March 2013. This is a book I doubt I shall easily forget. Never has an author created so much pathos for an animal (in this case, Misha, a rescued Emperor penguin from the Kiev Zoo) since Jack London’s “White Fang.” A bird with the intelligence and sensitivity of a dog, waddling around a small Soviet… Continue reading Review-ish: Death and the Penguin by Andrey Kurkov
“Who am I, Margaret Atwood? No. I’m Jon Paul fucking Fiorentino.” This is just hysterically funny if you’re a fan of Canadian literature. Or if you just appreciate silly humour. P.S. Roland Michener was the Governor General of Canada from 1967 to 1974. Jon Paul Fiorentino is a badass.
Nothing like feeling sick to get me blogging again. I’m sitting here watching the season’s premiere of Heroes, and poor Hiro Nakamura has already lost the secret formula his father entrusted him to protect in his last well and testament. Nathan Petrelli has been killed and come back to life, and Claire’s finally had her… Continue reading Ready, Set, Fall Reads
Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala This was a very quick read: the time taken to travel from Toronto to Tobermory. The narrative begins confusingly, a first-person voice speaking pidgin English, disoriented by sound and light and hunger. But soon, Agu introduces himself to us through his simple, childish revelations that are both sublime,… Continue reading Review-ish: Cottage Reads
A part of my brain just forgets a story after I read it. A few months ago (was it?) I read Where Angels Fear to Tread and right now, you could not pay me to tell you what the denouement is in that novel. (I could Google it.) I don’t like to think my short… Continue reading Review-ish: Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Is it just coincidence that ALL the last four books that I randomly chose are written about writers writing? It all started with… The Ghostwriter – Philip Roth. Lent to me by a publisher (who is publishing my friend Rebecca’s book this fall), who suggested I read it because it talks about the frustration of… Continue reading Now Reading: Writers on Writing
“Are the dead, too, defiled by sorrow, Remorse, or anguish? We who live Clutch at our porous myths to borrow Belief to ease us, to forgive Those who by dying have bereft us Of themselves, of ourselves, and left us Prey to this spirit-baffling pain. The countries round our lives maintain No memoirists and no… Continue reading Review-ish: The Golden Gate by Vikram Seth
I got back from Montreal yesterday, but felt too lazy to write. Got lots of things swimming around in my head, which require commitment to paper. Montreal was a wonderful weekend (I’ll post photos later) and I’m glad I went. So many things to think about after. Friday was a lazy evening at the Reservoir… Continue reading The End of Summer
I finished the book in 8 hours. The era has officially ended. I’m not sure if I should give my feedback. Okay, sans spoilers? Lovely in parts and disappointing in parts. Bit anticlimactic, but still some pretty cool scenes. All in all, not the spellbinding finish I thought it would be, but penultimately weepy nevertheless,… Continue reading Review-ish: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
The Chapati Kid 