The Intrepid Pens – “Quiet Magic”
October 7, 2010
in·trep·id (ĭn-trěp’ĭd) adj. Resolutely courageous; fearless, brave, bold. See Synonyms at brave. (1627 (implied in intrepidness ), from L. intrepidus “unshaken, undaunted,” from in- “not” + trepidus “alarmed.”). Additional synonyms: audacious, gritty, gutsy, heroic.
I happened upon word of a wonderful endeavour in our fair city a month or so ago and it’s been dwelling in my thoughts ever since. Our little blog here seemed like the perfect spot to launch a conversation about it and perhaps even inspire a flurry of action. While I dallied, sorting my thoughts and words, The Vancouver Sun and the Vancouver Courier coincidentally both printed related articles this week. The focus? The Intrepid Pens.
The Intrepid Pens is a creative writing workshop and book club based at the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre on Cordova Street in Vancouver. Founder, facilitator and nurturer of the group, Amanda Grondahl encourages the women living with addiction, poverty, and homelessness to engage their creativity and self-expression through writing of their own. She also gives them an opportunity to explore and discuss novels of the group’s choosing. In her own words from her blog she says: ” … how amazing it is when 15 (or so) women get together to talk, read, write, share, laugh, and grow; how group members’ writing has improved; how group members’ confidence is soaring; how some are sharing their stories for the very first time; how beautiful it is that those who struggle with reading or writing are read to by fellow group members – their work transcribed for them, and read aloud by their friends; how we’re learning through reading and healing through writing; how several group members have already been published, and how group members talk with excitement about writing more, learning more, and doing more…” Amanda believes there is a “quiet magic” taking place within the group. She is adamant that the women are as important to her as she might be to them and fondly speaks of “my ladies” as she writes “… we are a little family of writers and readers and friends now. …”
Amanda makes it clear that she is enormously grateful to a number of sponsors, friends and families who offer help, support and donations. There are a few very easy ways in which Bedside Table Books and our readers can give The Intrepid Pens a little boost of encouragement too:
Firstly, Amanda and her fellow Intrepid-ers have applied to the Pepsi Refresh Grant Campaign with hope of qualifying for $25,000.00 toward their cause. The grants are based upon the number of supportive votes each applicant receives. Please take the time to add your vote by clicking here and then crossing your fingers that the group is selected to receive the money. Voting deadline is October 31st.
Secondly, The Intrepid Pens have need of the following:
- Novels (new or used copies)
- Writing supplies (journals, notebooks, and pens)
- Bus tickets for transportation around the city (Adult 1-zone Faresavers)
- Money (for books, supplies, food and drinks, transportation, field trips, and special events)
As readers, many in book clubs, you might like to review the Intrepid Pens’ impressive book list (they are reading great stuff!) and see if you have any copies you’d like to donate. If your book club or a group of your friends has recently read one of the list entries then suggest anyone not wishing to keep her copy share it with the Intrepid ladies. Another option is to shop for a few copies and send them along.
I hope this fine venture and its story captures your hearts as firmly as it does mine.
Visit the website for The Intrepid Pens here and follow their story or make contact.
You may recall another special book club in an earlier post this year. Read The Word is Their Bond from March 12th.
The Blessings of the Animals
September 28, 2010
You may remember my reference to Katrina Kittle in an earlier entry related to the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop. I promised to write more about her and today is the day. Katrina spoke at the conference not about humour (though she was charming and witty to be sure!) but about the craft of writing. She is a writer who takes the responsibility of her role very seriously and while it is tempting to say she’s “gifted” the reality is her gift is her dedication to exploring social issues and then presenting their nuances in a most readable and inspiring way. Please do not be daunted by the tough topics (AIDS, Child Abuse, Addiction, Divorce …) Do yourself a favour and take the plunge. She is a sincere storyteller – you will find humour along with some sadness and be left with a hearty whiff of optimism. I have read The Kindness of Strangers and The Blessings of the Animals and am delighted there are two more to relish. (Traveling Light, Two Truths and a Lie)
I most recently read The Blessings of the Animals. The story focuses on a veterinarian (Camden) who is left by her husband and must forge a new understanding of herself and the important relationships in her life. The characters in the wide cast have intriguing stories of their own and are surrounded by a delightful troupe of wise animals, each with its own tale too. (Tale/Tail? I know … too much!) For the record, I’d like to come back in another life as Muriel the Goat – ahhh the sass!
