Books with Buzz
March 3, 2011
There have been two book titles this week that have buzzed through an extraordinary number of my conversations. I’ve had an opportunity to read (and recommend!) one and am eagerly anticipating a reading of the second based on the enthusiastic commentary I’ve heard.
One Day by David Nicholls has travelled the globe by word of mouth in a way few other titles have. It follows the journeys of a man and a woman who meet in university during the 1980s and remain connected through the decades that follow. We are given a glimpse into their lives at various points, always on the same day – July 15th. This “one day” makes for an interesting device to move the story forward. From the author’s website: ” 15th July 1988. Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year which follows? One Day is a funny/sad love story spanning twenty years, a book about growing up – how we change, how we stay the same.”
A big part of the appeal of the book is the realistic “warts and all” behaviours of the characters – these are people you will recognise and relate to in many ways. “Honest” is a word reviewers have used frequently to describe the writing. You may be reminded of other beloved hip British writers: Nick Hornby and Tony Parsons.
Pop culture also plays an important role – the setting is London, England for the most part and references to the music and news of the times colour the story. In fact, David Nicholls has responded to repeated requests by actually posting a playlist of mix tapes (remember mix tapes? – now they’re playlists) that appear in the story. I love that!
David Nicholls himself is an engaging fellow in his interviews and his sense of humour comes across on his website as it does of course in his writing. One Day is the third of his novels and like me, you’ll no doubt be inspired to search out the previous ones, Starter for Ten and The Understudy. Get thee to a bookshop – the movie version will be released in September. I refuse to tell you who is starring (even though she’s BIG!) as I’d hate to influence your own vision of the characters. Your fault if you look it up!
And now for a Canadian read … Room by Emma Donoghue. (“Canadian” because Irish-born Ms. Donoghue now lives in Canada.) Diplomatically, both of the author’s homes have honoured the book with Novel of the Year – the Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the Year and the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize for best Canadian novel. I’ve yet to read this but am promised a copy shortly and can’t wait (no pressure on my book-loaning friend!) Also short-listed for the Man-Booker prize, this book inspires animated conversations everywhere. I’m motivated to start turning the pages not as much by the topic which feels dark but by the creative style of the book and the actual writing within. From the author’s website: “Jack and Ma live in a locked room that measures eleven foot by eleven. When he turns five, he starts to ask questions, and his mother reveals to him that there is a world outside. Told entirely in Jack’s voice, ROOM is no horror story or tearjerker, but a celebration of resilience and the love between parent and child.” As with many new releases seeking to inspire the market to embrace them, this book has a solid presence in social media and very creative ways to engage with the story beyond its covers. Visit Room on the book’s website and take a visual journey through the eyes of Jack.
If you’ve read either One Day or Room share your comments with us!
If You Liked …
January 8, 2011
The new year brings with it releases of some new titles by writers of some of our old favourites. These all look terrific to me and will no doubt be big book club hits. If you haven’t yet read the old ones, you have time to get caught up. So …
if you liked … you’ll be delighted by the new ….
Still Alice by Lisa Genova must be one of my most frequently recommended books in recent years; its poignancy has remained with me long after the last pages were read. While Still Alice followed Alzheimer’s from the perspective of the patient, Left Neglected, (released on January 4th, 2011) features the sufferer of a traumatic brain injury. (left neglect or hemi-spatial neglect refers to a lack of awareness of the left side of one’s body as a result of an injury to the right side of the brain) Not light stuff but as a Harvard Neuroscientist the author is more than prepared to shine some fascinating light on the world of the brain. She wrote that her first book wasn’t just about the illness but also “… about identity, about living a life that matters, about family and what a crisis does to relationships.” In telling a story of the recovery of a Type A over-achieving working mother after a life-altering accident, Left Neglected promises to do the same.
I read The Memory Keeper’s Daughter while snuggled up in a ski cabin in a snowstorm which was suitable considering the opening scenes of the story take place in a wild snowstorm. Now I’m off to find a cabin by a lake as it appears a lake plays a pivotal role in Kim Edwards’ latest tale. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter explored controversial and ethical decisions and their impact on a family in an absolutely enthralling way. A father decides to conceal the birth of his child with Down’s Syndrome and is thereafter haunted by his actions and the related actions of others.The Lake of Dreams (released on January 4th, 2011) also examines family and secrets and is apparently just as successful in creating memorable characters and evocative imagery. A young woman returns home, obsessed by her father’s earlier death and finds herself engaged in conflict and intrigue with her remaining family. Apparently there are secret letters and artefacts revealing a mysterious family past. Do tell.
