vancouverdeb reads in 2016 - Thread #8

January
1)This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! by Jonathan Evison 4 stars (US)
2Faith by Jennifer Haigh 4 stars ( US)
3)Mãn by Kim Thuy 3 stars (CAN)
4)Sleeping on Jupiter by Anuradha Roy 4 stars (India)
5)The Remains Of The Day Kazuo Ishiguro 4.5 stars (UK)
6)Annie Dunne by Sebastian Barry 4.2 stars (Ireland)
7)The End of the Wasp Season by Denise Mina 4.1 stars (UK)

February
8)Fasting, Feasting by Anita Desai 3.7 stars (India)
9)Book Of Sands: A novel of the Arab uprising by Karim Alrawi 4.5 stars (CAN-EGYPT)
10)A Crime In The Neighbourhood by Suzanne Berne 4 stars (US)
11)Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear 4 stars (UK)

March
12)The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie 4 stars (UK)
13)The Widow by Fiona Barton (UK) 4 stars
14)The House at the Edge of the World by Julia Rochester 4.1 stars ( UK)
15)A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence (CAN) 4.1 stars
16)The Dog Who Wouldn't Be by Farley Mowat (CAN) 3.5 stars
17)My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (US) 4.5 stars

April
18)An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear (UK) 4.5 stars
19)The Book of Memory: A Novel by Petina Gappah (Zimbabwe) 5 stars
20)The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie (UK) 3.5 stars
21)A Girl at War by Sara Novic (Serbia) 4 stars
22)Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear (UK) 4 stars
23)Ruby by Cynthia Bond (US) 2.5 stars

May
24)The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear ( UK) 4 stars
25)The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway(CAN) 4 stars
26)Murphy's Law by Rhys Bowen (UK) 3.7 stars
27)I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirby (CAN) 4.2 stars
28)The Piano Maker by Kurt Palka (CAN) 3.7 stars
29)The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson (UK) 4.25 stars
30)Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbo ( Norway) 3 stars

June
31)The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick ( UK) 4 stars
32)Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave (UK) 5 stars
33)Nora Webster by Colm Toibin ( Ireland) 4 stars
34)Still Midnight by Denise Mina ( Scotland) 3.6 stars
35)A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear ( UK) 3.8 stars
36)Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler (USA) 3.5 stars

July
37)Brooklyn by Colm Toibin ( Ireland) 3.7 stars
38)Hell Fire by Karin Fossum (Sweden) 4 stars
39)Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim (USA) 3.9 stars
40)The Reluctant Midwife by Patricia Harman (USA) 4 stars
41)Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera (Sri Lanka)
42)Soft in the Head by Marie-Sabine Roger ( France) 3.4 stars
43)When the Moon Is Low by Nadia Hashimi (USA) 4.5 stars
44)Third Girl by Agatha Christie 3. 5 stars (UK) 3. 5 stars

August
45)What Lies Between Us by Nayomi Munaweera (Sri Lanka 4 stars
46)The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon ( UK) 4 stars
47)Instructions For A Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell ( Ireland) 3.8 stars
48) Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear (UK) 4.3 stars
49)Work Like Any Other b yVirginia Reeves (USA) 3.9 stars
50)Kay's Lucky Coin Variety by Ann Y. K. Choi ( Canada /Korean) 3.9 stars

September
51)An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor (Irish/ Canadian) 4 stars
52)Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien ( Chinese/Canadian) 4 stars
53) Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley ( Canada ) 4.25 stars
54)Born on a Tuesday: A Novel by Elnathan John (Nigeria) 3.75 stars

October
55)Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear (British) 4.25 stars
56)The Wonder: A Novel by Emma Donoghue (Canadian) 4.25 stars
57)The Parcel by Anosh Irani 4.25 stars ( Canadian) 4.5 stars
58)Britt-Marie Was Here: A Novel by Fredrik Backman ( Sweden) 3 stars
59)Wenjack by Joseph Boyden (Canada) 4.5 stars
60)Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson (USA) 4 stars

November
61)The Break by Katherena Vermette ( Canada) 5 stars
62) I Am Not a Number by Jenny Kay Dupuis ( Canada) 4 stars
63)Miss Jane: A Novel by Brad Watson( USA) 4.5 stars

Stats for far

63 books read

female authors 45
male authors 18

CAN authors 15
CAN-EGYPT authors 1
India authors 2
UK 20
Ireland 4
US authors 12
Zimbabwe 1
Croatia 1
Norway 1
Sweden 2
Sri Lanka 2
France 1
Nigeria 1

fiction 62
non-fiction 1

I have finished reading Born on a Tuesday by Elnathan John a book I noted on Charlotte's thread. Brief review to come later .
.

Currently reading Everything Most Loved by Jaqueline Winspear , one of my favourite mystery series! :)

Because what's a thread without a dog?

Welcome to my new thread!

Happy new thread Deborah. Love the Maria topper :-)

ETA Argh. Autocorrect. Matilda. Of course...

Happy new thread, Deborah! I really need to seek out those Winspear mysteries. The covers alone are awesome!

Good morning, Deborah! Nice shiny new thread, with a nice shiny topper!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Deborah, Matilda does well as topper!

and >10 vancouverdeb: indeed wouldn't be the same without a dog ;-)

Happy New Thread, Deb!

Is that Matilda topper by Quentin Blake? Looks like it.

Hope you're setting up for a good weekend.

Hi Deb, happy new thread my dear and a great thread topper. Hope all is well with you my dear, sending love and hugs.

>12 charl08: Hi Charlotte! To be honest I had not realized that I used Matilda, illustrated by Quentin Blake! I just googled people reading books and looked through and chose this. A fortunate accident on my part!

>13 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda! To be honest, I'm not that keen on the covers of Maisie Dobbs books, but I do love the stories :)

>14 karenmarie: Good afternoon, Karen! Thanks for your kind words.

>15 drneutron: Hi Jim! Great to see you!

>16 FAMeulstee: Good afternoon, Anita! Yes, what is a thread without a dog ? :)

>17 jnwelch: Indeed Joe, that is Matilda , illustrated by Quentin Blake. It is sunny today, so I can't complain. However, Dave is working Friday - Saturday. I'll be glad to see him home for his days off on Sun - Wednesday.

>18 johnsimpson: Hi John! Great to see you! Love and hugs to you too!

I'm not familiar with Matilda but she certainly looks happy with all those books. Is that a famous dog reading a book? He's a cutie and looks like he's enjoying himself. Happy new thread, Deborah!

from the last thread…
Just when I thought I was done with reading prize-nominated books you go and write an excellent review on Do Not Say We Have Nothing. I was clueless about the Chinese connection. I think I must read this book. The long cast of characters doesn't scare me a bit. I just finished reading Homegoing which has a lengthy character list. Bring 'em on!

ETA: Oops, I already had it on reserve at the library. I'm No. 2 in line for it.

Love you thread opener, Deb! And happy new one, my friend.

I've also requested Do Not Say We Have Nothing, and I hear Donna about lengthy lists of characters. Can't remember whether you've read Homegoing or not yet, Deb? It's so worth the read!

>21 Donna828: Truthfully I did not realize I was choosing anything in particular when I chose that thread topper. It was Charlotte who alerted me to the fact that it the character from the children's book Matilda by Roald Dahl . Donna, I look forward to your comments on Do Not Say We Have Nothing. Good for you that the long list of characters does not scare you.

>22 lit_chick: Thanks Nancy! Yes, the one thing I found challenging about Do Not We Have Nothing was keeping track of all of the characters , how they were related to each . The story is not told in a linear manner, so I had to write down who was who and why:) I've had Homegoing in my TBR pile for several months , I shall try to get to it soon. So many books, not enough time .

Matilda, my kind of girl! Have you read the book?
Have a lovely weekend, Deb!

Happy new thread, Deb!
Chiming in as another huge fan of Matilda!

Happy new thread, Deborah! I'll resume reading Do Not Say We Have Nothing this weekend.

