Every once in a while, I like to revisit a book I read in elementary school. Sometimes I do not enjoy the book nearly as much as I did as when I was younger, but thankfully, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume was not the case. Tales was read aloud to my... Continue Reading →
Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
If your business, service, or book isn’t on the internet, does it really exist? Today’s marketers would argue yes, as that’s where today’s population gets the majority of its information from. It is business suicide to avoid search engines and the World Wide Web if you want to succeed. Therefore, when Clay Jannon walked into... Continue Reading →
Escape by Carolyn Jessop (with Laura Palmer)
In the last 100 years, women’s lives have come a long way in the west. There is much greater choice in what we can wear, who we choose to marry, which faith we belong to, and access to information. However, this is not the case for certain groups, including anyone born into the Fundamentalist... Continue Reading →
Gifts in Jars by Natalie Wise
Now that the holidays are upon us, many people are out searching for gifts for loved ones. However, with that comes busy shopping centres, overspending and overconsumption. That is why many people are choosing to reduce their purchasing of mass produced goods and seek out making some of their own gifts. These types... Continue Reading →
Calypso by David Sedaris
Whenever I am in a reading funk, one thing that often helps me get back in the groove is short stories, since they don’t require me to memorize so many details. When I saw David Sedaris’ new book Calypso in the library, I knew this would be the book to get me back on... Continue Reading →
The Year of Less by Cait Flanders
In spite of the fact that we live in a culture of over-consumption, the minimalism and simple living movement has been gaining traction. Many individuals are consciously steering away from over-consumption and finding more meaning in wellness and relationships. Cait Flanders is one of those people striving for a better life. For one year, she... Continue Reading →
That Reminds Me- Collection of Memories of Some 60 Years Ago by Irene Winslow
Quite often I read books about how people lived generations before I was born, especially in a diary or memoir format. It was, therefore, to my delight to stumble upon this local book compiled by Thunder Bay resident, Irene Winslow. In just over 100 pages, Ms. Winslow gathered stories from many residents of the Thunder... Continue Reading →
Wealthing Like Rabbits by Robert R. Brown
I’ve been going through personal finance books one after another. In an era of insecure employment, insecure pensions, and insecure everything, it’s more important than ever to understand finance. Reading through various titles, I kept on seeing references to “Wealthing like Rabbits”. In spite of its odd title, I decided to give it a try.... Continue Reading →
Chicken Soup for the Soul- The Joy of Less by Amy Newmark and Brooke Burke-Charvet
I’ve been in a “book funk” the last couple of months- I start a book, read a few pages, and then have no desire to pick it up again. For me, the remedy for a book funk is a book of short stories, and this edition of Chicken Soup was the cure this time. I... Continue Reading →
Goodbye, things: the new Japanese minimalism by Fumio Sasaki
Lately, you may have heard of “Minimalism” gaining popularity. This is a movement which can be defined in many ways, and I personally like Joshua Becker’s definition: “Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it”. I see myself as a minimalist and try... Continue Reading →
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