A wonderful discovery within the pages was a reference to a real-life Blessing of the Animals. This enchanting ceremony at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City (there are others around the world too) celebrates the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (this Sunday, October 3rd in 2010) and blesses the animals in his honour. Katrina incorporates it into a poignant part of her story but this video gives you a little peek of the real deal.
The cover of the the Blessings of the Animals book is so appealing. Katrina shares her feelings about it in her own blog: “What I love about this cover for The Blessings of the Animals is that not only does it suggest (rightly) that a woman and a horse will be key players, but it speaks to me of love, of trust, of comfort (which one is comforting the other, or is it mutual?), and even hope (grass that shade of green can only be springtime). Combined with the title, hopefully it will compel potential readers to want to know more.”
Pick up a copy of The Blessings of the Animals and keep an eye on the news media this weekend for coverage of the feasts and ceremonies.
Click here for an earlier post on books and their covers.
Where and how do you read?
September 21, 2010
If I could just paint myself into the image above I’d be pretty darn delighted. What a perfect spot to read! I’ve heard a few conversations lately about where and when we read. I, for one, always have a book with me so that if I’m caught waiting somewhere in my day’s travels I can sneak in a few bonus pages; I frankly panic if I’m without something to read or write upon. Any handbag I ever own must accommodate a trade paperback and a notebook – it’s simply a rule. In reality most of my pages are read in bed before going to sleep. There was a time when my beloved fussed about the bedside lamp shining and over the years we’ve explored a variety of mutually acceptable solutions to this “problem” (as he perceives it). One year I was perplexed to discover a head lamp in my Christmas stocking. He interrupted my horrified thoughts of cave exploration with “For reading at night of course!” My head-bobbing battles to stay awake “to just the end of this chapter…” are now accompanied by a dramatic light show. I’m determined that the best solution is to have him become a bedtime reader too. I have met with some success recently thanks to Stieg Larsson. The blog at Abe Books posted a piece about Reading in Bed and a lively discussion arose about the variety of positions. Do you lean back surrounded with pillows? Lie face down, propped up on elbows? Or are you a side-reader? This also applies to beach reading in my mind – I’m perpetually singed on the front because I find it uncomfortable to flip and read lying face down. As much as I savour my bedtime reading I most enjoy cuddling up in a cosy armchair with a blanket and a mug of something. Early on a weekend morning before everyone else rises is even better … if I haven’t stayed up reading too late the night before!
Where and how do you read?
The Book Club
August 17, 2010
I have been in a book club for many years and have always found it one of my most enjoyable social activities. Some of my fondest memories are of friends made and books read together in book clubs I belonged to while living in Santiago, Chile and London, England. I still try to keep in touch with some of those gals and inevitably we share titles we’ve been reading in our “clubs”. Locally, many of us have fun cross-referencing our reading lists with friends within other book clubs.
My most recent Book Club meeting with the current crew (see above) was the best ever – a sunny beach locale (hosted by a member at her summer getaway), a great book (The Disappeared by Kim Echlin) and a small but devoted, cheery, and engaged group of clubbers. We were delivered by boat to our floating yellow platform with lawn chairs, books, and “provisions” in hand. We chatted about the book, positively pleased to have had the opportunity to read it, and shared comments and observations with one another. We really could have chatted all night about the book itself but became distracted by the sheer glory of our surroundings and the fish leaping all around. Our chatter roamed off in philosophical directions … “If you could be anywhere else in the world right now … where would you be?” Hard pressed to find anywhere better but a great conversation resulted just the same. As the sun set we were retrieved by our trusty captain and, after a brief detour for crab-trap hunting, were delivered back to the beach. Heavenly!
