CanadianContent discussion

Greetings readers!! Hard to believe that it is the middle of August, it is getting dark earlier and the summer is winding down. Is anyone reading Holding Still For As Long As Possible? How are the cross country challenges coming? What is on your reading shelf?

I've read one territory and five provinces. I keep reading Canadian authors writing about other countries, which doesn't help with the cross country challenge!

I visited my parents this week and raided my mother's bookshelf. I only brought home one Canadian novel though, Wayson Choy's All That Matters. I read The Jade Peony ages ago and don't remember much about it so I'm hoping this book stands on its own.

Tonight I binge read Minette Walters' the Ice House, which is a favourite of Mum's. I'll have to find the BBC miniseries made from it as I'm a fan of Daniel Craig.

I read Lawrence Hill's The Illegal. I liked it but found it to be very predictable and implausible. Despite that, the main characters were likeable enough to make up for the flaws. And I'm a runner, so I enjoyed reading about a protagonist who is one too.

Prior to that I finished book five of Karl Ove Knausgaard's My Struggle series. I read that the translation of book six won't be out until the fall of 2018, so I have a wait to finish the series.

@Alison, I agree with your sentiments on The Illegal. I felt largely the same. It looks like you got a lot of reading in this week!

I'm just going to round off the first three posts here with a third Allison!

I so rarely miss a Friday Reads thread, that last week when I did, I went through withdrawal! On Wednesday I did read the whole thread, but by that time it was too late to bother posting.

I finished just one book to report: Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations. I chose not to rate it, as it's such a subjective read, and one that changed even by the day for me. But a good read for sure, and I'm glad to have experienced it.

I have 50 pages left of the long and dense Minds of Winter! Hopefully I'll be able to comment on that next week.

Feeling like I need a light breather! I may move next to The Glace Bay Miners' Museum: The Novel, which I am going to reread this year for BINGO (Fave Novel). It's a quick read and so quirky! I just love it.

I'm still enjoying The Thirteenth Tale, which is slow going as I keep re-reading passages that are simply beautiful; and this book is just bursting with beautiful passages. Not only is the writing lovely, but the storytelling is exquisite. The Thirteenth Tale is everything I could ask for in a work of fiction.

For book club, I'm listening to The One-in-a-Million Boy. I'm about halfway through and it's turning out to be a mediocre read. The premise of the book sounds amazing, but the book itself is not quite meeting my expectations.

My only Canadian title this week is Ru, which I'm reading for the "Book About Someone Immigrating to Canada" bingo square. I know this book is a work of fiction, but it reads more like a memoir than a novel. I'm not sure what to make of it.

Allison wrote: "I'm just going to round off the first three posts here with a third Allison!"

I think we should rename the group "Allison & Friends!"

Allison wrote: "Feeling like I need a light breather! I may move next to The Glace Bay Miners' Museum: The Novel, which I am going to reread this year for BINGO (Fave Novel). It's a quick read and so quirky! I just love it. "

I just clicked through to The Glace Bay Miners' Museum: The Novel and saw Helena Bonham Carter and now I feel compelled to read it. Too bad I already bought a copy of The Rehearsal for my "Book Turned Into a Movie" bingo square.

Good morning to our Allison's/Alison's who are up and posting early!

I finished Holding Still For As Long As Possible for the monthly good read (even if you haven't read it, feel free to check out the discussion which is beginning) and like others found it was not quite geared to my age group. However, it was an interesting read (and a quick read if anyone still wishes to join in).

Next I read through the short stories of Stone Mattress: Nine Tales (mostly one each day) and the title story was my favourite with revenge for a rape which happened to a young teen many years later in the autumn of both the victim and the perpetrators life. The collection felt really inspired by the author's age (which is 77).

As part of a bingo challenge at my local library, I read The Piano Maker which was a book which I had never heard of. It was excellent and was historical fiction (WW1 and 1930s) with a unique murder case following a lovely pianist who quietly moves to a small town in Canada. It was a 5 star read for me so I hope other's might decide to read and enjoy it!

I am just starting The Fire-Dwellers for the Manitoba read of the Cross-Canada Challenge and this will finish of Laurence's Manawaka series which i have really enjoyed. The main character has 4 kids which I can identify with! I am also reading Unplug: A Simple Guide to Meditation for Busy Skeptics and Modern Soul Seekers with hopes coping better with the busy balance of family and work when I am back at the office and swimming starts for the kids in September.

My book club is focusing on the Evergreen Forest of reading awards (http://www.accessola.org/WEB/OLA/Fore...) with each of us choosing our own book to discuss so I need to make a decision. Has anyone read any of these? I have already read The Break during Canada reads so will pick one of the others.

Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ wrote: "I'm still enjoying The Thirteenth Tale, which is slow going as I keep re-reading passages that are simply beautiful; and this book is just bursting with beautiful passages. Not only is..."

Oh, what a great recommendation! I own this book, but never seem to get to it.

Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ wrote: "I just clicked through to The Glace Bay Miners' Museum: The Novel and saw Helena Bonham Carter and now I feel compelled to read it. Too bad I already bought a copy of The Rehearsal for my "Book Turned Into a Movie" bingo square..."

It's a quirky little movie too, and yes, she's fantastic. I love this short little book mostly because of the ending. If you don't know the story, it takes you COMPLETELY by surprise! A shocker! But you're cheering and laughing about it too. I just love this book, and am looking forward to rereading it this year.

I don't usually post non-book links but this remake of John Lennon's imagine brings you to tears and based on all the hate in the world right now, I think it is a wonderful song for peace that everyone should listen to and share today: https://www.apost.com/en/blog/brand-n...

I remember Glace Bay Miner's Museum movie, it was excellent! She did a pretty good job with the accent, too. A bit exaggerated but still...
The Thirteenth Tale was a five star read for me, too, several years ago.
That version of Imagine is nice but my heart still belongs to John Lennon's, I'm afraid though I can't listen to it easily these days because I heard it on the day my father was buried 11 years ago and it takes me back there.

So, it's been a busy reading week for me.

This week I've finished Chronicles of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery for my second- and third-to-last books in the Cross Canada challenge, and
The Town that Drowned by Riel Nason (which I *really* liked!). I just have one more to go and I am waiting for a Library hold for it (Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay). I just may squeak this one in before the end of August for a complete set!

I finished Holding Still for as Long as Possible by Zoe Whittall. I enjoyed it and look forward to discussing it in the monthly group read thread.

Now I have two well underway, First Snow, Last Light by Wayne Johnston (which is up to his usual high standard, I'm pleased to say) and
Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald which is a long overdue reread and am very much enjoying it. Newly cracked open are a new Harry Hole thriller, The Thirst by Jo Nesbo and a quick palate cleanser,
Binary, a novella, by John Lange who is really Michael Crichton

This week I finished History of Wolves and Holding Still For As Long As Possible, both of which were good but not great reads. I also read Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?: And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House, mostly on audio although I also have a paper copy I found in a LFL! This was a fun read and the Obama stories served as a timely contrast to current events. Enough said on that.

I'm currently reading The Talented Ribkins and Eveningland: Stories, which I'm trying to cram in before the Mississippi Book Festival (which is tomorrow - eek!). The Talented Ribkins is okay - one of those first novels that shows the author has promise. Eveningland is great. I can be so iffy on short stories but these are wonderful, and I feel like I've discovered a new author whose backlist I can now delve into.

Susan, Margaret Atwood narrates the story "Stone Mattress" on the audiobook and it's delicious. It's well worth a listen/reread, if you didn't already read this one on audio. :-)

❀ Susan wrote: "I don't usually post non-book links but this remake of John Lennon's imagine brings you to tears and based on all the hate in the world right now, I think it is a wonderful song for peace that ever..."

@Susan, that's beautiful. I had four kids around me when I played it, and they wanted to watch it a second and third time! Thanks for sharing. It's amazing.

@Susan - i will check out my library to see if they have Stone Mattress on audio. Would be great to listen to in her own voice!

@Allison - I think it is hard to watch without tears and hope we can do our little part to spread kindness, peace, caring and love to all!

Happy Friday everyone!
Again, the thread is active very early this week and wow we have a 3rd Allison!
I'm enjoying the thread to see what everyone is reading!
@Susan, I really like the "Imagine" rendition! Thanks for sharing!

On the reading front, not much happened this week. I finished The Chemistry Between Us: Love, Sex, and the Science of Attraction and Wildflower on audio and The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane on paper. I'm now reading Red Queen, and am kind of enjoying it.
Have a great weekend! Summer is winding down.....

Alison wrote: "I visited my parents this week and raided my mother's bookshelf. I only brought home one Canadian novel though, Wayson Choy's All That Matters. I read The Jade Peony ages ago and don't remember much about it so I'm hoping this book stands on its own...."

Alison, I also read The Jade Peony years ago. Lately, I've been thinking of continuing this story, too.

Alison wrote: "I read Lawrence Hill's The Illegal. I liked it but found it to be very predictable and implausible. Despite that, the main characters were likeable enough to make up for the flaws. And I'm a runner, so I enjoyed reading about a protagonist who is one too...."

I didn't really like The Book of Negroes, so don't anticipate reading any others by Lawrence Hill. I don't like the writing methodology of putting a protagonist into horrible situations and have the outcomes mainly fall on the side characters.