>24 Trifolia: Monica, to be honest I'm not sure if I have read Matilda or not. As a child I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but later on when I had my two sons as young ones, they both loved Roald Dahl and we both read many of the books together, as well as my sons' reading Roald Dahls on their own. In my sons' young days, there seemed to be a lot more Roald Dahl books around than when I was young .

>25 scaifea: Thanks Amber!I hope you enjoying the weekend!

>26 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl. I hope you enjoy Do Not Say We Have Nothing. It looks like you have several books on the go. Me, I'm bright enough to follow one plot line! :)

Hi Monica and Deborah! I've never read Matilda, but daughter and I absolutely adored the movie. I have a rule that you have to read the book before seeing the movie, but I honestly did not know, until now that it was a book.

Love that Matilda!

Happy new thread, Deb.

>28 karenmarie: Karen, I"ve never seen the movie, but perhaps someday I will !

>29 banjo123: Rhonda, I had no idea that Matilda would be so popular!

>30 DianaNL: Thanks Diana!

How interesting that you chose Matilda and didn't know! lol. I loved that book when I was a kid. Maybe I should reread it.

I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the seemingly unending variety of book-related images folks find to use as thread-toppers. Love this one, Deb. And of course, I love "what's a thread without a dog?"

Can recommend the audiobook-version. Matilda read by Kate Winslet is great. Her voice for Mrs. Trunchbull is hilarious.

Happy new thread, Deb. Nice topper and I didn't know it was of a literary character either. Maybe those books weren't as popular in Canada? I hope you are enjoying our sunny Sunday - much better than yesterday's cold rain!

>32 The_Hibernator: Possibly a bit embarrassing that I picked Matilda and had no idea that I did, Rhonda!

>33 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! I too am amazed at the many wonderful book - related images that LT folks manage to find as thread toppers. The one I chose was just pure luck.

>34 ctpress: Oooh! A Carsten sighting on my thread! Great to see you! I'll keep in my mind your audio-book - version. Getting any reading done? Enjoying life I trust?

>35 Familyhistorian: I wonder if " back in the day" as in when I was young, if Roald Dahl was not as popular in Canada? I know I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the sequel , and I know my brothers read other books by Roald Dahl. I am sure Matilda was around during my sons' younger reader days and we read a lot - if not every book by Roald Dahl. They might have read Matilda, but I don't remember for certain. It might have been designated by them as a " girl's book." I know they enjoyed The Witches , The Twits etc. Looking at the publication dates, Matilda was published in 1988, when my eldest son would have been 4 years old! :) , so no wonder I would not have read it as a child.

Today was surprisingly nice, compared to the predictions, Meg.

Uhh...very little leisure reading at the moment, Deborah. Busy studying for some articles to write and lectures for the church. Mostly theology. It will be done in two weeks and then I can concentrate again on the novels I left behind during the summer.

>37 ctpress: Good for you, Carsten, studying theology. Are you speaking at your church? I'll look forward to your return here on LT!

Canada Governor General Fiction Award Shortlist 2016

Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeline Thien

Yiddish for Pirates by Gary Barwin

The Parcel by Anosh Irani

The Break by Katherena Vermette

Willem de Kooning's Paintbrush by Kerry - Lee Powell

And good news for me, I have read Do Not Say We Have Nothing and I already own The Parcel and The Break, so once I get to it, I'll be able to read those. I'm betting hard on Do Not Say We Have Nothing as it is on the Man Booker Shortlist and is also on the Giller Prize Shortlist.

Happy new thread, Deb. I hope all is well with you. I'm looking for my next read. I have my audio lined for the few weeks, but I've got a decision to make.

Aha, you've been doing a great job burning through *I mean reading and recommending, of course* the prize nominations this year, Deb. I see your rec Do Not Say We Have Nothing also made the GG's list. Yay!

*back to add:* just been looking closer at the GG list. I already have Do Not Say We Have Nothing requested at the library, and I've put two more on hold: The Break and The Parcel. Thanks again, friend! No idea when I'll get all these books read, but I'm having fun with manic lists, LOL!

>42 lit_chick: Thanks Brodie! Things are pretty good with me, thanks! Hmm- a decision to make as far as what audio book is next for you?

>42 lit_chick: I've been better at finding and posting the lists than actually reading the lists, Nancy! :) I liked the look of The Parcel back in August and I purchased Do Not Say We Have Nothing back before it even hit the Man Booker Longlist? I'm thinking I should apply to be a judge for one of the prizes, even I can't write a review for a book! :) I confess to purchasing The Break because I saw it on the another lit prize list and also because I am familiar with Winnipeg, where it is set and of course I am interested in the situation with the First Nations issue in Winnipeg, as well as across Canada. The Wonder came in from a hold today! :) Still reading Leaving Everything Most Loved, which is excellent.

Great to see your threads zinging along Deb. Leading the way for Canada in posting this year and by a comfortable margin.

Happy New Thread, Deb. Love the bookish topper. I am also looking forward to The Wonder. I do have it saved on audio. Looking forward to your thoughts on it.

>44 PaulCranswick: Thanks for your kind words, Paul! I'd like to see myself zipping along a little faster with my reading ;) But you know life, sometimes. I am doing much better with my reading this year though.

>45 msf59: Thanks Mark! I wish I could get myself set up as an audio person, but it seems I am more of " read the printed word" sort of a person.

Hi Deborah! Just a quick hello and best wishes for a good Wednesday!

>47 karenmarie: Thanks Karen! Best wishes for a wonderful Wednesday to you too!

>43 vancouverdeb: Glad you are enjoying Leaving Everything Most Loved. >39 vancouverdeb: looks really interesting - hopefully I will be able to find a few here...

>50 vancouverdeb: Charlotte, I'm afraid I'm reading a little more slowly than usual, owing to issues with our eldest son :) Yes, the lists are so interesting! I am eager to get a chance to read from the lists! :)

Today's weather :

>50 vancouverdeb: I'm sure your son appreciates the tlc. The books will wait patiently!

Hope you have good waterproofs when walking Poppy in all that rain...

>53 vancouverdeb: Thanks Charlotte! Yes, I've got quite good waterproof gear for walking Poppy. I don't walk in boots, but I do have some quite water resistant hiking shoes that I need to replace fairly soon. I find rubber boots or that sort of thing too awkward wear for walking a couple of miles with Poppy. Not just awkward, but they make my feet sore.

Nearly finished my latest book! (Finally )

Sorry I'm late to the new thread! I see you've almost caught up to me in the Maisie Dobbs series. I'm just about to finish the audio of A Dangerous Place.

I put a hold on the Overdrive audio of Homegoing this afternoon. And I have an e-ARC of Do Not Say We Have Nothing to read. I'll probably start it next weekend.

Adrian and I both have hair appointments in the morning. I'll have to get someone to take a picture of us!

>54 cbl_tn: No problem, Carrie! You just prompted me to purchase A Dangerous Place from amazon ca! :) I love that series! I have Homegoing waiting in the TBR wings, and I am trying hard to be mainly a library patron, but some books just call to me such that I do not have the patience to wait for my library. I can't wait to see what you think of Do Not Say We Have Nothing. Best of luck with the hair appointments! Poppy is off for a slight trim early next week - she is getting close to the hair tangle phase of the length her coat. She is high maintenance girl in so many ways! :)

Argh! My TickerFactory stopped working -- won't add +1 for my latest read. Have yo ever had this trouble, Deb? (or anyone else whose reading?)

>56 lit_chick: As I mentioned on your thread, yes I have also had trouble with the ticker factory last weekend. I tried updating and it would not work . But then a couple of days later it was updated here on LT, despite my not going back to re- try the ticker factory. It is frustrating. I know John Simpson also mentioned having the same trouble, Nancy.

Happy Friday, Deb. I am just about done with The Grass is Singing, for them BAC. It's a good solid read. Have you read it or Lessing?

Happy Thanksgiving Deborah. Love your Quentin Blake topper. I love his illustrations. We were caught out in in the big windstorm and power failure on our little Gulf Island last night but power got restored thank heavens. Poor dog, our Hurricante Katrina rescue dog Maggie was not impressed. She does not like big wind.