So many people I know belong to book clubs and it seems these associations share similar successes and challenges.
Do you grapple with poor attendance?
Can you still attend if you’ve not read the book?
Do you eat and drink? (Who just snickered?! … Silly question)
Do you stick with a theme or do you try something new every month?
Our club began with some guidelines: must read book, must attend meetings regularly, paperback preferred, food and drink to be simple, hosting duties shared through the year, meetings at our homes (except when they are on the high seas!) …
Lately we have been struggling with books getting read and meetings being poorly attended by about half our group. It is frustrating for the rest of us and I wonder if our book club needs a break – a fresh start? Should we be more understanding about the busy-ness and the varying priorities?
What do you think? Is Book Club about the books or just the socializing? Tell us about yours! Describe your favourite book club meeting!
Lost and Found
July 23, 2010
On any visit to a used book store I get quite caught up in imagining where the books have been and how they ended up on the shelf in a dark, dusty and crowded shop. It strikes me that there is a sense of desperation in a used book store – a pathetic tone – all those poor old books abandoned and desperately craving a new home; a little like the dog pound but for books! (Some of you might take issue with me on that.) On a cheerier note though, many of those lonely books hold within them wonderful treasures, just waiting to be discovered.
One used book shop proprietor (Michael of Popek’s Used and Rare Books) enjoyed his collection of “forgotten bookmarks” so much he started to archive the items and formed a webpage to share them with others. In Michael’s words: “I work at a used and rare bookstore and I buy books from people everyday. These are the funny, heartbreaking, and weird things I find in those books.” The collection is so much more than bookmarks – there are recipes, postcards, letters, grocery lists, ticket stubs, photos, drawings … ranging in vintage from recent times to decades and centuries ago. Each item is carefully transcribed for easy reading and the book in which it was found is always listed. It’s entertaining reading!
Visit Forgotten Bookmarks here and enjoy the treasure hunt! Here are a few samples of entries:
The found business card is of a William G. Clark, Narcotics Investigator, Narcotic Control Bureau, Department of Health, State of New York and was found in this book, “Firearms: Pleasures and Treasures” by Howard Ricketts. Published by Putnam, 1962.
This photograph of a woman has no details written on it. It was found in a book of poetry: “The Poems of Adelaide A. Proctor.” Published by Thomas Y. Crowell. The book was inscribed and dated “Christmas, 1901”.
“Baseball ticket for Game 75, The New York Yankees vs. the Boston Red Sox, September 18, 1955, at Yankee Stadium. Found in “Journeyman” by Erskine Caldwell. Published by Signet, 1953. If you are interested (Michael was), the Yankees beat the Sox, 3-2. ”
And one of my favourites:
Are you tempted to tuck a little surprise in your book for someone to find some day?
My Paperbacks for Summer
July 11, 2010
Thank you to those of you who shared some of your summer suggestions (posted last time). Today I am sharing my stack of paperback hope-to-reads-by-end-of-the-summer. As I see them all together I realize the covers don’t look particularly chipper considering this is the season for light and bright! Better send me your bubblegum coloured chick lit suggestions to perk things up around here …
Meanwhile, here’s my list and why each one made the cut:
Silas Marner by George Eliot – A classic. I’m hearing quite a bit about a return to reading the classics missed (or avoided?) through the years. This was a gift from a dear English friend and I’ve harboured great guilt in not yet having given it it’s due attention.
The Gardner Heist by Ulrich Boser – On the night of March 18, 1990, a pair of thieves disguised as Boston police officers entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and roamed the Museum’s galleries, stealing thirteen works of art. The stolen works include some of the most important in art history. I visited the museum around this time (not guilty!) and absolutely loved it. Am intrigued by this unsolved mystery.
