Rue des Rosiers - Rhea Tregebov (Coteau Books, 2019) There's quite a lot packed into this novel about twenty-five year old Sarah Levine in 1982. While at times Tregebov's writing dips into the obvious and somewhat heavy-handed, overall I thought this was an excellent novel.The first half of the book takes place in Toronto where… Continue reading Book Review: Rue des Rosiers by Rhea Tregebov
Category: Book Reviews
Book Review: Positive Discipline by Jane Nelsen
Positive Discipline - Jane Nelson (Ballantine Books, 2006) Our local school district runs an early childhood education program for parents of children 5 and under. Once a season we can sign up for a class on parenting, appropriate for our child's age. Positive Discipline is one of the books they frequently recommend so I thought… Continue reading Book Review: Positive Discipline by Jane Nelsen
Book Review: Original Prin by Randy Boyagoda
Original Prin - Randy Boyagoda (Biblioasis, 2018) Satire is hard to pull off. Especially when that satire involves cancer, acts of terror, and religion. I'm not convinced that Original Prin pulls it off, though there are some interesting turns along the way. The novel starts strong on New Year's Day. Prin and his wife, Molly,… Continue reading Book Review: Original Prin by Randy Boyagoda
Book Review: Dissident Doctor by Michael C. Klein
Dissident Doctor - Michael C. Klein (Douglas & McIntyre, 2018) Like me, you might not recognize Michael Klein's name. You might better know his daughter, Naomi. But as I read Dissident Doctor I came to understand just how Klein has influenced my own life. Klein details his decades of medical experience, his career as a… Continue reading Book Review: Dissident Doctor by Michael C. Klein
Book Review: Shut Up You’re Pretty by Téa Mutonji
Shut Up You're Pretty - Téa Mutonji (VS. Books, 2019) This book isn't quite a short story collection and it isn't quite a novel. It's a collection of short stories all about one character that moves forward linearly from her chidhood to her young womanhood. (Except for one story which is from the perspective of… Continue reading Book Review: Shut Up You’re Pretty by Téa Mutonji
Book Review: The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck
Can you make an immoral choice and still be a moral, good person? This is the question explored in John Steinbeck's final novel. It's been a while since I read either Steinbeck's previous and more famous works but The Winter of our Discontent strikes me as quite different than his other novels. Not just because… Continue reading Book Review: The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck
Book Review: Moccasin Square Gardens by Richard Van Camp
Moccasin Square Gardens - Richard Van Camp (Douglas & McIntyre, 2019) The words that come to mind when I think about this collection of short stories are "delightfully weird". Aliens, small towns, Indigenous politics, and aliens. I really don't know what to compare this to because I don't think I've ever read a collection quite… Continue reading Book Review: Moccasin Square Gardens by Richard Van Camp
Book Review: Death is Hard Work by Khaled Khalifa
Death is Hard Work - Khaled Khalifa (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019) When Bolbol's father dies his final request is to be buried with his sister in their hometown. The town is located a couple of hours drive away from where Bolbol lives (and where his father died). No big deal, right? Except what if… Continue reading Book Review: Death is Hard Work by Khaled Khalifa
What I Read – May 2019
Read: Carry Me - Peter Behrens (Anansi, 2016) Boys: What It Means to Become a Man - Rachel Giese (Patrick Crean Editions, 2018) Crow - Amy Spurway (Goose Lane, 2019) Celebration of Discipline - Richard J. Foster (HarperOne, 2018) Chop Suey Nation - Ann Hui (Douglas & McIntyre, 2019) A Prayer Journal - Flannery O'Connor… Continue reading What I Read – May 2019
Book Review: Voice by Adam Pottle
Voice: On Writing with Deafness - Adam Pottle (University of Regina Press, 2019) Sound and hearing is something I rarely think about. And something I almost never think about in relation to the written word. Obviously, this is an example of the privilege I have as a hearing person and something I take for granted.… Continue reading Book Review: Voice by Adam Pottle