>57 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deb! I thought you'd mentioned trouble with it, but then I couldn't find the post! Appreciate you, my friend. Will leave it alone and it will fix itself (I hope!).

Happy Thanksgiving, Deborah. Hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends.

Yes, I'm speaking at the church - not very often but maybe four-six times a year. I try to work with some subjects I can both write about and speak about. I like the study involved but it do keep me away from "my" novels at times :)

>58 msf59: Mark, I have to admit I've not read anything by Doris Lessing. I'll have to keep my eye open for a book by her.

>59 mdoris: Happy Thanksgiving , Mary! Oh yikes, caught without power on your little Gulf Island! I'm glad it's restored. Roughing it are you? ;) We have a smaller version of the windstorm here on the coast, no power lost by us , but I think a few in our area did loss power. I heard that the Sunshine Coast, Gulf Island and Vancouver Island aka " The Island" all had quite a few customers loose power. I hope Maggie has recovered from the windstorm.

>60 lit_chick: Hi Nancy! I'm not sure if I'd mentioned my ticker trouble on my post or not. I think I mentioned it to John Simpson as he too had trouble with his ticker . At that time I'd not had trouble, but the next day or two I did. It did seem to update itself in it's own good time. Best of luck!

>61 ctpress: Thanks Carsten! I'm off to my sister's tomorrow. We are going to have a quiet Thanksgiving as Dave is at work, one of my sons has gone with his wife to Hong Kong, my mom had headed out to Cuba with my brother and his family . But my sister and I ( and possibly my other son ) have Thanksgiving Dinner planned.

Bravo to you, Carsten, speaking at your church. Even the preparation for speaking would take up a great deal of time. I'd love to move to Denmark to hear you speaking at church !

Hi Deb. Happy Thanksgiving!

Congratulations on reading so many highly rated books!

>63 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda! Kind words! Happy Weekend to you !

Oh I forgot that Canada and the US celebrate Thanksgiving at separate times. Have a lovely time with family, Deb.

Happy Thanksgiving, Deb!

Hope you have a nice dinner together Deborah.

Hi Deb, Happy Thanksgiving my dear.

I will add my Happy Thanksgiving wishes, Deborah. Lucky you, getting to go to your sister's house. I think it's my turn this year but I have another 5 or 6 weeks to think about it. I will occasionally try something new but my family insists on the same old turkey, stuffing, and side dishes. I loved the roasted brussel sprouts I did last year, but only a few others tried them. Party poopers!

You are doing a fine job keeping us updated on nominees for book prizes. Canadians must be big readers as you have several different awards. I am still patiently waiting for Do Not Say We Have Nothing. I am next in line.

>65 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul for the well-wishes . Yes indeed, we know how to space out our holidays wisely! :)

>66 msf59: Thanks Mark! I'll be off to my sister's shortly . A nice sunny day here today!

>67 charl08: Thanks Charlotte! It will a quiet Thanksgiving compared to usual, but I am sure we will enjoy ourselves.

>68 johnsimpson: Love and hugs to you, John and Karen!

>69 Donna828: Donna, My family is the same. We are still using our 1970's broccoli casserole recipe, and though I like brussel sprouts, apparently no one else does. I'm not sure if Canadians are big readers, or if we just have a lot of prizes to encourage writers. Our population in Canada is so small, that I think Canadians feel that we need to encourage our home grown talent. Can't wait to hear what you think of Do Not Say Nothing.

Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving Deb!

>70 vancouverdeb: Thanks Rachel, though Thanksgiving is still to happen as I am on the West Coast. Thanks for the good wishes!

Currently I am reading The Wonder by Emma Donoghue, which is short -listed for the Canadian Giller Prize this year.

>73 vancouverdeb: I am in the library queue for that one. I look forward to your comments as I predict that they will whet my appetite for my turn with it.

>51 vancouverdeb: We've been starting to have some of that kind of weather too. We actually need the rain and it has very considerately rained hardest at night, so I'm handling it so far. You just have to be ready for it (as I know you know, living in this region!).

>73 vancouverdeb: HI Deborah, If you can get your mitts on it, there is a a very interesting review "Age of Starvation" in the the Sept. 19 issue of the New Yorker of The Wonder The review sure made me want to read the book. I will look for your review when you are done!

>73 vancouverdeb: I was in the library queue too for The Wonder but my lucky number came up a couple of days ago. Yes, Ellen, I have dug out my gortex jacket , boots and Poppy's rain coats. Some days it is just so rainy and windy I do get weary of it. And no staying because it is raining because Poppy needs here exercise. Oh yes and all of the towels for a muddy dog! ;)

>75 mdoris: I thought of you the other day when I went veggie shopping for Thanksgiving, Mary. I saw a package of Houweling's tomatoes and I recalled was your favourite brand. I'll look for the "Age of Starvation." I"m about 75 pages in, so I'm not quite sure what to say as yet, Quite readable, but a little claustrophobic. But we'll see how it goes. I'll let you know what I think of it.

Oh, my, the little malamute in the raincoat is beyond adorable!

Deb, can't wait to hear what you think of The Wonder. I'm in the library queue for this one.

>77 DianaNL: Thanks Diana!

>78 lit_chick: I'm enjoying The Wonder, Nancy. I'm about 1/2 way through . It is it a just a great " page turner" or a literary masterpiece? I'm not sure as yet. But definitely a good yarn :)

Hi Deb, I finally on my way to catch up with you. Sorry to hear that you had such terrible weather. I hope it's getting better soon. Autumn has started here, too but it's very dry since August and it doesn't look like it will change in the near future.

I wish you a lovely week.

Good morning, Ellen! I hope all is well with you. The weather locally has been characteristically wacky for the last couple of days. Sun, rain, clouds, warm, cold, etc?

I took a moment to research 'The Wonder'. Interesting story and some good reviews. I look forward to your review.

>79 vancouverdeb: I'm also about 1/2 way through The Wonder and find it very readable and interesting. I'm intrigued to figure what is going on. I have some guesses...

>81 brodiew2: Boy, did I screw that one up. I apologize, Deb. Have a good evening!

>80 Ameise1: Hi Barbara! Today has been a beautiful sunny day, but we have a wind and rain warning for Thursday and Friday , so I'll be digging out some candles and my gortex jacket etc. I wish you a lovely week too!

>81 brodiew2: Hi Brodie! Though I am not Ellen, I have just finished The Wonder and I really enjoyed it. I've yet to get a review!

>82 raidergirl3: Hi Elizabeth! Great to see you! I finished The Wonder this morning and I really enjoyed it I was quite uncertain about The Wonder , but it was a great page turner. Certainly worth the read. I enjoyed it much more than the Room. And Room was not too "scary or sad for me, I just had trouble buying into the way the mom reacted after the boy was released from the room . This was so much better , at least in my opinion.

>83 brodiew2: Don't worry for a second, Brodie! You won't be the first or the last person to mix up a thread. I know I've done it myself - or mixed up a name. It's all good :)

Hi Deb. Glad you liked The Wonder. I will have to add that one to the rotation.

I just finished A Whole Life. You might like this one, plus it's a shorty. I am getting ready to start The Glorious Heresies.

>84 vancouverdeb: regarding Room, I gave the mother a little more room(interestingly!) I just figured she had to focus everything she had to protect him and herself for so long, so once she got out and had others around, she felt safe enough to let go all the effort. She had to just 'be' without worrying.

I also liked Astray and The Sealed Letter. Frog Music was okay and had some good things but didn't grab me as much as her others. All in all, im a fan!

If I have to be mixed up with anyone, I'm pleased to be mixed up with you, Deb!

Room is the only Donoghue I have read and I thought it was very good. I have Frog Music on the shelves and I'm in the library queue for The Wonder.

>85 msf59: Mark, definitely add The Wonder to your rotation. I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much. I had not expected to do so. I look into A Whole Life.