I haven’t encountered a reader yet who wasn’t captivated by Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. In Loving Frank we followed a fictional account of the relationship between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney. A fascinating story made all the more interesting by the times in which it took place. In the new The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (to be released February 22,2011) we are drawn into the relationship between real life characters Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley Richardson. The story is written from the fictional perspective of Hadley during their time together, based mostly in Paris, during the 1920’s. According to Goodreads: “The city and its inhabitants provide a vivid backdrop to this engrossing and wrenching story of love and betrayal that is made all the more poignant knowing that, in the end, Hemingway would write of his first wife, “I wish I had died before I loved anyone but her.” Insert deep sigh here.
Another novel will also draw us back in history in an exciting way. Clara and Mr. Tiffany (to be released on January 11, 2011) is written by Susan Vreeland, known for Girl in Hyacinth Blue and Luncheon of the Boating Party, both successful fictional stories based in the real world of art of yore. “Clara” in the new title refers to one Clara Driscoll, an artist and designer for the famous Tiffany Studios in the late 19th century who until recently was unrecognized publicly for among other things, her creation of the Tiffany lamp and its iconic designs. Knowledge of her influence surfaced only with the discovery of three collections of revealing letters in 2005. Susan Vreeland was inspired and recounts her first introduction to Clara: “Here was the lively, sometimes rhapsodic voice of a woman who bicycled all around Manhattan and beyond, wore a riding skirt daringly shorter than street length, adored opera, followed the politics of the city, and threw herself into the crush of Manhattan life–the poverty of crowded immigrants in the Lower East Side as well as the Gilded Age uptown.” With a character like that to follow this is bound to be fun! Vreeland has proven herself with her previous books to be a solid researcher and a gifted fiction writer so be prepared to learn a great deal and enjoy the process immensely.
Don’t mind me while I mull over my preference for reading paperbacks – these are all hardcovers and I’m not sure I can wait!
A Fresh Start
January 4, 2011
I always think of the year as having two fresh start opportunities – September with back to school and its new beginnings and then the flip of the calendar to a new year in January. “Self-help” books (now more often referred to as “Health and Well Being”) tend to garner more attention during these times of year so I thought we’d take a peek today at one of the titles in the genre deemed “buzz-worthy”.
“For those who generally loathe the self-help genre, Rubin’s book is a breath of peppermint-scented air.” (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Gretchen Rubin devoted a year to an experiment in which she “test-drove the wisdom of the ages, current scientific studies, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier”. She recorded her findings in a blog and then in this book. View the video below to understand the impetus for her project.
The Happiness Project has been wildly popular; book clubs galore are reading this together and challenging one another to pursue “Happiness Projects” too. The book (and Gretchen’s) appeal is apparently in the lack of “preachiness” – resolutions and tasks are left open for a reader’s personal interpretation while the author readily admits her failings. She does not feel her way is the only way, she simply shares her experience and enthusiastically encourages others to pursue their unique version of Happiness Project.
Let us know if you’ve read the book and what your thoughts are. Have you launched your own Happiness Project for 2011?
A Christmas Tradition
December 18, 2010
Christmas stories are a holiday tradition I always enjoy. While reading them is fun (of course!) these are particularly moving when heard in audio form on the radio or podcast. Imagine baking Christmas cookies with a story being read to you or curling up with your beloveds in front of a lit Christmas tree and a warm fire all listening together.
The Gift of the Magi (above) is truly romantic and heartwarming. A classic short story by O. Henry it tells of a newlywed couple in tight times each finding creative ways to purchase a meaningful gift for the other. In typical O. Henry fashion, there is a little twist in the tale. I was searching for a copy recently and every bookseller I asked lit up and nostalgically crooned, “Ooooo I love that story!” It may have been difficult to locate last week but about 4 store owners have now been motivated to order!
Frederick Forsyth is primarily associated with his compelling thrillers and accounts of espionage (Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File… ) The Shepherd, a novella, is as enthralling but has a sentimental bent to it and an element of the mysterious. It was apparently written by Forsyth as a Christmas Gift to his wife when she requested a ghost story. His gift to her, and us, tells of an RAF pilot flying home to England from Germany on Christmas Eve. He inexplicably encounters electrical difficulties in flight and just when he fears all is lost, an escort plane appears. Huge suspense is built up in a mere 123 pages or so and you will find yourself riveted. Every year CBC Radio broadcasts The Shepherd and it has become a beloved tradition to listen to for many families.
