CanadianContent discussion

Good morning readers! After exciting Canada 150 celebrations (and 4th our July for our American friends) we are settling into July. I have to admit that I considered the Canada Day celebrations differently this year after learning and reading more about our indigenous people but am a proud Canadian that is hopeful for a positive way forward.

This past week, many have been reading Kit's Law and the Buddy read has been a popular thread. What have you been reading? and what are you reading in the coming week?

I have several books on the go:

For this Book Club:

Kit's Law and Ragged Company

For my BDA Book Club:

The Mothers (July Read) and A Dog's Purpose (June Read)

On-Line Book Blogger: Reading in Bed:

War and Peace - which we will be reading together until September.

Audio Book in the Car:

The Heiress of Linn Hagh

@Rainey, I thought The Mothers was a brilliant book about mothering in all its forms. Something about the femininity of it reminded me of The Break just a tiny bit.

@Susan, thanks for the reminder about the buddy read. I started a new book last night and it wasn't The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane. Dang it!

@Allison - Rainey beat you here this morning!!

❀ Susan wrote: "@Allison - Rainey beat you here this morning!!"

I'm a little late...lol! Rainey's on the ball!

Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ wrote: "❀ Susan wrote: "@Allison - Rainey beat you here this morning!!"

I'm a little late...lol! Rainey's on the ball!"

LOL

It has been a slow reading week for me. I am still reading Keeper'n Me which I am finding a bit slow. Although it is fiction, it really seems to to be more autobiographical with his own life blended in. Rilla of Ingleside is my beside table book and I have been a bit too tired to read before bed lately so progress is slow.

I started Kit's Law yesterday and am enjoying the interesting characters and am still listening to One Brother Shy which is entertaining so far.

This week I am hoping to finish up on these ones before starting anything else new!

This week I finished reading a couple of books. Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel started out slowly but I ended up loving it. Although my childhood was much less eventful than the boy's in the story, I had an imaginary friend of my own - Sally Wall, and this story made me think of her often. I always said she became part of me, was absorbed into me, but now I know she "disappeared" when I didn't need her anymore.

The other book I read this week was Infinity by Newfoundland authors Ellen Louise Curtis and Matthew Ledrew. I'll never understand how collaboration on a novel can work, but this turned out to be an interesting story despite it needing a lot more polishing. The characters were not well developed and there were many sections filled with inane details. In any case, I've filled the bingo square for a book outside my comfort zone, so that's something.

I'm very near the end of Dragonfly in Amber and I'm feeling much the same way about it as I did Outlander. These books are more of a periodic soap opera than anything else. It's just one adventure after another so I can see how it works well as a TV series. I will eventually listen to the third instalment as I already own it, but I'm not in any hurry.

Oh and I started Hot Milk last night. I'm not far enough into it to have an opinion.

Happy Friday everyone! The short work week felt like the week between Christmas and New Year for me, lots of people on vacation and not much work being done :)
I started listening to audiobooks for my long runs and it's been working out very well. The previous weekend I finished Modern Romance, totally an eye opener narrated by Aziz Ansari and the past weekend I listened to The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo and loved it also. I am saving the 2nd half of the book for this weekend.
I finished Kiss Carlo from the library and Yes Please and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? on audio. Liked the former, the latter was just ok for me.
I'm currently reading Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times and have Dad Is Fat on audio. I plan to watch the Netflix series based on the memoir. Really hoping to start The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane soon with everyone on the buddy list. Not sure if Kit's Law is something I want to read right now, need some palette cleansers for the summer.
Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Good day all!
I had a productive reading week -- particularly due to the nice long weekend. :)

I have finished The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane and can't wait to discuss it with all of you. (@Allison...hikes...etc) We had our in-person bookclub for the book last night. The meeting was great...lots of discussion even before we dove into the discussion questions. We also bought some Pu-Erh tea and we all sampled it and that was fun. Did a little googling too and got a bit more perspective on some of the visuals related to tea culture (e.g. tea cake). Can't wait for you guys to read it. :)

Then I hammered out The Back of the Turtle. Although it was a super fast read, it wasn't quite what I hoped for. I had envisioned King to be on par with Wagamese and/or Boyden but I didn't find that to be true. The book was a little out there for me, at times and I did not find the Toronto-based character to be very realistically portrayed.