>86 raidergirl3: I am so cruel, Elizabeth, no room for the poor mother in the book Room. I am a cruel task master! :) I must admit I was so taken by The Wonder I am now interested in looking into more Emma Donoghue books, it was that good. Not perfect, but very good.

>87 EBT1002: Likewise, Ellen, I am happy to be mixed up with you. Maybe someone will give me credit for a few brains. I hope you enjoy The Wonder.

Of all the books that are calling to me, which one next?

Hi Deb, glad you have had a sunny day my dear, once again we have had a rainy day and that is what it is going to be like for the next few days. Oh well I have my books, sending love and hugs dear friend.

I am glad you liked The WOnder. I am a fan of Donaghue's writing, and I liked Room; even though I see your point about the mom.

>89 johnsimpson: Today is not bad, John, but we have wind and rain warning for the next three days. I guess I'll be bundling up to walk the dog. Love and hugs to you too , John !

>90 banjo123: I'm such a fuss about the mom, Rhonda! :) I did really love The Wonder. I hope you do too!

So behind with my reviews and comments, but I am about 100 pages into The Parcel by Anosh Irani. I found it a bit difficult to get into, but now it's grabbed me. It's nominated for two Can Lit Prizes, The Governor General's Literary Prize, as well The Roger's Writer's Trust Shortlist.

What amazing reading you are doing Deborah, getting a jump on the potential prize winners. Way to go girl!

>92 vancouverdeb: Looking forward to this one (and not just because the cover is so beautful).

Well, maybe a little bit.

Woohoo! The Parcel is another one I'm excited about, Deb. I just picked up Do Not Say We Have Nothing yesterday, along with Miss Jane. Not sure when I'll get all of these read as work is crazy busy and home time has been pretty brain-dead, but I'll do what I can : ).

Hi Deborah, catching up on threads after a week.
Finally fall reached us, although it is still awfully dry :-(

>93 mdoris: Thanks Mary , I am trying to make some progress on potential winners, though once they've made the list, in a sense , I suppose they are winners. Wishing you well through this stormy weekend . We've got out our flashlights etc at the ready.

>94 charl08: It is a nice cover, Charlotte, but some difficult reading, subject wise.

>95 lit_chick: It took me a bit of effort to get into The Parcel but I think you'll enjoy it, Nancy, but let me finish. I'm still waiting on Miss Jane from the library.Brain dead you say? That's a lot of us! ;)

>96 FAMeulstee: Great to see you, Anita! Sorry it is dry. Here we have a "rain warning" - in other wards a lot of rain is expected, such that the city and personally we are cleaning storm drains etc as well as preparing for the for a windstorm that is supposed to bring wind up to 80 km / hr of 50 miles per hour. I hope we won't lose power over the next day or two.

Hi Deb, I hope you still have power. Lots of debris all over the roads here and they say tomorrow will be the worst one!

>98 Familyhistorian: Knock on wood, I have not yet lost power, Meg. I'm hoping that today's storm which I think is just barely getting going won't knock out our power. As I am sure you know, a lot of people across the lower mainland and the Island, and just east of the lower mainland lost power yesterday. A number of areas here in Richmond lost power, but we have been lucky so far. Poppy needs her walk, so off I go! Best wishes to you too, in the wind and rain.

Sorry to hear about the bad weather. I wish you a 'calm' weekend.

I was on my way back from Surrey when the storm was starting up this afternoon, Deb. At that time it was mostly wind but by the time I got to Coquitlam it was heavy rain. I opted not to drive into Vancouver this evening due to all the weather reports. I hope that this weather clears up somewhat as I am on vacation this coming week to take in the Vancouver Writers Festival.

Happy Sunday, Deb! Hope you are enjoying the weekend and I hope your books are treating you well.

I started Another Brooklyn. You might like this beautiful little novel.

Just dropping by to wish you a lovely Sunday, Deb. xx

Here's to a Sunday full of power, Deb! Hoping xx.

Hi Deb, hope you still have power my dear and the weather is not causing you too much trouble, sending love and hugs my dear.

>100 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara. The weather was not as bad here as was anticipated last night. The wind was not as bad as predicted. I kept trying to keep ahead of power outages by getting laundry done, dishwasher run, and I purchased some energy bars and canned foods as suggested by Environment Canada ( meteorologists ) . People did lose power but we did not. A few flickers , but that was all.

>101 Familyhistorian: What a hassle the past three days has been, Meg. According to what I read, now we just have the rain to contend with ( as usual ). Yes, from what I saw on TV and via reading the paper, downtown Vancouver was a good place to avoid. Fingers crossed that this week is okay for you traveling into the Writers Festival.

>102 msf59: Happy Weekend, Mark, though on your end it is likely Sunday evening. I'll check into the novel that you mentioned .

>103 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul ! Happy week ahead to you too !xx

>104 lit_chick: Thanks for the well wishes, Nancy and yes, I have power. There were three separate storms and I'd say the second was the worst, though the third was anticipated to be the worst, but fortunately it was less than was " advertised."

>105 johnsimpson: Thanks John! We did manage in my area to keep power since Thursday and it looks like rainy weather in the forecast and today, but not the big winds. Love and hugs to you too.

Glad the worst of the weather missed you Deborah. Hope you have a good week.

Hi Deb! I'm not familiar with The Parcel and will look forward to your comments.

>106 vancouverdeb: It was still pretty windy downtown today, Deb. I think all of those tall buildings in the downtown core create wind tunnels. I saw more than one person give up on their umbrella - good thing there are lots of awnings to walk under.

>108 charl08: I'm so glad the worst of the storm did not hit us after all, Charlotte! Glad to be back to " normal" whatever that is :) Not on guard for the power to go out.

>109 EBT1002: The Parcel is up for a couple of Canadian Literary awards , Ellen. It is a bit of a difficult read, subject wise - it concerns prostitution, the hijra/ eunuchs ( the third sex people in Bombay - that is to say, boys who seemed effeminate getting castrated and going into prostitution), as well as child sex trafficking. A very human read, but a bit of a challenge , subject wise

>110 Familyhistorian: I don't doubt it, Meg, that the downtown core was worse with all of the tall buildings creating wind tunnels. I know I that past couple of days I tried to avoid walking right along the Fraser River as the mouth to the Pacific, just to avoid the higher winds. I walked on a road parallel to that, hoping that the buildings would serve as a windbreak.

I'm way behind in my comments / reviews so here is bit of a cheater's review of Born On a Tuesday by Elnathan John. blurb by Taiye Selasi author of Ghana Must Go. With brave unflinching candor expressed through spare , unadorned prose, Elnathan John considers the rise of of Islamic extremism in Nigeria as experienced by one young man. Anyone reading seeking to peek beyond the media's portrayals of Boko Haram must read this book , not because it offers a hopeful account, but rather because it offers a human one.

My comments : The story does not mention Boko Haram at all, but it does explain how young men get caught up in religious extremism. Poverty has much more to do with it than do actual beliefs. There is a fair amount of violence, none of it gratuitous. The story has a very personal point of view, as told through the eyes a young man named Dentala. It is a difficult read, due to the content , but I felt it gave me a great deal of insight into the causes of religious fundamentalism. At times the author does not translate phrases of African Patois, which I did not appreciate. Overall, a very insightful read.

3.8 stars

.

Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear. In 1933 London , the body of young Usha Pramal is found dead in a canal. Two months later her brother arrives from India to look further into the the cause of her death. Was it suicide, or a murder caused by those who oppose people from different cultures? The police do not seem to have done an adequate job, so Maisie is consulted to help solve the puzzle. The mystery is enjoyable, but more than than that, I enjoy the character development from novel to novel in this wonderful series.

4 .25 stars.

Tomorrow I'll try to get together some remarks for The Wonder . For now I will just say it vastly exceeded my expectations and it was a wonderful page turner, even if it is up for two Can Lit awards. :)

Glad to hear that you stayed safe.

Good to read the third storm was not as bad as predicted, Deborah, now some dry weather for Poppy?