Now this one I really do associate most with the radio reading. A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas is classic Christmas fare. In my favourite version Thomas himself reads aloud and paints the most extraordinary images with his words and voice. “… snow grew overnight on the roofs of the houses like a pure and grandfather moss, minutely -ivied the walls and settled on the postman, opening the gate, like a dumb, numb thunder-storm of white, torn Christmas cards.” “… Auntie Hannah, who liked port, stood in the middle of the snowbound back yard, singing like a big-bosomed thrush. I would blow up balloons to see how big they would blow up to; and, when they burst, which they all did, the Uncles jumped and rumbled...” It’s absolutely wonderful!
The countdown is on – hope you find a few moments in the busy-ness to enjoy a Christmas storytime.
Four Fun Books for Gifting
December 8, 2010
A few unique books that I’m sure you’ll enjoy gifting or reading yourself… Feel free to send along titles or gifts you’ve loved giving or receiving as well.
For the Book Clubbers in your world. This is a visual treat and veritable smorgasboard of delightful distractions: travels, books, hosting tips, recipes and an overall celebration of friendship. Offers a glimpse into the fun had by a group of Canadian book clubbers who took their love for reading and enjoying a good book together to new heights through travel and adventures together beyond their monthly meeting. In these pages they include reading recommendations and instructions for creating a book club in the style of their own. Click on the image to be taken to the authors’ website and view a few of the gorgeous pages within.
I posted earlier about the Kate Spade group and their enthusiasm for words and books ( Whimsical Words by Design ) They’ve stepped up their quirky literary enthusiasm with a wonderful new project in collaboration with the famous New York City bookstore The Strand. A group of seven women writers were assigned the task of writing a short story in which the phrase “She is quick and curious and playful and strong” must appear. The results are apparently “charming” as is the packaging of course. Click on the images to read excerpts and learn more about each writer.
Perhaps you share my perfectionist angst that surfaces every time I come to start a fresh first page in a journal or notebook. Who is comfortable with scarring those initial pristine pages? Keri Smith has recognised this dilemma and gives us permission to creatively “Wreck this Journal”. She even includes inspiring instructions on how to really do a number on the journal, having great fun expressing your personal creativity as you do. Visit her website by clicking on cover and review the gallery to see how different users have interpreted her instructions. A whimsical idea which results in a unique work of art.
Another enchanting find and on my all time favourite list. My boys have a rather worn out copy of Jamie Lee Curtis’ hilarious review of one’s many moods and we used to guffaw together at the hilarious illustrations by Laura Cornell. The story is told in rhyme and while it is very cute it also has a dose of poignancy in it. This little volume should not be restricted to the children in your life – it’s scrumptious and will amuse all. A glimpse inside is just a click away!
Ballerinas Everywhere
November 20, 2010
I’m not sure if it’s because The Nutcracker season is upon us but I am conscious of a ballerina trend in the air. A new movie called Black Swan is coming to theatres, our local Ballet is undergoing a sea change (what? no tutus!) and then there’s the bookshelf … An intriguing new hardcover fiction release is pleading to be added to the stack on the bedside table. And in the children’s section, with an apparent nod to the Madeleine books, a new storybook has arrived which promises to be a delight. Finally, carrying forward with our last posting’s theme, a fond but almost forgotten classic from youth …
The True Memoirs of Little K written by Adrienne Sharp follows the story of a century old ballerina reflecting on her life story. Exiled in Paris, tiny, one-hundred-year-old Mathilde Kschessinska sits down to write her memoirs before all that she believes to be true is forgotten. A lifetime ago, she was the vain, ambitious, impossibly charming prima ballerina assoluta of the tsar’s Russian Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg. Now, as she looks back on her tumultuous life, she can still recall every slight she ever suffered, every conquest she ever made. Through Kschessinska’s memories of her own triumphs and defeats, we witness the stories that changed history: the seething beginnings of revolution, the blindness of the doomed court, the end of a grand, decadent way of life that belonged to the nineteenth century. Based on fact, The True Memoirs of Little K is historical fiction as it’s meant to be written: passionately eventful, crammed with authentic detail, and alive with emotions that resonate still.” (From amazon.ca Product Description)
And then there is Miss. Lina’s Ballerinas written by Grace Maccarone and illustrated by Christine Davenier. Enjoy a glimpse here:
Remember Noel Streatfeild’s classic published in 1936: Ballet Shoes? Three young orphans are adopted and then through circumstances and serendipity follow dreams in diverse directions. One young girl is a gifted dancer and dreams of being a prima ballerina. Noel Streatfeild wrote a number of stories following the Shoe theme: Dancing Shoes, Skating Shoes, Tennis Shoes, Movie Shoes, Party Shoes and Circus Shoes among them.
