking they sounded interesting and had hoped they would make the short list but now that I've read them, I'd rather not see them on the short list...

I have finished both books I was reading over the holidays and can now start on Bingo books/non fiction. I've cracked open The Game by Ken Dryden and Stalin's Daughter: The Extraordinary and Tumultuous Life of Svetlana Alliluyeva by Rosemary Sullivan. I might also pick up Coronation Street Blog - The Book: An unofficial Coronation Street companion by Glenda Young for a lighter read and also because I contributed to it :) (I contribute and co-edit a blog for fans of Coronation Street and our team of writers picked our favourite blog posts and the editor has put it into a book)

That's cool, @Diane!

awesome - congrats @Diane!

This week I read Indian Horse and our group read Up Ghost River: A Chief's Journey Through the Turbulent Waters of Native History. This led me to another book by Alexandra Shimo, Invisible North: The Search For Answers on a Troubled Reserve.

I am waiting for The Reason You Walk from the library, and hope to read it this week for our January Non-fiction theme. I had started Blood: The Stuff of Life, but it is not grabbing my attention so I will likely take a good while to finish.

My vote for Canada Reads is The Break.

I have Today I Learned It Was You from the library, I did not realize the authorEdward Riche also wrote Rare Birds, which I enjoyed years ago. Looking forward to starting his latest.

I have read One Hour in Paris: A True Story of Rape and Recovery, and think that it would provoke discussion when paired with Waiting for First Light: My Ongoing Battle with PTSD. Very different experiences with PTSD.

I did prefer last year's nominees. I have The Amazing Absorbing Boy on my TBR pile.

I was excited to come up with plans for this years Bingo challenge. Started the one last year, but never recovered my list. Read two books already this week. Up Ghost River: A Chief's Journey Through the Turbulent Waters of Native History and Twenty-One Cardinals were both great books!

@HeatherLynn - I just started The Reason You Walk this morning and it will fit in very well with your recent reading. It is so heartbreaking to read about what happened in residential schools and the impacts generations later yet so important for all Canadians to understand.

@Lisa - glad to have you with us for BINGO 2017!!

Heather(Gibby) wrote: "Happy Friday everyone!

I have four books on the go right now, which is a bit too much, but I got caught in the "all the holds at the library are now available" syndrome. ..."

I could have written that! I so know what you mean.
So today I found myself in the position of realizing that I have to return a few books before I can take any more out as I've maxed my limit. As today isnt an official library day for me, even tho I am hot to get my hands on them, I am refraining from picking up two available holds until next week. This way I have the weekend to finish up books due on the 9th and 12th, and a fresh start for Up Ghost River and The Break.

What Ive read this year:
finished Gillian Wigmore's Soft Geography. While she's a strong and insightful poet, I did not find each section of the book equally engaging. Will have to read more of her.

My non-fiction to start the year is a collection of essays by a young computer maverick, The Boy Who Could Change the World: The Writings of Aaron Swartz Some of it is very interesting, but some of the essays are way beyond my comprehension.

First fiction of the year: The Heaviness of Things That Float by Jennifer Manuel Its more heavy than floaty but i do recommend it for its exploration of the cultural gap that often prevents people from truly communicating.
I would be interested to see what others think of this rather challenging book.

Went on to read The Little Paris Bookshop byNina George Thanks to Natasha for positive feedback when so many reviews put it in the sentimental duds pile. In fact, I defied that book to charm me, and it did.

On to something rougher, We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo. Ive just begun, but feeling an immediate rapport'

@May: Next up I too have high hopes for The Wangs on the rec of a trusted friend and planning to read soonest. I also must read Us Conductors and I actually have been sitting on Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer's, My Mother, and Me AND the story of Danny Wolfe.

Let it snow and drizzle as long as I can stay inside!
Cheers to everyone

I finished Up Ghost River: A Chief's Journey Through the Turbulent Waters of Native History last evening, which was the only book I focused on reading this week. First book of 2017 complete! I have started Knucklehead and am intrigued as per feedback from others in the group. I may get into Fifteen Dogs this week.

@Susan I enjoyed The Reason You Walk. Wab Kinew is now in politics here in MB, and so we see/hear a lot of him in the media. Not sure if any of you saw his recent newspaper article re: Joseph Boyden- interesting read.

Wanda, do you have a link to Kinew's article? I heard him on The Current, but he was quite quiet. It's such a complicated issue, as he himself has a white mother. I enjoyed his autobiography. Would love to read more of his writings.