Now, I am in the midst of 'Round Midnight...about 60% through. I found the first section about 100 pages to be super. In fact, if it ended right there as a novella, I would have loved it. I am still enjoying it however not quite as much. I am hopeful that the ending will tie it all together or suck me back in a little more. Regardless I am confident that it will be a decent read. It reminds me a tiny bit of The Girls at the Kingfisher Club which I loved.

Hope you are all getting some lovely weather wherever you are.

Last week I started listening to Elizabeth Strout's Anything Is Possible but when I realized that it took place in Lucy Barton's home town, and would have many of the same characters, I stopped and went back to re-read My Name Is Lucy Barton, and then I returned to Anything is Possible. Both wonderful books and really go together.

I finished reading Keeper'n Me which wasn't one of my favorites of Wagamese, and have now moved onto Ragged Company which I am enjoying more.

In audio, I am almost done listening to The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane which is good but not great. I think I went in with my expectations too high.

I finished Twenty-One Cardinals by Jocelyne Saucier this week, and really enjoyed it. I read and finished Prairie Ostrich by Tamai Kobayashi. I discovered it via a link to books recommended by other Canadian authors that someone posted this week, thinking "oh good, there's my Alberta Cross Canada read". I absolutely loved this book! I borrowed it from the Library and I may even reread it before it goes back. If not, I might buy a copy.

On the go currently: Nearing the end of Alone in the Classroom by Elizabeth Hay which is ok, lovely writing but the storyline seems to be a bit choppy, The Only Café by Linden MacIntyre (so far, so good), and All Is Beauty Now by Sarah Faber (again, so far so good, early days yet)

@Louise, I realize I'm completely ass backwards here, but I listened to Anything Is Possible without reading My Name Is Lucy Barton first. I loved it so much that I recently picked up a copy of My Name Is Lucy Barton and hope to read it soon. Story of my life....

Such great books being read this week!!

With kids home and all that summer brings, my reading is SLOW. Some nights I get into bed HOLDING my book, chat to my hubs a little, then put it down and go to sleep. He jokes that it is my little blankie before bed, and that I don't need to read to get the comfort. Ha. (He's wrong! I wanna read!)

I didn't finish any this week. :( Still working on The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane and Minds of Winter and enjoying both very much.

In audio I have started A Most Improbable Journey: A Big History of Our Planet and Ourselves introducing the concept of Big History and the genre of study looking at how every detail from astronomical to microscopic to psychological to evolutionary are all interconnected and all based on an insane design of coincidence. It's really well written and I've found it to be an exciting read so far! Loving it!

Happy Friday!

This week I finished Cool Water, which I enjoyed very much. It's one of those books where I miss the characters once I finish reading it. I also read House of Prayer No. 2: A Writer's Journey Home, a memoir that wasn't really my thing. It was written in the second person and also was just bam, bam, bam with one thing happening after another without much being fleshed out. I admire that it was different but didn't really enjoy it. (The author will be at a book fest I'm attending next month, which is why I read it.)

I'm currently reading The Cove, which I've had sitting around forever and am enjoying. It's a historical novel set in the southern U.S. during World War I. I've been meaning to read Ron Rash for a while, so I'm glad this book hasn't disappointed me. This author will also be at the book fest next month. :-)

I still hope to get to the Group read Kit's Law this month, but a lot of my reading has been at the whim of library holds that come up.

For Canada Day I started reading Common Ground by Justin Trudeau. I have been a huge supporter of his since the beginning, and reading this only cemented my admiration for him. The book starts with recalling his childhood and early adult life and how the family he grew up in shaped his values. The second part of the book looks at how those values have defined him as a politician and his internal struggles with deciding to go into politics. I am very close to finishing. I realize this book was written before his run for Prime Minister and was meant to allow Canadians to get to know his as someone other than Pierre Elliot's son.

Also finished this week:
Bel Canto-excellent
The Devil's Highway: A True Story- gripping
The Vegetarian-a little "out there"
Girl in a Band-so-so

Just this morning a delved a little into Hag-Seed which I have been wanting to read ever since it came out.

Heather(Gibby) wrote: "Just this morning a delved a little into Hag-Seed which I have been wanting to read ever since it came out..."

Loved, Loved, Loved Hag Seed.

Love it being summer, but wish I had some summer vacay!!

This week I finished Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril, which was quite interesting.

I also read The Wonder, which was a fast and engaging read.

I'm now really enjoying the second volume of Beverly Cleary's autobiography. Loved the first one several years ago, and this one's great too.

