Jesus and John Wayne - Kristin Kobes Du Mez (Liveright Publishing Corporation, 2020) The word "evangelize" means, simply, to preach the gospel. To preach what Christians refer to as "the good news". This is something Christians are instructed to do, by Jesus Christ, in a Biblical passage commonly referred to as The Great Commission. (Matthew… Continue reading Book Review: Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
Blanket Toss Under Midnight Sun - Paul Seesequasis (Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 2019) Blanket Toss Under Midnight Sun is the culmination of Paul Seesequasis' work to collect photos of Indigenous communities across Canada. The photos are taken by a variety of photographers, some Indigenous and some not, in a variety of places and times. Most… Continue reading Book Review: Blanket Toss Under Midnight Sun by Paul Seesequasis
Made in China - Anna Qu (Catapult, 2021) I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own. It is on sale 3 August 2021. Anna Qu is a baby when her mother leaves her with her grandparents and heads to the United States. Anna's father having died… Continue reading Book Review: Made in China by Anna Qu
Forgiveness - Mark Sakamoto (Harper Collins Publishers, 2014) Mitsue Sakamoto was a newlywed living in Vancouver when she, along with her family and hundreds of other Japanese-Canadians, were sent east of the Rockies by the Canadian government. Seen as a threat during World War II although many of them were Canadian citizens, born in Canada,… Continue reading Book Review: Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto
The Dogs Are Eating Them Now - Graeme Smith (Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 2013) Graeme Smith was a journalist in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2011, writing primarily for The Globe & Mail, Canada's major national newspaper. This book is his look back at his trips to Afghanistan, his experiences, and his changing opinions. When Smith… Continue reading Book Review: The Dogs Are Eating Them Now by Graeme Smith
On Reading Well - Karen Swallow Prior (Brazos Press, 2018) In On Reading Well, Karen Swallow Prior examines the idea of virtue by examining twelve works of fiction, one for each virtue. The book is divided into three sections: The Cardinal Virtues (Prudence, Temperance, Justice, and Courage); The Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope, and Love); and… Continue reading Book Review: On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior (+ a new reading challenge)
A History of My Brief Body - Billy-Ray Belcourt (Hamish Hamilton, 2020) It's clear from the beginning that this is not going to be a gentle book. Right away in his Preface: A Letter to Nôhkom, Belcourt says, "Nôhkom, I'm not safe. Canada is still in the business of gunning down NDNs...Despite the stories of… Continue reading Book Review: A History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt
Say Nothing - Patrick Radden Keefe (Doubleday, 2019) Patrick Radden Keefe's delve into the history of the Irish Troubles is immensely readable and formative. This isn't a topic that particularly grabs my attention and as such is one I know very little about. I can recall, as a child, hearing about Ireland or seeing snippets… Continue reading Book Review: Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
Hi there! Thanks for following along with my Third Annual Literary Awards! I'm having a lot of fun reading comments and hearing your thoughts. Today's category started out as non-fiction but when I looked over what I'd read and what I'd enjoyed, it made more sense to make the category simply Memoirs. These are books… Continue reading Best Memoir – The Third Annual Karissa Reads Books Literary Awards
Halfbreed - Maria Campbell (McClelland & Stewart, 2019) I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Halfbreed is a memoir by Maria Campbell, the story of her life from childhood into early adulthood. Originally published in 1973 this edition was re-released in 2019 with a new introduction and some… Continue reading Book Review: Halfbreed Maria Campbell
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