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The character of Isabella Pasternak is a hilarious one, reminiscent of a culinary version of Bridget Jones. From the first page where Isabella describes forced camaraderie at work being « worse than Boneless, skinless chicken breasts », to her botched attempt at being an online cooking celebrity, this book will make you laugh out loud. A great read for Thanksgiving long weekend!

This is a gripping memoir by Jane Ferguson, an Irish ex-patriate who became a news correspondant in the Middle East. I will tell you more when I put it down!

While experiencing the grief and loss associated with losing both my parents within 14 months of each other, I also had to face the emotional and mental trauma connected with stresses and anxiety regarding their estate. I appreciate this book about David A Robertson admitting his anxiety triggers, and I look forward to learning about his coping mechanisms.

I wonder if it is coincidence that I am also reading Jeannie Beker’s book as host of TV’s Fashion Television since Christian Allaire mentions her as inspiration to be in the fashion industry as a representative of the Ojibwe tribe of Northern Ontario, and she wrote the forward in his book too. This memoir is a fascinating read about the influences of a boy who works his way up as a fashion editor of Vogue!

Anne Allen was Princess Diana’s private dance instructor soon after the Royal wedding, and this revelatory book is interesting because it reveals their friendship over the years. I look forward to finishing it!

An advisory needs to accompany this book to only read it after having a full stomach. Its vivid descriptions of mindful appreciations while eating, observing and interacting are simple but could also inspire hunger.

Normally I am not a fan of books written in the second person. This memoir written after memory loss due to a stroke, however, is interesting as the narrator attempts to make sense of themselves as another based on personal photos and momentos.

I have never read a memoir that involved having an affair through food, with the daughter as abetting to the affair. Adrienne Brodeur’s mother studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, worked as a chef in Time-Life’s test kitchens for its Food of the World Series, published food cookbooks, and wrote a food column for the Boston Globe. She proceeded to entice her husband’s best friend through cooking.

This is an incredible read. Not knowing anything about Griffin Dunne, I started reading this book with an open mind and have been blown away by the quality of writing about intriguing life stories. In addition to his unique upbringing in Beverly Hills, I am now reading about Griffin Dunne’s friendship with actress Carrie Fisher from adolescence.

I have only just started reading this book, and laughed all the way through the first chapter!

After seeing the film version of this memoir, with the author portrayed by Saiorse Ronan, I am enjoying the vivid imagery of the book as Amy Liptrot describes fighting alcoholism in her 20’s. In the film, she returns to desolate Orkney, Scotland, and I am looking forward to reading about that too.

I appreciate getting financial advice from other women, and this book is providing good advice, in addition to two articles in the November 16, 2024 edition of the Globe and Mail entitled, “The secret to smart investing in uncertain times” on page B9, and a specific article written by a retired teacher, “This retired educator ditched the stock market and only invests in GICS”.

The ingenuity of this author as she describes childhood ambitions to meet people like Michael Jackson is amazing. It was also interesting to read about her friendship with neighbourhood friend Tyka Nelson, whose older brother was Prince. Smith’s description of her father supporting Prince’s musical talent at his Capri Theater in Minnesota, along with other black artists is amazing. A great book so far!

Reading this book feels like getting a slap in the face as its author reveals the facts about this generation of children getting addicted to using devices. Even having a Masters in Educational Technology, this book is making me question some applications of technology with children, while emphasizing some of my thoughts about aspects like cellphones, which I believe are causing a downfall to our society.

Anyone who has travelled to Prince Edward Island or Toronto will appreciate this book, which is a romance novel with vivid images of locations.

Is this book a memoir? Although “All Fours” is labeled a novel, the space between the author's life and the story's protagonist is often no wider than a bra strap.

I like this book so far. The woman in the bookstore asked if I heard this CBC podcast about it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgQqn...

This memoir reminds me of « Orange is the New Black », which is another book about a woman who went to prison, but for money laundering instead of committing twenty felonies while her boyfriend worked as a sheriff’s deputy. So far, learning about her life before the felonies helps to create an avid picture of her life changing after becoming addicted to opioids.

Enjoyed the first line: Raising kids in the South used to be more about respecting your parents and keeping your mouth shut. (Today, the rules have reversed-it’s more about respecting the kids). Disagreeing with a parent was never permitted in my house.

This book is fascinating by revealing aspects of a narcissistic personality disorder, and it points out that a person who is already predisposed to having it might be tipped over by a defeat or disappointment that so touched who they are /how they define themselves that they may spend much of the rest of their lives trying to fill the hole that’s left. Some think that too much validation young creates entitlement.

This book is fascinating by revealing aspects of a narcissistic personality disorder, and it points out that a person who is already predisposed to having it might be tipped over by a defeat or disappointment that so touched who they are /how they define themselves that they may spend much of the rest of their lives trying to fill the hole that’s left. Some think that too much validation young creates entitlement.

After her mother’s death, the author discovers that her family wasn’t as prestigious as she thought, and instead her mother had been raised as a « foundling » in an orphanage type setting, founded by British elite to help children being abandoned in the 1700’s. Interestingly, at first churches didn’t recognize adoption since families acquiring an heir might mean a loss of financial support to the church.

It’s hard to keep up with Natalie Maclean as she describes her competitive nature to open her own Highland dancing school at age 14 before attending Western University in Ontario before becoming a successful wine writer. After her husband leaves her for another woman, she becomes dependant on the wine that was once only part of her profession, and starts drinking in an attempt to battle depression and anxiety.

If you are a Beatles fan then this book is for you! I learned more about John and Yoko’s bed-in in Montreal and relationship with Canada’s Le Château founder Herschel Segal after the Beatles played the Montreal Forum in 1964. One of Le Chateau’s biggest sellers was a zip-front jumpsuit and John Lennon can be seen in pictures wearing one.

Listening to the audio book version of this book about Sinead O’Connor after her recent death is an emotional experience after it highlights the importance of her strength and political activism that influenced many others, including other artists.

I am appreciative of the thoughtful book created by author Elliot Page. The descriptions of growing up as a queer person, as a trans person in small town Nova Scotia and admitting these truths are described as a « dangling tooth needed to be ripped out ». The struggles with fame as the film « Juno » came out made it seem as if Hollywood was more intent on defining Page ´s sexuality instead the great film,