Happy Friday everyone!
Some many great reads happening this week. I had to make a list of all the comments I want to make.

I finished reading How to Make Love to a Negro. This was a sassy/engaging book. I can see that it must have caused quite a stir when it was released. There are a lot of important issues in this book under the humour. I'm glad I read this.

I'm about half way through Kit's Law. It was a really slow start for me, but it's picking up some steam now.

@Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ - I loved Hot Milk. For me it was very dreamy and lyrical.

@May, I really enjoy watching Call the Midwife. I think the BBC has done an excellent job with it.

@Lousie and @Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ - I won Anything Is Possible as a giveaway. It's sitting on my bookshelf until I get a hold of My Name Is Lucy Barton, but it's good to know that I can read it as a stand alone book.

@Diane, I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on The Only Café

Happy reading everyone!

@Heather(Gibby) -- that is almost a book a day!!!

@Heather(Gibby) - i found the Vegetarian "a lot out there", it is certainly book that sticks with you after you put it down.

@Louise, Megan and @Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺, i think I will have to give Lucy Barton another chance. I listened to it and wonder if that was why it did not thrill me! I will have to try Anything is Possible by reading.

good afternoon fellow bookies.
Its great to know that folks are loving the Tea Girl... @ Shannon, Nice you got to try the tea. Is a green or black variety? Was it to your taste? I wasnt surprised that its not available on the coast here but plan to hit Chinatown next time I am in the city.

I finished and loved The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami
Something about his work has a profoundly calming effect on me.
For excitement I am more of an armchair enthusiast, so I also enjoyed Freda Mellenthin sLove in Northern Rapids: Paddling Adventures in the Canadian Arctic and Beyond and was sorry to finish.

The biggest impact that will continue to haunt me was reading a book I think was recommended by someone in this group, I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid What an amazing incredible that one is. This will easily be my bingo square for beyond my comfort zone.

Finally got in to Voltaire which is slow going. I think it will be the book I take to Van when I go next week.

Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de la Pena suffered from comparison to all the great ones. The theme is important but I found the book a bit jumbled and repetitious.

For poetry I am reading Lorna Crozier and I'm impressed with her control of language. For short stories I have a book on travel writing, Don George collection Lonely Planet an Innocent Abroad

Which brings me to the book I will finish today, Pastel Orphans by Gemma LivieroIts hard for me to admit that at first I thought it a bit ho-hum. I was critical because the narrator did not seem to age from 5-17, same voice. But then. I fear I'm in for some more crying before I am through.

Next week I hope to get to Hag-Seed already.

@Susan, actually its nice to have another that did not love and was not captivated by Lucy Barton. I do plan to try one of her others.
May you all have a great weekend with some special time free for books. Missing Natasha and MJ here!

Happy Weekend everyone!

I love that The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is getting so much reading time!
Shannon, trying the tea must have been nice. Did you enjoy it? I am almost (but not quite) sure that I've seen it around here in a large supermarket and will check next time I'm there. If it's there, I would purchase a box to have a taste.

I've had the week off but haven't read as much as I had hoped or thought I would. So much going on at the moment.

I did finish reading Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, which I thought was interesting. I learned a bit about what it means to live under apartheid.

I made a fair amount of progress through Proust's Sodom and Gomorrah. I'm enjoying this volume much more than the third volume of the work, The Guermantes Way. Volume 1 & 2 were wonderful. Three out of four isn't a bad record for Proust. He's knocking it out of the park.

I've also picked up The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World. I've got 2 weeks to read it before it needs to be returned (no renewals on this one). The first 2 chapters are very interesting.

Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ wrote: "@Louise, I realize I'm completely ass backwards here, but I listened to Anything Is Possible without reading My Name Is Lucy Barton first. I loved it so much that I ..."

You can read them in either order. It just helps one book if you remember the characters from the other book. From what I understand she wrote both books at the same time.

Susan wrote: "Happy Friday!

This week I finished Cool Water, which I enjoyed very much. It's one of those books where I miss the characters once I finish reading it."

I loved Cool Water. I've been meaning to get to her other book Liberty Street for ages but still is sits on the pile. Have you read it?

Rainey wrote: "Heather(Gibby) wrote: "Just this morning a delved a little into Hag-Seed which I have been wanting to read ever since it came out..."

Loved, Loved, Loved Hag Seed."

Ditto

Megan wrote: " I won Anything Is Possible as a giveaway. It's sitting on my bookshelf until I get a hold of My Name Is Lucy Barton, but it's good to know that I can read it as a stand alone book.."

