CanadianContent discussion

Good morning readers!

Soon we will know the winner of the Giller prize - any books that you are specifically rooting for? Did you read through many? Were you as engaged in the short-list this year?

What have you been reading? What is next on your TBR pile?

Happy reading!

I'm looking forward to Monday night's Giller announcement, but so far I've only read 2 of the 6 shortlisted books (Dual Citizens and Lampedusa) and my hold on The Innocents audiobook is about to come up. I'm really hoping one of those will win simply because I'm not interested in reading the others, but will feel obligated to read the winner!

Right now I'm reading The Night Tiger and listening to The God of Small Things. I'm also eager to start on The Starless Sea, which I have from the library in both eBook and audiobook format. I'll go with the one I'm ready for first. I'm feeling kind of bad to have borrowed both when so many folks are waiting, but not bad enough to return one of them!

I was so on my game last year for the Gillers. I read all the shortlist, even the tome that is Songs for the Cold of Heart, before the winner was announced. Sigh.

@Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ - I hear you! This year, i have only read The Innocents and missed the Between the Pages event with May.

Happy Friday!

This week I finished Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. It's a very good book and I gave it 5 stars, but I also felt like I am already pretty well versed in the problems with the criminal justice system, racism, and the death penalty. So, perhaps I wasn't as shocked and blown away by this book as some readers seem to be on Goodreads.

I am nearing the end of Girl, Woman, Other and I have absolutely loved this book. I'm going to have to pick my next fiction read carefully because I will have a book hangover after this one.

I'm looking forward to the Giller award ceremony on Monday but I've only read three of the books. The library has The Innocents "in process," which means I probably won't get it until after the prize is awarded. Of the three I've read, Dual Citizens is my favourite.

I'm also looking forward to the National Book Awards being handed out next week and the New York Times top 10 list being announced. I love all this stuff! :-)

I too have lagged behind in my reading of the Gillers. I have read 2/6 and have the remaining four on hand but just cannot seem to get interested this time around. I will see what I can tackle this weekend so I can be a bit more informed when watching the awards next week. And for non-Canadian reads:

I am getting into a Scottish book, His Bloody Project: Documents Relating to the Case of Roderick Macrae, the setting in close to my roots. I have been flipping between paper and audio on this as I love the Gaelic accent of the reader.

I finished Three Women and it is a bit too raunchy for some book clubs in my opinion although would make for an interesting conversation between friends.

Happy Friday!!
I read 3/6 of the shortlist and I was not blown away by any of them like Washington Black or Do Not Say We Have Nothing, but I missed meeting up with @Susan for Between the Pages, as it was always fun.

This week I finished reading The Beekeeper of Aleppo, and a YA Frankly in Love, both of which I liked a lot. I also finished listening to Know My Name in audiobook and I LOVED LOVED LOVED it!! I couldn't stop telling everyone about it and recommending it.

Currently reading The End of Your Life Book Club and listening to Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science.
Have a great weekend everyone!

Good morning!

I'm not following the Giller Award, although I will be listening for the winner. A few of the books have peeked my interest but library queues are too long to be bothered to try to read them "on time". I'll eventually get to them.

This week I finished To the River: Losing My Brother, which turned out to be a touching look at the loss of a brother and also a research into suicide as a topic. The book was very well presented and touchingly told.
I also finished the audio of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrator was wonderful, the story was humorous and interesting. It's basically a retelling of the American Revolution but on the moon. I found this to be a nice light funny read.

I've now started The End Is Always Near: Apocalyptic Moments, from the Bronze Age Collapse to Nuclear Near Misses. If the first chapter is any indication, this won't go well. Perhaps it's just the topic, though, and the other chapters will be more interesting.
In audio, I've started The Dogs of Riga and am not far enough into it yet to get a real feel for the story. There are a lot of big chips sitting on shoulders, though. LOL.

I read Reproduction and I enjoyed it quite a bit although the author played with a lot of writing styles. I haven't read the others though so no real predictions. Seems like some big names on the list so...?

For Canadian reads, I just finished Runaway by Alice Munro and I loved it. I have read other collections of hers but this was my favorite.

Completed my goal of 200 books this year. That is a little crazy. Have the fun of deciding which books I will finish out the year with.

Barbara wrote: "Completed my goal of 200 books this year."

Impressive! Congratulations!

That's wonderful.

Well done, Barbara!

Like you, Petra, I have yet to receive any of the Giller books from the library.

I re-listened to a beloved old favourite by Ondaatje The Cat's Table this week and waded through Jess Kidd's Things in Jars. It gets so many 5 stars reviews but I found it exasperatingly overwritten and felt like I'd never make it through the swamp of adjectives and imagery to get to the end.

I'm halfway through The Beekeeper of Aleppo and once I finish it, I'll be one book away from reaching my 2019 goal of 100 books by women authors. Not sure if the 100th will be O Caledonia or Please Read This Leaflet Carefully: Keep This Leaflet. You May Need to Read It Again..

Happy weekend to all. It's going to be a very wet one here which means lots of reading time.

Great goals achieved to @Barbara and @Storyheart!

Well done @Storyheart! Love that you focused on female authors this year.

Great achievement @Barbara & @Storyheart!!

887 by Robert Lepage.

Per your question Susan - I wasn't as engaged this year with the Scotiabank Giller short-list. By being "engaged" I mean reading them all. I wanted to and still hope to read most of them but just couldn't find time.

I finished Immigrant City and quite liked it. I think it is winner worthy but unlikely to do so. But who knows?

I half-finished Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club and will finish The Innocents before tonight's show. Both impressed me with their writing and their book's themes and content. I found both gripping. I think 1 or the other will be tonight's winner. Perhaps Megan Gail Coles will even upset Michael Crummey. Although Crummey is a favourite of mine, I won't be sad Cole wins. I think her book is very unique, topical, important and extremely well done. Pleased to see social justice advocating in fiction.

I'd like to read some of Dual Citizens tio get a feel before tonight's announcement but not looking feasible.

Agree with @ Louise - this years' finalists are a very strong examples of excellent Canadian fiction. Can't wait for tonight;s telecast.

In other reading for an in-person Book Club I finished Educated. 3 1/2 stars for me. It sparked a very lively discussion.

A Season in the Life of Emmanuel by Marie-Claire Blais.

Great achievement to @Barbara and @Storyheart!