Same Kind Of Different As Me: A Modern-day Slave, An International Art Dealer, And The Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together by Ron Hall and Denver Moore – A wealthy businessman is encouraged by his wife to volunteer with the Union Gospel Mission. He meets a homeless man there who becomes deeply intertwined in his life. “A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it.”
The Piano Teacher by Janice Lee – A tale of love and betrayal beginning in war-torn Hong Kong of 1942 and carrying on to a decade later when “impossible choices emerge-between love and safety, courage and survival, the present, and above all, the past.”
At Least in the City Someone Would Hear me Scream: Misadventures in Search of the Simple Life by Wade Rouse. Wade Rouse captured my heart at the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Conference and I’ve been looking forward to the guaranteed combination of laughs and poignancy in this newly released paperback.
The Various Flavors of Coffee by Anthony Capella – The worlds of business and romance and coffee in end of the 19th Century London and beyond. I’m thinking an entertaining recipe!
The Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick – A “man of means” from Wisconsin seeks a wife through newspaper ads in the late 1800s and selects one who is not all that she says she is.
The Secret Daughter by Shalpi Somaya Gowda – A Globe and Mail bestseller for many weeks now. The story of a child born in a small village in India and given up for adoption to a woman doctor in America. “The story moves between the two families, one struggling to eke out an existence in Mumbai, the other grappling with the challenge of raising a brownskinned child from another culture.”
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, And Madness At The Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson- I ended a recent visit to Chicago with a desire to read about some of the lively characters that populated its history. “Bringing Chicago circa 1893 to vivid life, this spellbinding bestseller intertwines the true tale of two men–the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World”s Fair, striving to secure America’s place in the world; and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death.
What are you reading this summer?
Cookin’ the Books
June 22, 2010
I believe some of the most beautiful and interesting books on the market are found in the Cooking section of the bookshop. I’m certainly not much of a chef but some of my most treasured books are my cookbooks. For sentimental reasons, my Blue Ribbon Cook Book for Everyday Use in Canadian Homes published in 1905 will always have prime real estate on my shelf. Mine is the sixteenth edition and has my Grandmother’s handwriting throughout its splattered, stained and yes, even burnt pages. (Possibly from a cigarette instead of the stove …? Those were the times!) My mother-in-law has her own mother’s edition on her kitchen bookshelf. I wonder how many of you are hanging onto a copy too …
A cook book can be so much more than just recipes. Here are a few I’d love to share with you:
The Summer Book by Susan Branch
A work of art! Literally … Hand-lettered, watercolour-painted, personal story-filled and yummy recipes on almost every page! All of her books are sweet but this is my favourite.
Apples for Jam by Tess Kiros
I have given this as a gift but have yet to treat myself to a copy. It is also a visual delight and weaves a wonderful story of family and the meals that sustain and comfort throughout one’s life.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks – Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl by Ree Drummond
Good heavens this woman is a hoot! I discovered her incredibly successful blog at www.thepioneerwoman.com and was inspired by her humour and photography skills to seek out her book. She is zany, but in the most charming and talented way. She photographs and chats her way through every step of each recipe – for instance step 15 of PW’s Potato Skins is: ” Then simply place them on a platter, walk toward your guests and discover what it feels like to be the most popular person in the room. Field marriage proposals as needed.” Hearty comfort food is the theme (she is feeding cowboys after all!)
The Art of Eating by M.F.K. Fisher (50th Anniversary Edition)
Not actually a cook book per se, this is a collection of five of Fisher’s books of essays on cooking and life: Serve it Forth, Consider the Oyster, How to Cook a Wolf, The Gastronomical Me, and An Alphabet for Gourmets. I discovered Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher in a writing class (having passed away in ’92 she wasn’t in attendance – her writing was being reveredby the instructor) and was intrigued by her persona and the craft of her writing. Like Georgia O’Keefe and Coco Chanel, Fisher was a strong and charismatic woman with an abundance of talent and sharp wit. Here is a little excerpt from a chapter called Pity the Blind in Palate: “Frederick the Great used to make his own coffee, with much to-do and fuss. For water, he used champagne. Then, to make the flavour stronger, he stirred in powdered mustard. Now to me it seems improbable that Frederick truly liked this brew. I suspect him of bravado. Or perhaps he was taste-blind.”