Cozy Books
November 14, 2010
I’ve been craving a “cozy” book lately – one of those lovely yarns filled with delightful folks who find themselves in a pickle or two over which they anguish and then happily resolve by the end. Sometimes there are charming towns filled with quaint cafes, blooming gardens, book shops and quirky old houses. There is usually an eccentric character or two, a misunderstanding or a secret, maybe even a dramatic journey. I do enjoy challenging reads in which I develop an appreciation for something, someone, or somewhere new but as the sun and the temperatures sink, a cozy book craving inevitably strikes.
Here are some of the books I’ve cuddled up with and enjoyed:
Adriana Trigiani is a character unto herself and prolifically generates heartwarming and funny tales. I recommend starting with the Big Stone Gap series (and quickly – rumour is there is a movie in the works!)
Maeve Binchy is a classic in the genre. Light A Penny Candle was my first Binchy read and I have a clear memory of racing through the last pages in the light of the headlights of the car following ours on a long drive home. Just that riveting. Fortunately for us, Maeve Binchy is also dedicated to her writing and provides us with new choices on a fairly regular basis.
Rosamunde Pilcher‘s The Shell Seekers is an all-time favourite. There is a sequel called September and many other stories as well that I’ve enjoyed but The Shell Seekers is the one of which I’m most fond. While Rosamunde has retired her son Robin Pilcher now writes similarly themed books.
A few new “cozies” are arriving on the book shop shelves and my wish list:
And so as you tuck your blanket in around you and get the fireplace going, which cozy books are you craving?
The Gift of an Ordinary Day
October 24, 2010
Not long ago a lovely friend and reader of this blog forwarded me a book trailer video I’ve since been eager to share with you all. As the book in question has just been released in paperback, now seemed a good time. The Gift of an Ordinary Day – A Mother’s Memoir by Katrina Kenison has been described by Family Circle magazine in the following way:
“This eloquent book is subtitled “A Mother’s Memoir” but that’s not giving Kenison’s chronicle of her sons’ increasing independence its full due. It’s also about longing and fulfillment, taking stock of failures and achievements, a search for the elusive “something more” of one’s existence—and a reminder that life’s seemingly mundane moments are often where we find beauty, grace and transformation.”
The promotional video of Katrina Kenison reading aloud from her book reminds me a great deal of Kelly Corrigan’s videos for her books, The Middle Place and Lift. That’s a good thing. I suggest you pop out for a minute if you have to stock up on tissues and then settle in for a moving and poignant glimpse into The Gift of an Ordinary Day. If you’re seeking a trigger for good discussion and conversation at your book club I am certain any of these three titles will do the trick.
The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor
October 15, 2010
CBC Radio One’s annual program “Canada Reads” provides a forum for five Canadian titles to be debated and defended by five noteworthy Canadians. After each debate, a novel is voted out of the running until only one remains. This selection is deemed the essential novel for all Canadians to enjoy together. If you’ve not tuned in before, the debates are entertaining, witty, and occasionally feisty. Jian Ghomeshi as the host is brilliant at directing the conversation and unveiling unique perspectives and impressions. The tenth edition of Canada Reads will air in February 2011. In honour of this anniversary, rather than simply announce the 5 novels to be debated, Canadian readers have been asked to submit their choices for a list of “Top 40 Essential Canadian Novels of the Decade” (published after January 1, 2000). This list will be narrowed down over the next few months and the top selections will be debated.
I count many Canadian books among my favourites but a particular standout for me published in the last decade is The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor. It was one of our book club selections and our members were unanimously enthused. The novel, as the title suggests, follows the many incarnations of one Charlotte Taylor – an amazingly resilient woman and pioneer as she ventures forth and establishes herself in early Canada. The Ottawa Citizen states: “The sweep is epic, a romantic narrative filled with passion, rebellion, adventure, heartbreak, triumph, legacy. It’s a heck of a story.” Sally Armstrong, a founding editor of Canadian Living magazine and editor at Homemaker’s and Macleans magazines, has taken her family’s lore relating to a great-great-great Grandmother and with wonderful imagination filled in the archival gaps with memorable characters and adventures. The fact that the tale itself is based on a woman whose pluckiness inspired generations to recount and share the legend of her just adds to the charm of the book.
I will submit my request for The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor to be considered as a Canada Reads Top 40 Essential Canadian Novel … but in the meantime I hope you get a head start and enjoy it yourself!
What to read next
October 13, 2010
So many new books to explore but so many timeless ones yet to enjoy as well. I’m turning the tables today – if you could recommend one book (or a few if so inclined) what would it be? It could be a recent read from the bestseller list or an all time favourite … let us know what we should read next!