His article was on the globe and mail website. It was a really interesting read. I pretty much agree with everything kinew said

@Megan - thanks! I will look this up and have a read!

Good morning readers! I came across this article this morning. It spoke to me and I thought everyone would enjoy reading it. Here is the article: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst...

I know that members had mixed responses to The End of Your Life Book Club but this article sure makes me curious about Schwalbe's latest book which I am going to have to add to the TBR pile.

Here is my blog post in response to it: https://ayearofbooksblog.com/2017/01/...

If you have a chance please feel free to add your comments here or on the blog, or tweet what you are reading with the tag #IAmReading today. I love this question!!! or maybe should say i LOVE this question as I am sure that many of you do!!

❀ Susan wrote: "Good morning readers! I came across this article this morning. It spoke to me and I thought everyone would enjoy reading it. Here is the article: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst......"

I really liked The End of Your Life Book Club and thought it was so neat that whenever he and his mom saw each other they would ask "What are you reading?". I have an elderly aunt, who is a Catholic nun and I've never really had much to say to her but she is a reader and since reading Schwalbe's book, whenever I see her I ask her what she is reading and we have a conversation.

I didn't like Schwabe's first book, but I have to admit that this one keeps coming into view and I am (like last time) interested in it for sure, based on its premise.

Susan -- just read the Guardian article. Thank you for that. Will carve out some time this aft to read your blog post.

@ Louise - I actually enjoyed it too although I know that there are mixed reviews. The end of life perspective fits with the work that I do and I always like reading about books! That is cool that you can share your reading with your elderly aunt!

Thanks @Allison! I am looking forward to reading his latest - might be some good discussion here!

My copy of Books for Living is in the mail, as my non-fiction read for this month :)
Also, I just found out there is a show on CBC radio called "Cross Country Checklist". Here's the link to the show:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/checkup/what-...
I'm planning to take a listen this afternoon.

I'm reading Louise Penny's newest, A Great Reckoning and love it! At about 64% through the book is better than her others.

@May - I am trying to restrain myself from going out and finding Books for Living today so will be interested to see what you think.

I saw a tweet about Cross Country Checklist and tweeted The Medicine Walk as my suggestion!

Hi Everyone. Some of you read a LOT of books! I finished A Man Called Ove this week and loved it loved it loved it. I am almost finished Cormac McCarthy's The Road, and it couldn't be more different from Ove in tone and style! But I am still really enjoying it.

I don't do reading challenges any more. I am trying to resist acquiring new books (frequently unsuccessful...) I have over 200 books in my house that I haven't read yet, and I am not a fast reader, so I need to stick to my already-own TBR. Usually I just read whatever grabs my fancy from my own pile. I exchange with several friends and whatever I finish that isn't claimed by friends goes to a local Little Free Library.

Hubs and I are planning a trip to Italy later this year, so I am planning on reading anything I have that is set in Italy. I will happily take suggestions if you've read a great historical fiction or a non-fiction about Italian culture or history.

@Susan, I just finished listening to the Jan 3 show. They had authors André Alexis, Alissa York and Pasha Malla, as well as callers chiming in with their recommendations of favourite winter reads. And yes more books have now been added to my TBR :)

Allison wrote: "Wanda, do you have a link to Kinew's article? I heard him on The Current, but he was quite quiet. It's such a complicated issue, as he himself has a white mother. I enjoyed his autobiography. Would..."

@Allison, apologies for being late with this link, have been off-line until now. Guessing you have already taken a read:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinio...

HELP WANTED! I'm currently slogging my way through The Best Kind of People, which I may have abandoned if it weren't this month's selection for my in-person book club. For those who have read it @Susan, @May, @Natasha, or are currently reading it @Shvaugn, I'm wondering if you can think of any pertinent discussion points. There are no reading guides available that I can find. I've bookmarked some reviews and author interviews to read, and I may go back and listen to Zoe Whittall's interview on The Next Chapter again. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Hi @Allison - since Whittall was inspired by the Russell Williams case and the impact on his wife, this might spur on some interesting discussion. I think it would also be interesting to talk about or build questions based on the wife, son and daughter and how they reacted to the charges including the daughter's refusal to visit.

@Wanda - thanks for posting, I will have a read through your link.

@May - unfortunately, I missed the CBC program so will have to see if i can catch a podcast.

@Cynthia - great goal. Many of us have similar goals of reading our already owned books but struggle to keep from borrowing/buying/finding more books! Love that you supply LFLs as there are more popping up all the time!