Feel free to comment on your favourite cooking titles too …
Bon appetit!
Reading … “at Tiffany”
June 9, 2010
Found a robin’s egg in the woods this morning! I gathered it up and carried it home … not sure why except I don’t think we city folk see these little treats of nature very often. My wee egg is a bit crumpled but I was pleased when the boys came home from school and gave the little egg the high praise of both a “swee-eet!” and “coo-ol!”. For the record, not much merits both a “sweet” and a “cool”. Today’s note to you isn’t about bird books or books by people named Robin it’s more of a stretch … While that lovely blue is tiny treasured egg shells in my mind, it’s a tried and true Tiffany blue for others. So today it’s about location, location, location: Tiffany, Tiffany, Tiffany!
Summer at Tiffany – Marjorie Hart (memoir) – Found this on a discount table some time ago and have been saving it for a lazy summer day. It’s been a while … yoo hoo lazy summer day where are you? Here’s the synopsis from publisher Harper Collins:
Do you remember the best summer of your life? New York City, 1945. Marjorie Jacobson and her best friend, Marty Garrett, arrive fresh from the Kappa house at the University of Iowa hoping to find summer positions as shopgirls. Turned away from the top department stores, they miraculously find jobs as pages at Tiffany & Co., becoming the first women to ever work on the sales floor—a diamond-filled day job replete with Tiffany blue shirtwaist dresses from Bonwit Teller’s—and the envy of all their friends. Hart takes us back to the magical time when she and Marty rubbed elbows with the rich and famous; pinched pennies to eat at the Automat; experienced nightlife at La Martinique; and danced away their weekends with dashing midshipmen. Between being dazzled by Judy Garland’s honeymoon visit to Tiffany, celebrating VJ Day in Times Square, and mingling with Café society, she fell in love, learned unforgettable lessons, made important decisions that would change her future, and created the remarkable memories she now shares with all of us.
Sundays at Tiffany’s – (novel) James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet – Known for his best selling thrillers this is a bit of a departure for Patterson.
Jane Margaux is a lonely little girl. Her mother, a powerful Broadway producer, makes time for her only once a week, for their Sunday trip to admire jewelry at Tiffany’s. Jane has only one friend: a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael. He’s perfect. But only she can see him. Michael can’t stay forever, though. On Jane’s ninth birthday he leaves, promising her that she’ll soon forget him. Years later, in her thirties, Jane is just as alone as she was as a child. And despite her own success as a playwright, she is even more trapped by her overbearing mother. Then she meets someone–a handsome, comforting, funny man. He’s perfect. His name is Michael… This is a heartrending story that surpasses all expectations of why these people have been brought together. With the breathtaking momentum and gripping emotional twists that have made James Patterson a bestselling author all over the world, SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY’S takes an altogether fresh look at the timeless and transforming power of love.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Truman Capote (novella) – Ahhhh the original. An entire culture has evolved around this short tale. Read it or watch it – it’s a classic.
The novella tells the story of a one-year (autumn 1943 to autumn 1944) friendship between the main character Holiday (“Holly”) Golightly, and an unnamed narrator. The two are both tenants in a brownstone apartment in Manhatten’s Upper East Side. Holly Golightly (age 18-19) is a country girl born in fictional Tulip, Texas, turned New York café society girl, who makes her living coaxing dollars off of rich, older gentlemen. The narrator, who lives in the flat above her, is an aspiring writer. Golightly, who likes to stun people with carefully selected tidbits from her personal life or her outspoken viewpoint on various topics, slowly reveals herself to the narrator who finds himself fascinated by her curious lifestyle. In the end, however, Golightly fears that she will never know what is really hers until after she has thrown it away; she subsequently abandons her friend and comfortable lifestyle to seek her ever elusive goal of finding both riches and a place to call home.