I'm a runner, too!

I'm reading some big books at the moment, so mainly, my reading is on-going; not finishing.

I did finish Kathleen Winter's new book, Lost in September. I really enjoyed it. Kathleen's writing is so enjoyable. I can't wait for it to be released and hear other thoughts and discussions on it. I won this in a GR GiveAway.

In audio, I listened to The First Love Story: Adam, Eve, and Us, which was a look at love and how it may have pertained to the first couple. This wasn't a religious book but a look at love through the ages, focussing on that first story. I found it very interesting.

I'm about half way through Vanity Fair and enjoying it.
I've started Proust's fifth volume, The Captive. This week hasn't left me with the brain power required to make a lot of progress. I need more sleep to be able to follow these convoluted sentences. LOL!

On my commutes, I've started listening to We Are Water by Wally Lamb. It has started out very well, indeed. I think I'll like this one.

@Susan (mod), I think I spotted a copy of The Piano Maker in my little free library - I will have a closer look when I get home!

This week I finished American Eclipse: A Nation's Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World, which I enjoyed. It made me want to read more science books. I also read I'll Eat When I'm Dead, which I had got as a giveaway - it was so-so, I'm afraid.

I'm now almost done with Exit West and finding it very interesting.

Good Morning everyone. Happy Friday!!

@Susan, I loved The Piano Maker, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

This week I finished reading The Vegetarian and Anne of Green Gables.

It was so wonderful to read Anne again as an adult. I loved it just as much as I did when I was a child. I'm looking forward to watching the CBC/Netflix version.

I'm about halfway through A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder. This book is giving me all the feels. This woman is incredible. To be able to survive and thrive through tremendous physical/sexual/emotional abuse is a testament to how strong she is. I can only hope to have a sliver of her strength. This book hurts my heart to read but there is so much hope and love as well. This is one of the best books I've read this year.

I also won Lost in September through GR, I'm excited to read it!

Happy Friday!! I finished Holding Still For As Long As Possible and was quite disappointed as I had liked her other book - The Best Kind of People. The characters in Holding Still seemed flat and vapid and made me feel very old so I read some middle school novels by Benedict Carey, who uses math to solve problems in Island of the Unknowns and uses chemistry to solve a murder in Poison Most Vial. Theses were unpretentious and fun to read especially with the math and chemistry teasers.
I read Fishbowl by Bradley Somer who lives in Alberta. It is a lovely quirky novel which features the falling of an adventurous goldfish from a high rise apartment building as a central image. It is touching and shows such compassion for the various ways we humans behave.
Come Closer is a novel by one of my lately beloved noir authors: Sara Gran - (Claire DeWitt and the Bohemian Highway). I had thought Come Closer to be a noir who-dun-it as well but it was a bizarrely well presented demon over-taking human thriller.
The Birth House was a read for the summer bingo for which I am also reading The Water Beetles. I had started Saltsea but give up. It is about a house on PEI and it reads as if the house were writing the novel with a house's sensibilities of time and detail to household stuff. So I might have to risk the tears of rereading an Anne book for the PEI slot.
I really like the books of Maggie O'Farrell and her newest has a great beginning and I am hooked: This Must Be the Place.
I have a few by Jennifer Egan on my soon TBR pile as she has a new novel coming. I was very impressed with her Twitter short story - Black Box -- written in the short sentence restriction of twitter and yet providing the most incredible suspense.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. I am busy packing my stuff as my condo on the mountain needs to be empty by Labour Day for a sprinkler redo. I will be visiting my daughter Talie in Seattle for a few weeks and then will be in Ottawa area to visit friends there.

Allison wrote: "Feeling like I need a light breather! I may move next to The Glace Bay Miners' Museum: The Novel, which I am going to reread this year for BINGO (Fave Novel). It's a quick read and so quirky! I just love it. "
I've just put that on hold at the library. That looks like a great selection for a Nova Scotia novel in my cross country challenge.

@Emmakay - I hope that you do have a copy, The Piano Maker is excellent!

@Megan - what did you think of The Vegetarian. While I did not love it, it has certainly stuck with me. I too LOVE Anne.

@Mary Ann - I won a copy of Egan's ARC (Manhattan Beach and really enjoyed it. This book was the first that I have read by her. A twitter story sounds very unique! Hope all goes smooth with the packing and will be nice for you to be travelling and visiting Talie!

@Alison, you'll never come across such a surprising ending!! I hope you like it! :)

Sorry - I'm late to the party this week. On vacation away from home.

What a great week of reading I've had! First off, I finished The Address. Really enjoyed both Fiona Davis books.

