Carol Shields Month

I'm hosting a Carol Shields Month -- it's actually 6 weeks:
http://www.1morechapter.com/2012/05/18/carol-shields-month/

Even if you don't have a blog, you can still link to your LT reviews if you read Unless (Orange shortlist) or Larry's Party (Orange winner) -- or any other Carol Shields book. Just wanted everyone to know!

She's one of my favorite authors and I highly encourage you to read her books!

Her novels include:

Small Ceremonies, 1976 (winner of the Canadian Author’s Association Award)
The Box Garden, 1977 (Later published in a joint edition with Small Ceremonies as Duet)
Happenstance, 1980
A Fairly Conventional Woman, 1982 (Later published as a joint edition with Happenstance as Happenstance.
Swann: A Mystery, 1987 (UK title: Mary Swann)(Arthur Ellis Award for Best Canadian Mystery, 1988)
A Celibate Season, 1991 (with Blanche Howard)
The Republic of Love, 1992
The Stone Diaries, 1993 (winner of the Governor General’s Award, National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Pulitzer Prize)
Larry’s Party, 1997 (winner of the Orange Prize, and the Prix de Livre)
Unless, 2002 (winner of the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, shortlisted in 2002 Man/Booker Prize and ScotiaBank/Giller Prize, and shortlisted in 2003 Orange Prize)

Short story collections:

Words, 1985
Various Miracles, 1985
The Orange Fish, 1989
Dressing Up for the Carnival, 2000
Collected Stories, 2004.

Biography:

Jane Austen, 2001

I just read Stone Diaries last week, and I don't usually read another book by a same author so soon, but I'm excited to follow along . . . I'll post my review later.

I've got a couple that Shields left to read. I'll read either The Republic of Love or Larry's Party. I also have the short story collection, Dressing Up for the Carnival that I might dip into.

I'm planning on reading The Republic of Love and A Celibate Season, and maybe more. We'll see.

Has anyone seen The Republic of Love movie. I have it on my DVR but haven't watched it yet because I wanted to read it first.

I didn't realize there was a movie of The Republic of Love. Naturally, we will read the book first Michelle!

I have lots of PBS credits, and since I'm doing a Carol Shields Months on my blog AND Orange July is coming up, I'd like to give 5 people in this group a copy of Unless (Orange shortlist) OR Larry's Party (Orange winner) if they haven't read them yet.

These will be used copies coming from other people on paperbackswap through my credits, so I really hope the condition is okay but I won't have any control over it. Also, unfortunately, I have to limit to USA only as that is all that pbs allows.

If you'd like a copy of one of these books, just comment on this thread, and then I'll use random.org to choose the 5 winners. Let me know which title you'd prefer.

If you win, you can send me a private post with your address.

Also, if you receive just a terrible, awful copy, let me know and I'll get another one for you.

Good luck!

I read Larry's Party for Orange January and enjoyed it (more than I thought I would)!

I haven't read Unless, so please enter me in the drawing! Thanks, Michelle!

@4, @5 I've seen the film and I really liked it; I felt it was true to the novel, which is one of my favourites. (Oh, I guess I say that about all of them. But you understand, right?)

It is, however, for me, a "quintessentially Canadian" film, which might be something that only other viewers of Canadian film would make sense of: no snappy dialogue, lots of stillness, atmospheric, subtly played. (My apologies to film buffs reading this, as I'm sure I'm doing a terrible job of summarizing what a quintessentially Cdn film feels like to me.)

There is also a film of "Swann", which I would describe the same way, although I've seen that one many more times, because I used to *sniff* have a copy of it. But it feels right: a bit quiet, like the novels, but powerful for all that.

I will read Stone Diaries !

I'm planning to re-read some of her short stories. There's always time for a short story...or two, right?

I completely understand what you mean by 'quintessentially Canadian' film, or even television series!

A film of Swann? I might like that better than the book. Sometimes i can handle a 'quiet' version of a book better in movie form. After seeing the film Brideshead Revisited, which I really enjoyed, I was pretty sure I wouldn't like the book version.

I'm planning to re-read some of her short stories. There's always time for a short story...or two, right?

Now why didn't I think of that? I'm in for that too!

Michelle, you are very generous! I happily own copies of both the Shields books, so I won't join your lottery, but I'll try to read one of them during the CS month!

Michelle, I have read and appreciated Larry's Party but have not read Unless. I would love to be entered into your lottery if you please.
Thank you.

Michelle, I'd love to be entered into your lottery for Unless. I never read anything by Carol Shields and would like to read that one. Thanks!

Yay!! rainpebble, and kblenc, send me your addresses and I'll send you Unless. Jill, I already have yours!

Woo hoo! Thanks, Michelle!

#8 As a U.S. westerner living in Colorado I'm not sure what you mean by a "Canadian film", but I thought the movie was great. I have been a big fan of Shields for a long time and was so sad when she died of breast cancer in 2003.

Thanks Michelle!!

I haven't read either and would love to be in your drawing as well!

@18 I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Had you read the book first? I know everyone has different rules about books/movies, and I'm normally in the Book First camp, unless I don't think I'm ever likely to read the book, but I wonder if, in this case, it would really matter all that much. Hmmm, no I just remembered one thing that I wouldn't have wanted to have spoiled by having seen the film first. But, that's me, spoilerphobic.

There was also a series of short films (30 minutes) that were broadcast some years ago, based on her short stories, on what was then the WTN network (I haven't had a TV for so long that I don't know if there is such a thing anymore). I absolutely loved those...and saved them, the way I save my favourite chocolates in a box...although I think there were only 6 in the series. But I fell in love with the first one. Did anyone else see those?