Appreciate your comments on Born on a Tuesday, glad you enjoyed. Leaving Everything Most Loved looks excellent, Deb! I'm getting there ... loving our girl, Maisie, thanks to your rec.

Morning Deborah! I was saddened to discover my library system had none of the Canada Governor General Fiction Award Shortlisters. Perhaps they will eventually but certainly not be for the winner is named. :0(

Wishing you dryer days ahead!

By the way, Mark is correct! Another Brooklyn is a beauty of a book.

>115 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara. Yes, I suppose I should be glad that I stayed safe, but I was more anxious about just keeping the power on!

>116 FAMeulstee: Yes, apparently people are calling it the storm that never was and teasing the meteorologists here. But I am glad they had so many BC Hydro crews at the ready etc and closed down some parks for safety. In August we have quite a windstorm and it knocked out power to us and a lot of people. This time they were ready for things, so power was restored in the affected areas much more quickly. Rain is on the menu for most of the autumn, and winter, so Poppy has to brave the elements each day in her raincoat. She is used to it.

>117 lit_chick: Enjoyed Born on a Tuesday might be the wrong adjective - maybe " appreciated" it and gained some knowledge. I am glad I read it. Yes to Maisie and more adventures with her.

>118 Carmenere: Great to see you, Lynda! Hmm- I think you library should have Do Not Say We Have Nothing , which is definitely on the short list for the Booker list and also on the Governor General's short list. I can understand your library not having a Can Lit book around, but the Booker Short list? Mind you, my library is still getting in all of the Man Booker long list. I'll keep an eye out for Another Brooklyn. Thanks to you and Mark for the rec!

Hi, Deb! Thanks for filling me in on your Mom's Cuba trip. Sounds like an interesting place to visit.

I am getting ready to FINALLY read Someone Knows My Name. I can't believe it has taken me this long, especially since many of my bookish pals, LOVE this book. I am sure you have read it, right?

>121 msf59: You bet I've read Someone Knows My Name and I read it shortly after it came out. A great Canadian Novel , not to be missed, Lone Ranger! I can't believe it has taken you this long either. It was a five star read for me and one of my favourites.

I hope the wind dies down a bit, Deb. The rain is easier to take if it isn't threatening to blow my umbrella inside out. I also have The Book of Negroes on tap for this month for the CAC. Good to know that it impresses you.

>122 vancouverdeb: I am finally going to get to this one! Looking forward to it.

>123 Familyhistorian: It's great that the wind has died down, Meg! To be honest, I rarely carry an umbrella. I never carry an umbrella when I'm walking the dog, because there is no way to carry an umbrella and hold a leash etc . Definitely do read The Book of Negroes. It was a 5 star read for me and this year I'm not sure I have I have yet to read a 5 star book. I reserve 5 stars for very exceptional books.

>124 charl08: I hope you like The Book of Negroes or Someone Knows My Name. Here in Canada, it is titled The Book of Negroes as per the author's wishes, but elsewhere it is known as Someone Knows My Name. The writer himself is black, so I'm not sure why the different titles for different countries. I hope you will love it as much as I did, Charlotte!

>125 vancouverdeb: Over here it is called Het negerboek, exact translation of the Canadian title, and I have added it to mount TBR.

Here is Lawrence Hill's discussion on why his preferred title is The Book of Negroes . I was just curious as to why he preferred one title to the other.

http://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.ca/2012/12/q-with-author-lawrence-hill.html

>126 FAMeulstee: Interesting, Anita. I think it depends on how it resonates in each country. This is the discussion that the author had with an interviewer over the title - as linked above.

Q: Someone Knows My Name is the book's title in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. In Canada, Great Britain, South Africa, and India, it was published as The Book of Negroes. Why were there two different titles for the book, and which do you prefer?

A: There are two titles in English, and various other titles in translation. In France and in Quebec, for example, the French translation goes under the title Aminata. However, to return to your question, my first and preferred title for the novel was, and remains, The Book of Negroes.

I like the title, because it resurrects a nearly forgotten British military ledger dating back to 1783, the purpose of which was to document the names and various biographical details of 3,000 Black Loyalists who had flocked to Manhattan to serve the British on the losing side of the American Revolutionary War, and who then fled by ship at war's end to Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. Aminata, like the other Black Loyalists, is only able to flee New York and to escape the hands of those who would re-enslave her by proving that she has served the British during the war, having her name entered into The Book of Negroes and then being allowed to sail from the Hudson River. This nearly forgotten exodus forms one of the key historical foundations of the novel, so I was pleased to name my novel after it.

My American publisher felt that the word "Negroes" in the title would offend American readers, so I came up with a new title -- Someone Knows My Name -- for the American market. Although there is never complete consensus on such matters, most African-American readers who have approached me on book tour in the United States have emphasized that they would never have bought or read the novel if it had carried the Canadian title.

Q: You have written, in both fiction and non-fiction, about being biracial in Canada. Your parents came from the United States, and you have relatives there. What would you say are some of the differences, and similarities, in how the two countries look at racial issues?

A: As you say, there are both differences and similarities, far too numerous and complex to address in a short reply here. One of the most significant similarities relates to the personal, family histories of people in the African Diaspora, regardless of their country of residence. My own family and personal history -- at least, as they relate to the development of my own identity as the son of a black father and white mother who left the United States in 1953, the day after they married -- is described in my memoir, Black Berry, Sweet Juice: On Being Black and White in Canada (HarperCollins Canada, 2001).

Migration seems to be a defining factor, as does an awareness of the multinational origins of one's family over time. My second novel, called Any Known Blood, followed five generations of a Black family that moved back and forth across the US-Canada border, with a man from each generation of the family leaving his birth country and moving to the other. So, at the personal level, family and other personal experiences can tend to blur the lines of firm national borders, and evoke much deeper points of connection through shared experiences and common ancestors.

However, at the social and political level, one can point to many differences between how racial issues are considered in each country. To begin with, it is important to remember that while slavery was a defining pillar of America's early economy and society, the despicable institution never became a bedrock of Canadian life. That is not due to any moral superiority north of the border that we share. Indeed, many of early Canada's prominent politicians were slaveowners and the institution of slavery did not formally die in Canada until 1834, when it was abolished throughout the British Empire. But Canada had no climate conducive to plantation slavery, and no economic need for millions of slaves to enrich its country by working the fields of cash crops. Slavery in Canada became a primarily urban phenomenon, and was limited to Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime provinces in Atlantic Canada.

The number of slaves in Canada never reached a slim fraction of the number of American slaves -- in absolute or in proportional terms -- and so the fact of slavery, anti-slavery, liberation and social integration has never registered in the Canadian psyche the way it has in America. In the United States, you would have to be pretty well brain-dead not to know that the country was built by slaves, and that even presidents such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves. The long fight to eradicate slavery and to desegregate America fits entirely into the historical identity and the collective memory.

In Canada, we are still in denial. Many Canadians still have no idea that slavery existed in their own land, and many others fear that the mere fact of discussing racial issues somehow debases us. Couldn't we just ignore that ugly stuff and move on? So, one of the most fundamental differences between our two countries is that racial history and racial issues have, traditionally at least, been discussed and debated far more openly in the United States than in Canada, because the sheer magnitude of the issues made them impossible to ignore.

Long enough for you? :)

Gosh, now I'm going to look for his memoir Black Berry, Sweet Juice: On Being Black and White in Canada that he mentions in his interview.

Really interesting stuff. Will add the memoir to the wishlist too.

>128 vancouverdeb: I love this, Deb. Thanks for sharing. I am only a 100 pages in but I can tell this one will be very special.

Plus, Aminata Diallo is an amazing character.

ETA- Have you read anything else by Hill?

>129 charl08: I found that interview interesting myself, Charlotte. Prior to reading The Book of Negroes, I had no idea that in Canada, we had a small number of people that have come to Canada via the USA underground railway, and though most were not enslaved, I was unaware that Canada enslaved a small amount of those that escaped the USA.