Then I whipped through The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women a non fiction piece about the women who were dial painters from 1910 onwards. Fascinating story and perfect for a science geek at heart like me. :) reading stories like this one always amazes me - how do more people not know about this?!

Presently, I'm halfway through Hum If You Don’t Know the Words. Super enjoyable so far. As a kid we heard the word apartheid often but being so young I didn't truly know of the details. I haven't read many other books about South Africa so I am enjoying the fresh subject :)

@susan the vegetarian was an intense read! It reminded me of bear. Women who are trapped in patriarchal constructs and their freedom seeps out through cracks that are not necessarily within societal norms. For that reason alone I thought it was brilliant.

@Megan- that is a great comparison! Both those books linger long after the book is closed!

Alison wrote: "I visited my parents this week and raided my mother's bookshelf. I only brought home one Canadian novel though, Wayson Choy's All That Matters. I read The Jade Peony ages ago and don't remember much about it so I'm hoping this book stands on its own.."

I loved both books and yes, they do each stand on their own. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

I'm still reading my way through Bastards and Winesburg, Ohio, the latter of which I'm enjoying more than the former.

And in audio I just listened to Untwine while waiting for Eileen to become available.

After listening to a podcast this week I decided to buy the (big) book 100 Years of The Best American Short Stories. This should keep me busy for awhile.

❀ Susan wrote: "I don't usually post non-book links but this remake of John Lennon's imagine brings you to tears and based on all the hate in the world right now, I think it is a wonderful song for peace that ever..."

Nobody can sing that song like Lennon could. While I can appreciate the heartfelt message they are sending out, their rendition of the song grated on my nerves. I had to go listen to Lennon to get it out of my head, lol.

@Louise I know what you mean. The sentiment is appreciated but Lennon gives it that little undercurrent of emotions - a little sad, a little hopeful, a little angry that it even has to be said. You could picture it as the soundtrack to a video of war and riots etc. The new version is fine but feels a bit too dreamy and sweet. It would be the soundtrack to scenes of utopia.

Did you both watch it all the way to the end? I love the Lennon song too but I also thought that their message at the end was heartwarming and I posted it as it is a great message during these days of racism and unrest in the US and around the world. No one can sing like JL but this just seemed the perfect message for the times. :)

❀ Susan wrote: "Did you both watch it all the way to the end? I love the Lennon song too but I also thought that their message at the end was heartwarming and I posted it as it is a great message during these days..."

I couldn't listen to it all the way to the end. It just grated on my nerves too much, but like I said, I do appreciate the message they are sending and certainly understand why you would post it. We need to hear these kinds of messages. I just with they had done it to Lennon's voice.

At the end of the video, they all held up signs representing their diversity which was heartwarming. Their acapella style is not for everyone for sure but it is amazing what they can do with only their voices for instruments. have a great day and lots of reading!!!

❀ Susan wrote: "I don't usually post non-book links but this remake of John Lennon's imagine brings you to tears and based on all the hate in the world right now, I think it is a wonderful song for peace that ever..."

Thanks for posting. I do like cappella when it has various voices. I was raised on Gregorian chant so voices singing in counterpoint can always raise goosebumps on me.

I think the end of the video was the real point. It was unique and a great wrap-up to the message of the song. Definitely worth watching right to the end. Or if you don't like it, just scroll to a minute left. :)

I loved the video as well and shared it on Facebook. It's amazing that a group of very different people can get together and create such a beautiful message.

❀ Susan wrote: "I don't usually post non-book links but this remake of John Lennon's imagine brings you to tears and based on all the hate in the world right now, I think it is a wonderful song for peace that ever..."

Finally got around to watching this video. It gave me goosebumps at the end. Beautiful voices. Beautiful message.

Hey all! Who was reading The Ministry of Utmost Happiness??? I am 25% through but somewhat miserable and wonder if I should finish? I hate not finishing but it's slowing my reading down big time. Please advise!

oh Shannon! It may have been me you're referring to: -). because I read it recently and adored it.
A case could be made that it is somewhat uneven, for i do remember little gaps in my enthrallment when it seemed she was going on a bit, but i love the elegant vividness of her writing .
I've not been to India or Pakistan and most of my ideas about it are from my reading. This book filled in a lot of the gaps for me, and then some. It helped I'm sure that I developed a real emapathy with the characters .
This may be not be so for you, Shannon, and I feel so sorry that not only are you not delighted by your reading but you are miserable. I have faced this situation and recently. I in a few cases I am glad I persevered....especialy with Iain Reid's book.
What works for me in fact if i am miserable with a book is to read another book, poetry or short stories work fine, then go back to it.
It's definitely not an easy book to get into.
But have you read the parcel by Anosh Irani?