So whether it be breakfast, Sunday, or summer take a little trip to New York City and spend some time at Tiffany!
(Don’t forget to send in your Summer reading list ideas … )
Summer!
June 2, 2010
The weather isn’t inspiring but flipping the calendar page has been … it’s time to think of summer reading!
Many of us have rituals around packing and selecting books for extended stays away, sometimes to destinations remote. Have you begun your planning? I have a list on the go and will be sharing it with you here soon. Before I do, I thought I’d offer to collect some of your summertime reading suggestions and then put them together with mine in a “shopping list” of sorts for Bedside Table Books followers. To make it easy, here are two headings to get you started: (E-mail your responses to bedsidetablebooks@hotmail.com and I’ll tally the titles and post here for all to see)
a) Summer favourites I recommend:
b) My top choices to read in Summer 2010:
The sooner you reply, the sooner I’ll get the list out … looking forward to your input!
Delightful Discoveries
May 21, 2010
I recently came across an article and was delighted by it for so many reasons. Firstly, it is beautifully written, by a favourite writer, Ann Patchett, of Bel Canto fame. (Bel Canto is a must-read if you have yet to have the pleasure.) Secondly, it is about the discovery of a charming little town with charming folk and (deep breath) a charming book store. Sighhhh. Should I mention the cherry pie now? Yup. Charming cherry pie! As it’s a long weekend, many of you are busy packing your duffle bags and setting off up the coastline, to islands, or through the valleys inland. Whether your journey involves ferries or winding roads or you expect to journey no farther than your own back deck, here’s a little trip for you. A few paragraphs to give you a taste – you can read the full article in the New York Times Style magazine here.
“There I was in Petoskey. The houses were wide of porch and steep of gable, many of them painted in the colors favored by seventh-grade girls. Petunias dangled from window boxes. Below the town the sun spread its diamond light over Lake Michigan, over the boats and the swimmers and the shore. The small downtown was a throwback to some simpler idea of American vacations, a couple of ice cream stores that sold taffy and fudge, a gift shop with T-shirts in the window that said lake. Imagine the cast of “Mad Men” driving out to Michigan in wood-paneled station wagons for the summer. Frank Sinatra playing in the hotel bar. Sophisticated restaurants commingling with pie shops. The world was leafy and dappled, quiet and cool. Within 10 minutes I started to wonder how I could spend the rest of my life in Petoskey. …
When I walked into the bookstore of this dreamy little town, at that moment, all the other bookstores I’ve known in my life fell away. Julie Norcross founded McLean & Eakin Booksellers in 1992, naming it for her two grandmothers. Like the town she comes from, she must have a long history of people falling in love with her at first sight. She’s one of those supremely competent individuals who would have made an excellent pioneer. One imagines she could build a sod house in a pinch, but she can also tell a joke, drink a martini, run a business. The books at McLean & Eakin are arranged to beckon, and there are plenty of big chairs to fall into once you heed their call. It is the kind of store where I could happily spend a summer. …
It is just so thrilling to be around people who read, people who will pull a book off the shelf and say, “This is the one you want.” People who want to know what I’m reading and will tell me what they’re reading so that while we talk, stacks of books begin to form around us. It’s my own personal idea of heaven. It is also, in this age of the overnighted electronic hand-held, a bit of Americana you aren’t going to see everywhere. Like the town of Petoskey itself, a very good bookstore feels a little nostalgic, a place out of time.”
Learn more about McLean & Eakin Booksellers here. Visit Petoskey, Michigan here.
May you have delightful discoveries yourself on this long weekend!