>130 msf59: Mark, no I've yet to read more by Lawrence Hill but his book The Illegal has been in my mental TBR list for quite some time. Now I'm more interested in searching up his memoir, Black Berry , Sweet Juice. I agree, Aminita Diallo is an amazing character. I have not forgotten her courage and fortitude.

>128 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah, very interesting interview with Lawrence Hill. I read the book when it first came out and now have The illegal waiting for me in my stack of books. I snatched it from the "free library" of my new neighbour a few days ago (definitely worth walking Maggie dog in that direction daily!)

Great interview! I also read The Book of Negroes when it was new, and loved it. Have yet to get to The Illegal, but I will.

>132 mdoris: I'm glad you enjoyed the interview, Mary. I thought perhaps it was a little too long, but after all, what are we but readers ? ;) I love the idea of a free library in my neighbourhood. I'd love to have one in our town house complex, but I suspect it would be vetoed due to the prospect of perhaps drawing "undesirables" into the complex. That said, is any reader "undesirable?"

>133 lit_chick: I must admit I was very curious as to why the US and Canada had different titles for the same book - not the first time, so I had to check out . Yes, I have yet to get to The Illegal too. On my metal TBR list, like so many books.

>128 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah, we are a lot like Canada in our denial. In our own country there were no slaves, but many were on the plantations in our colonies, especially Suriname...
Frank is reading a trilogy by Astrid Roemer who was born there and came here in the 1960s. She writes about that time and sometimes it is heartwrenching.

>135 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita! I think in Canada, a lot of the focus is on our First Nations people and our Northern indigenous peoples. That where is seems that Canada went very wrong - putting people into residential schools and trying to force our culture on the in the people. I think in my city, mixed union marriages are very common at about 10% . I actually really never think of it. http://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/metro-van-has-most-mixed-couples-in-can...

Hi Deborah! It's beginning to look like I won't be able to squeeze in Someone Knows My Name this month. Maybe I'll get to it before the end of the year. Too many books, not enough time. It's one I really want to read, and I want to make sure I read it sometime when I don't have to rush through it.

>137 cbl_tn: I know the feeling, Carrie. Too many books , too little time . I hope eventually you will get to Someone Knows My Name - next year maybe?

Happy Friday, Deb. Someone Knows My Name has been fantastic. I hope to surpass the halfway point tomorrow. She is a wonderful character.

And yes, Black Berry , Sweet Juice sounds really good.

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue is a fascinating story about eleven year old Anna O'Donnell. In a small Irish village of the 1850's, Anna has apparently thrived without food for several months. Is Anna a miracle of the Catholic Faith? Or is someone slipping her food? Lib Wright, an English nurse who trained under Florence Nightingale , is hired to keep watch over young Anna. Is Anna a fraud or not?

A complex and intriguing novel that kept me enthralled . The Wonder is on the 2016 Giller Shortlist. This is a great page- turner that I think will have a broad appeal. I much preferred it to Room by the same author.

Heartily recommended! 4.25 stars

>139 msf59: Glad you are enjoying Someone Knows My Name, Mark! I really loved it!

Hi Deborah, You may be interested in the review of The Wonder in the New Yorker. It's on my TBR list.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/09/19/emma-donoghues-art-of-starvation

>140 vancouverdeb: Sounds really good Deborah. Do you think it might win?

The Parcel by Anosh Irani is up for two awards, The Governor General's Literary Award as well as the Rogers Writers Trust Fiction Award.

Review

Madhu is born in Bombay to a poor but not impoverished family. From the start Madhu's father is embarrassed by Madhu's effeminate bahaviour. Madhu identifies with the female sex. Rejected by his peers and his family, Madhu is relieved to leave his family to become a " hijra" - a person of the ' the third sex" - neither man nor woman.

Madhu, now aged 40, has spent most of her life as a transgendered sex worker in the red light district of Bombay. She feels a sense of belonging as part of this group. As a part of her work, Madhu is summoned is to prepare" the parcel " , a code word for a ten year old girl who has been betrayed and trafficked into the sex trade. Madhu works with the girl to to force her to accept the harsh reality that is in store for her. In the midst of this, Madhu's past comes back to haunt her, and gradually Madhu's world unravels.

A dark, gritty, very graphic and heart- breaking novel, not for the faint of heart. I'll be happy if this wins either or both of the awards. I don't think it will have a broad appeal, but it opened my eyes to a reality in both Mumbai and here in Canada and elsewhere.

4. 5 stars.

>142 mdoris: Thanks , Mary. I'll have a look at the New Yorker article a little later. Just writing out these two reviews has sapped my energy! :) It is definitely very interesting and also a page -turner. I think you will enjoy it.

>143 charl08: Charlotte, The Wonder is up against Do Not Say We Have Nothing for the 2016 Giller Prize here in Canada, and I think Do Not Say We Have Nothing is the better book. That said, The Wonder is very readable and will have a broad appeal. Who knows what the judges are looking for in awarding the prize. The Wonder is definitely an interesting read and one I was able to read in a couple of days.

Sounds like you'd not be too upset if either book won?

Thanks for the review of The Parcel - I do hope that a UK publisher will pick it up so it will be available here. Prices online currently 80 pounds!

>131 vancouverdeb:, >139 msf59: - I also enjoyed that interview, thanks for posting it. I read Black Berry Sweet Juice earlier this year and found it very interesting. An unintentional coincidence, I also happened to read Ta-Nahisi Coates' book Between the World and Me, right after the Hill book. He looks at race in a very different light.

I wonder if the mini-series of The Book of Negroes that was on CBC would be available for Americans or others to see. I will admit that I never finished the book because I was about half-way through it when the tv series came on and I got very caught up in watching it, then just didn't get back to the book (though I really do intend to!). The cast and the acting were excellent and I thought it was really well done. True to the novel, as well, but then, Lawrence Hill was consulted throughout.

I have several books by Lawrence Hill (and one by his brother, singer-songwriter Dan Hill) on my bookshelves now but have yet to obtain The Illegal. He did win Canada Reads 2 years in a row, if I am not mistaken, and the last one was for The Illegal

Good review of The Wonder Deborah. Thumbed.

Canadian writing is very much to the fore in the group this year thanks to:

(1) The consistent support and artful advocacy of the Canadian 75ers!
(2) Ilana's Canadian Author Challenge
(3) International recognition of Canadian writers
(4) The fact that Canadian authors are proving to be pretty darn good.

The Orenda by Joseph Boyden continues to be my favourite read of the year and I am confident that Do Not Say We Have Nothing will win the Booker. I have only one to read but it is the best shortlisted book I have read by a comfortable margin.

Have a lovely weekend, Deb. xx

>146 charl08: 80 pounds for The Parcel! That's ridiculous , Charlotte. I do hope that someone takes it on to be published in the UK . The Wonder is up for a different award than The Parcel, so they can both win! :)

>147 jessibud2: Glad that you enjoyed the article, Shelley. I'd like to read Between the World and Me. I was reading the paper today , and it was comparing The Underground Railroad to The Book of Negroes and described the The Book of Negroes as the more realistic portrayal of the underground railroad. However, I've yet to yet to read The Underground Railroad yet, so I cant' weigh in on that. I've not seen the TV series of The Book of Negroes, but I'll have to remedy that.

>148 mdoris: The Wonder is an easy grabs- you- in read, Mary! Do see if you can find it in your Neighbourhood Little Library - or else you may have to " splash out" for it :) I waited quite a while in my library queue or it. Thanks for the thumb. Always appreciated.

>149 PaulCranswick: Kind words, Paul. I think in Canada , we have quite a few literary prizes and writers are also encouraged via the Canada Council For Arts, funded by the Canadian Government and we loyal Canadian try to do our best to flog and read Can Lit books! :) I confess I've yet to read a book by Joseph Boyden, though I have one in the stacks.

Hapy Sunday, Deb.

>150 vancouverdeb: - I think Book of Negroes was rebroadcast this year on tv, maybe over the summer? You could always check the CBC website or contact your local CBC affiliate to find out. It really was very well done. I have heard a lot about The Underground Railroad and want to get to that one too. There is another one I recently heard about, called Underground Airlines by Ben Winters that is an imaginative and rather subversive novel and I would be curious to read that one, too.

