You may have thought Westerns had ridden off into the sunset, so to speak, as a book genre. In fact, Westerns are still being written, but they are often remixed with other genres and tell stories about citizens of the wild west other than the same white male gunslinger. Watch the episode to hear Laura... Continue Reading →
Mount! by Jilly Cooper
I was thrilled to spot a new book by one of my favourite authors on display at the Brodie Library a few months ago, and it didn’t disappoint. Jilly Cooper is popular British writer who has a passion for horses, and a knack for relationships. Her newest book, Mount! focusses on Rupert Campbell-Black’s horse racing... Continue Reading →
Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper
This quirky book focusses on Etta, a retired prairie school teacher who decides to fulfill a lifelong dream to see the Atlantic Ocean. And, she decides to walk there. She leaves a note for her husband Otto asking him not to follow her, and sets off one morning. As with many literary journeys, hers is... Continue Reading →
William Shakespeare, Private Eye
In recent years numerous real historical figures have turned up as characters in works of fiction, and oddly are frequently solving mysteries. In the mysteries of Gyles Brandreth, Oscar Wilde is solving murders along with his friends Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and William Wordsworth's great-grandson Robert Sherard. Jane Austen stars in Stephanie Barron's mystery series,... Continue Reading →
Dirty Chick: Adventures of an Unlikely Farmer by Antonia Murphy
From time to time, we all imagine abandoning our current lives and completely starting over, unfortunately for most, this remains nothing more than a dream. For author Antonia Murphy and her husband, Peter, changing their lives completely became a priority when their son, Silas, was born with global developmental delay. Murphy, a San Francisco native... Continue Reading →
The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George RR Martin
Like much of the planet, I am enamoured by the fantasy world author George R.R. Martin has created for his “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. The books serve as the basis for the television show, A Game of Thrones, so anything set there will have a built-in audience. The collection “A Knight of... Continue Reading →
The Canterbury Trail by Angie Abdou
The Canterbury Trail by Angie Abdou (2011, Brindle & Glass) offers insight into Canadian mountain village lifestyles and culture while at the same time addressing larger themes with which readers can relate. The Canterbury Trail tells the story of a mis-matched bunch of skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers who set out in small groups to enjoy... Continue Reading →
The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
I came across an article, recently, about the best libraries in literature: a list that could not fail to include the Cemetery of Lost Books, a fascinating labyrinth of forgotten tomes created by Zafón. Certain rules exist for those fortunate enough to enter this library: any first time visitor is required to wander the endless... Continue Reading →
Abominable by Dan Simmons
Top of the World Mount Everest, top of the world! About a year ago while browsing through titles on Netflix (one of the greatest things ever by the way) I came across a television show called Everest: Beyond the Limit by the Discovery Channel. This series documented expeditions attempting to summit Mount Everest. As an... Continue Reading →
“Just End Already !” The Ruins by Scott B. Smith
So at my second job I have been listening to a ton of audiobooks. For those who have never tried one before you definitely should. They are both enjoyable and super convenient when you don’t have time to pick up a book but have the time to multitask and listen to one. Now that being... Continue Reading →