Start with Lucy Barton if you can. The mother and daughter talk about various people from their home town but it's just snippets. Then in Anything Is Possible, these same characters get a whole story to themselves so I do think you will get more out of it by reading Lucy first, but yes either book can stand alone.

I had already read Lucy Barton but as I was starting Anything is Possible and realized it was many of the same characters and I could not remember any details from Lucy Barton and went back to re-read it before continuing on with Anything is Possible, and it certainly did heighten the reading experience for me.

❀ Susan wrote: "i think I will have to give Lucy Barton another chance. I listened to it and wonder if that was why it did not thrill me! I will have to try Anything is Possible by reading..."

I listened to both on audio and loved them both (as well as her other books), but I don't think her books are for everyone. For me, they can be re-read many times over.

Megan wrote: "Diane, I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on The Only Café.."

Me too! I want to read it but I have to read his last book Punishment first. I NEED MORE READING TIME!!!

Magdelanye wrote: "actually its nice to have another that did not love and was not captivated by Lucy Barton. I do plan to try one of her others..."

If you didn't like Lucy Barton I don't think you will like her other books. They are quite similar. Quiet, linked short stories set in small towns. Although Lucy Barton is actually the only one that reads more like a novel than linked stories but it still has that same feel.

Petra wrote: "I made a fair amount of progress through Proust's Sodom and Gomorrah. I'm enjoying this volume much more than the third volume of the work, The Guermantes Way. Volume 1 & 2 were wonderful. Three out of four isn't a bad record for Proust. He's knocking it out of the park. ."

Petra, how wonderful that you're reading Proust. He's on my bucket list for 2018. If I read 10 pages a day I'll be able to get through all 7 volumes in a year. That is my goal.

Happy weekend to you all! I am embarrassed to not have read any Canadian books this week. Although I am waiting for Kit's Law from the library, have yet to start The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, have an e-copy and will do a quick review of Fifteen Dogs for my library book club next week.

I am currently reading Beartown and savouring all of the lovely bits of writing that make you stop and take pause. I love this author!

I finished The People at Number 9- it was terrible and went no where, cannot recommend this one.

I did however truly enjoy an audio copy of Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. I couldn't stop listening, it was unsettling and helped me to understand some deep seeded issues in the US. I appreciated that the audio was by the author himself on this one. He was well spoken.

Wishing sunny days ahead for everyone.

@ Petra -- Puerh tea is a lovely mysteriously woodsy deep green tea that is best tasted from a loose tea to get its true flavour. Many puerhs are mixed with other flavours: my favourite is puerh with tumeric, which I mix at home from loose tea and either some sliced tumeric root or just some powder.

I absolutely adored Hag-Seed - its humour, and its subtle compassion.

@Louise, I own a copy of Liberty Street but have not read it yet. Given how much I enjoyed Cool Water, I'm looking forward to it!

Louise wrote: "Petra, how wonderful that you're reading Proust. He's on my bucket list for 2018. If I read 10 pages a day I'll be able to get through all 7 volumes in a year. That is my goal. ..."

Louise, if you read it in 2018, I'd love to hear your thoughts. It has it's moments and, for the most part, it's very entertaining.
10 pages a day is a good rate. At times, you'll read more because of the wit and humor. Other times, it'll be a slog but still rich in thought and writing.

Mary Anne wrote: "@ Petra -- Puerh tea is a lovely mysteriously woodsy deep green tea that is best tasted from a loose tea to get its true flavour. Many puerhs are mixed with other flavours: my favourite is puerh wi..."

Thanks, Mary Anne. I'm going to keep my eye open for some the next time I'm in an Asian supermarket. I like a good green tea and "woodsy" is tasty.
Have you tried Rooiboos tea? It's very "earthy". (Not Chinese, so slightly off-topic :D)

@ Petra -- Yes I have tried rooibos tea, even green rooiboos.

Mary Anne wrote: "@ Petra -- Yes I have tried rooibos tea, even green rooiboos."

I LOVE Rooibos tea! Having a cuppa right now :-)

@Petra - according to twitter, it is Proust's birthday today! Born in 1871, he died of pneumonia in 1922. Here is a bit more interesting hx about him: https://www.britannica.com/biography/...

Thanks, Susan! I wouldn't have known. I'll have to find a way to celebrate today. Not sure quite what would be appropriate but I'll think of something.
Thanks for letting me know.