If you can, I would recommend trying to see if your library has Between the World and Me in audiobook format. It is read by Coates and isn't very long (3 discs, I think). Hearing him read gives it an authenticity that I don't think reading the actual book could convey. I found it very powerful and could barely get out of the car, for wanting to keep listening!

Woohoo, Deb, you are killing it! Fantastic reviews of both The Wonder and The Parcel. The first of these is at the library for me to pick up today : ). The second is on my list. Thumbs-up, my friend!

Touchstones are making me crazy! Donoghue's touchstone selected Little Women and the other some obscure work I've never heard of. I've fixed them now. Gah!

>140 vancouverdeb: Glad to see you loved The Wonder! It's one I've been debating picking up soon!

YIkes, I just checked and I am 299 of 345 holds in my new library system for The Wonder. I had better take very good care of myself so I will live that long! Like Nancy, I had trouble with the touchstone and had to go hunting.

>152 Ameise1: A wonderful week ahead to you, Barbara!

>153 jessibud2: I'll do that, Shelley, check CBC's website, for The Book of Negroes. I've heard of Underground Airlines, but I've not properly looked into it. I'll do that too. Between the World and Me is one I've been meaning to get to as well . I confess I am not much good at audio books, so I suspect I will look for that in print format. Too little time and too many books.

>154 lit_chick: Thanks Nancy! I'm sure you will love The Wonder. Very atmospheric and a page - turner. Thanks for the thumbs. I think I'm resigned to the touchstones. It sure can drive a person crazy though. Even me! :)

>155 ChelleBearss: Chelle, I'd be debating about reading The Wonder because I was not that entranced by Room . But I put my name in the library hold queue and when it arrived, I though , I'll give it a try - and surprise - I loved it!

>156 mdoris: Oh dear Mary! Number 299 of 345 holds in your library system! Argh! I think you might need to splash out for The Wonder :) Maybe you and your neighbour with the Little Free Library could come to an agreement that you'd both like to purchase The Wonder and go halves on the The Wonder? Hmm. What to do!

Currently reading Britt-Marie Was Here: A Novel by Fredrick Backman. I'm at page 153 and I confess I was hoping for something like a Man Called Ove but so far it is not seeming that great of a read. I was hoping for something light and fun but also enjoyable. and so far it is not the book I'd hoped for. Not the sort of substance I'd hoped for.

>159 vancouverdeb: :0( Sorry to read that, Deborah. Hopefully, things will change! Have a lovely week!

Happy Sunday, Deb. I hope to finish Someone Knows My Name tomorrow. What a great read. I will have to read more of his work. Do I see that they made a film version of this book?

>161 msf59: - Mark, a miniseries was created for CBC television a few years ago. It was a collaboration between the main writer, Clement Virgo, and Lawrence Hill and the casting and acting were spectacular.

Not sure if you will be able to view this, being outside Canada, but give it a try:
http://www.cbc.ca/bookofnegroes/ (Hill talks about the making of this)

http://www.cbc.ca/bookofnegroes/episodes/

Would it be on Netflix?

Hi Deb! I am this close to finishing the enjoyable A God in Ruins after which I can read The Wonder which I already have from the library. And your comments definitely make me want to read The Parcel although I get that it will be a tough read.

I hope you have a great week ahead!

>136 vancouverdeb: Interesting conversation brought up in the discussion about The Book of Negroes, Deb. I think in my city, mixed union marriages are very common at about 10%. Just to be clear about the mixed unions here not many of them here are black and white because in the words of Omari Newton, "There are more dogs in sweaters in Vancouver than there are blacks." He was very surprised by the fact when he moved to Vancouver from Montreal, come to think of it so was I, particularly as I had come from Montreal after first detouring through Halifax.

>160 Carmenere: So far, not much change with Britt-Marie Was Here, though I had company this evening and so I did not get any time to read the book, Lynda. Fingers crossed that it improves!

>161 msf59: Thanks for the info for Mark, Shelley. I don't get Netflix , as least not yet, so I don't know if it would be on Netflix. I noted a new series called The Crown that I think is about Queen Elizabeth as a young girl and marrying and coming into power etc, so I might ask my techy son if he knows how netflix works, because I am not sure. :)

>163 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! You are in for a treat with The Wonder! The Parcel is a great read in it's way, and I think it made me change the way I look at the world, but I have no doubt you will be fine with the gritty , graphic read.

>164 Familyhistorian: Oh yes, as a 50 plus year resident of the Vancouver area, you can be certain that I am aware of who lives around here.Perhaps part of the explanation lies in the fact that the underground railroad ended up in New Brunswick and Haitian immigrants etc were closer to Toronto and Montreal - both of which also have a much larger French based population. As some one who walks my dog nearly every day I can certainly attest to the number of dogs in sweaters , rain coats, snug little fleece jackets! Poppy owns two sweaters, two rain jackets, and one somewhat rainproof fleece lined jacket. I would say that percentage of dogs that wear sweaters etc is around 50% . Dogs are a sporty bunch in Vancouver and for the most part, very well looked after! :)

A little dog fashion as per Meg's comment! :) We do not dress Poppy up except for protection in the outside weather when it is needed. Poppy would nip my hand for the bother of dressing up. No pictures with Santa for Poppy nor a Halloween outfit. Poppy does not like excessive handling:)

>165 vancouverdeb: - I don't have netflix either and am not techie enough to explain anything about it. But I have a friend who no longer has tv; well, she has a physical television set, in order to watch movies and I know that she has netflix and can see things that I can't!

>158 vancouverdeb: I quite enjoyed Room, despite how creepy it was. I have suggested Frog Music for my book club to read. Not sure they are interested

>165 vancouverdeb: I am sure that you are aware of who lives around you, Deb. But I think that the mix in the Lower Mainland might be somewhat unique which fellow LTers might not understand. It is an interesting mix with some places more mixed than others especially where you live where there are more signs in Chinese than English. I was driving down 128th street in Surrey the other day and for a moment thought that if I was looking through someone else's eyes that I would think I wasn't in Canada and I am sure the same impression would be had during Vaisakhi.

We don't have very many dogs in sweaters around here in Coquitlam. Maybe we are more rugged? It is, afterall, bear country but I have the hope that maybe they have gone into hibernation now.

I'll bet rainy Vancouver's dogs are a trendy bunch sartorially, Deb. You must another pic of little Poppy in one of her sweaters or coats. Too precious!

Hi Deb, hope you are ok my dear and had a good weekend. I hope it is not raining with you, we have had a dry but cool day although it is to get colder as the week progresses. Sending love and hugs to you and the family dear friend.

>167 jessibud2: My sister uses net flix, but she has an apple TV and is married to techie husband. My husband can re- roof a roof, pull an engine and replace it, install a dishwasher, etc, but when it comes to techie things, like netflix, he is hopeless ( and probably he doesn't care). Shelley! Wait til I tell I want netflix to watch The Crown about the royal family. I can just see his eyeballs roll. He is not a Royal Family junkie like me :)

>168 ChelleBearss: Chelle, I didn't really find Room that creepy, it just was not that interesting to me. But The Wonder really grabbed me. I hope you enjoy The Wonder. It was great!

>169 Familyhistorian: You could certainly be correct about some LT'ers being unaware about the racial mix here . In Richmond, about 60 plus % of Chinese background and maybe another 10 percent of South Asian and I do see a lot of people in a hijab. I quite love the diversity and I'm not sure I really notice it as it has always been the way of Richmond. Richmond was settled by the Japanese , so I've grown up with a " racial mix. " As for dogs in jackets, I think the bigger dogs and double coated dogs do not usually wear a rain jacket, but if you have a small dog with a single coat like many of us in townhouses and condos, your 5 - 15 lb dog will need rain coat . Yesterday Poppy met up with her friend , Cipher, a jack russel and I daring let her off - leash to run in the sand and Fraser River. She was so good, she stared at me like what is up and barely left my side. We are heading out for our walk and I fear today is a rain gear day for both of us. Yesterday was overcast but not rainy when we went out.

>170 lit_chick: Poor old Poppy has ended up with a new Blue water resistant/pile lined winter coat decorated with bones, Nancy. I'm afraid people might mistake her for a guy in that! But it was such and easy on and off that I had to purchase it. She won't need that winter coat til it gets colder, but she does wear her " raspberry " raincoats. I imagine in Yaletown the dogs are even more dressy than Richmond. :) But I have seem the most charming outfits on whippets - very thin dog, barely any coat, and cool owner knit sweater. Those tiny chihuahuas , Yorkies and some of the tiny Maltese get cold very easily.

>171 johnsimpson: John, I think rain and overcast are mainly the way of things over the winter here. I think today might be cooler too. Love and hugs to you and your lovely family too. I enjoy reading your posts - so calming . All those lovely pots of tea!

Oh, Deb, you made me laugh talking about Netflix! Wait til I tell I want netflix to watch The Crown about the royal family. I can just see his eyeballs roll. He is not a Royal Family junkie like me :) I also want to watch The Crown, sounds very good.

>162 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley! I just finished the book and found it outstanding. I will have to look for this mini-series.

Big Waves to Deb!!

>174 lit_chick: Nancy, there are many upsides to being married, in my opinion, but convincing Dave that we need Net Flix so I can watch The Crown is not one of them :) LOL!

>175 msf59: Big waves to you Mark, and thanks Shelley for your info re the miniseries.

Just back in from my dog walk and side trip to Cobs. Am I ever wet! Currently washing " dog towels " and I have Poppy's rain coat leash, and collar hanging up to dry ( Lucky she has a second one of each as Dave will take Poppy back out to walk at about 8:30 pm for a couple of hours. Poppy also goes for an early morning short walk - it is never ending.

And the Governor General's Fiction Award goes to Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien . Delighted!

And back to bed. Later today I think the Man Booker Prize Announcement happens.

>175 msf59: - The interview with Lawrence Hill, Clement Virgo and Damon D'Oliveira is a good one, too, from that link

Yay! Also delighted that Thien has won the GG prize!

>176 vancouverdeb: Do you think you could binge watch The Crown in one month or less? You can get a free one month trial of netflix ... you just have to make sure you cancel it before the 30 days so you don't get charged!

Hi, Deb. Do Not Say We Have Nothing is definitely on my radar. Based on all the positive reactions, I'm expecting it to take the Booker over His Bloody Project (which I thought was excellent).

Lovely news Deborah. Hope she gets to write more books with the money :-) (There was an article saying most authors make less than minimum wage here. Grim.)

>179 jessibud2: I've had a brief look at your link, Shelley, and it looks very interesting. I'll look around further when I get time. Thanks!

>180 lit_chick: Yes I am delighted too, Nancy!

>181 ChelleBearss: Chelle, I'm not sure how Net Flix works, but this is a new series, and I think they just put one episode out on Netflix, but I'll have to look into that. I spoke with my son and clearly he does not know much about Net Flix either, so know I guess I'll call my sister and also call my internet service provider / TV provider and ask them a few questions. I've determined that I need a WiFi Booster, and I need to sign up with Net Flix. I think I also need more GB from my Internet Provider. Gosh, if I have too, I am my own techie! ;) LOL!

>182 jnwelch: Ah, bummer, Joe, The Sellout took the Man Booker. Hmm- those judges for the Booker!

>183 charl08: It is lovely news, Charlotte. She will get $25,000 dollars from the Governor General's award, which is like a low paying job , here. But she is also up for the Giller Prize in Canada and that is $100,000 CDN dollars, which would quite a nice yearly salary, in Canada. She has also published two other books that I am aware of , Dogs at the Perimeter and Simple Recipes , so I suspect she is doing okay.

>184 vancouverdeb: I really don't know much about it either. I signed up for a free trial when it first came out and Nathen fell in love with it so we ended up keeping it. I just know that I access it through Nate's xbox and we have a decent wifi signal to run it. I love some of the new Netflix only shows that have been released in the last couples years!

I know about Netflix! I cancelled my cable several years ago because I was sick of 99% of the garbage that is on TV. I signed up for a free month of Netflix and haven't looked back -- it's all the TV entertainment I can handle and more for $7.99/month! Shaw keeps phoning me to see if I want a "deal" on cable, and I do NOT!

>186Ah the x-box, Chelle and the decent wifi. Thanks for the info, Chelle!

>187 lit_chick: Okay, I'm going to ask you, Nancy! How much Internet GB do you need / use per month? I've got Telus Internet 15, but will have to upgrade to Internet 25 or 50. With 50 they come in an put a different modem in and make sure your Wifi is strong - just $12 more per month. But what I don't understand as yet is can I watch The Crown in " binge fashion" or do I have to for each new episode since it is a new program? The girl on the phone from TELUS though I could ' binge watch " but I am less certain.

And now I have to run - have an appointment shortly! Thanks Nancy!

Hi Deborah!

I just got back from dealing with my Mom's situation. Whew!

I'm just going to draw a line in the sand and continue on from here - I hope you're doing well and I'm looking forward to checking in more regularly!

>178 vancouverdeb: So glad to hear that Madeleine Thien won the Governor Generals award. I finished Do Not Say We Have Nothing a couple of days ago and I'm impressed by the quality of her writing.

>188 vancouverdeb: Usually Netflix puts out a show in it's entirety and you watch it as much or as little as you want.
I googled it for you and wikipedia says this:
"The show is a biographical story about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The first season will consist of ten one-hour episodes, and is scheduled to be released in its entirety on November 4, 2016.

>188 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, I have Shaw 15 and it's fine with Netflix! I wouldn't upgrade to 25 or 50. For several years, my wifi modem was on the second floor of my townhouse, and the TV in the LR, and it was still fine! You can binge watch! That's why I love Netflix ... I'll get going on a series and just watch a full season (or two or three or four, LOL!). I don't know whether or not you have a Smart TV ... I don't so I bought Apple TV (roughly $109) and I run Netflix through it. It's easy to connect and a great interface, too.

Get signed up for binging, my friend! Can't wait!

Hi Deborah, I have Netflix and I should use it more. Are there some shows that people will heartily recommend? I just bookmarked The Crown and will watch that for sure. I think the pressure to upgrade internet speed might be a bit "scammy" and for sure those who have ditched cable are smart cookies. We are thinking of doing that too. What I really love is Acorn TV. which is like Netflix and has wonderful British programmes. It is very reasonably priced.

>189 karenmarie: Karen, that is a difficult situation you are in with looking after your mom. Sorry about all of that.

>190 cbl_tn: Carrie, yes I was pleased that Do Not Say We Have Nothing got some very good recognition in Canada, and has another possible Can Lit prize to win .

>191 ChelleBearss: Thanks for much for checking that our for me , Chelle! So kind of you! So I can actually watch a bunch of " The Crown " all once! Yes! That was what I wondered. The girl on the phone said yes I could , but I was not sure. My LT friends are a knowledgeable and kind bunch!

>192 lit_chick: You are living on the edge, Nancy, with just internet 15!!! Gasps! Not afraid of going over your data cap and paying extra? Are you a teenager or what? Next thing you'll be telling me you don't use a seat belt! *GASPS* Yes, I have a Smart TV and the modem thing is downstairs in our townhouse and our TV is upstairs in the living area. I find the TV is fine, but the signal to my tablet is really subpar and if I am in my bedroom with the door closed, my Iphone will not let me search the web etc because the signal is too weak. Thus my concern about the strength of my WiFi. Not quite sure what do to . I already look like that person in the cartoon!

>193 mdoris: Thanks Mary for the information. I don't think I could ditch my cable as I am a news hound. But I can't find much else on TV that interests me. I've never heard of Acorn, but I will look into that.

The day got away on me today, appointment, shopping, dog walking etc. See you tomorrow!

Hi Deborah, There is such a thing as a WiFi booster that makes a signal stronger so you don't loose it in parts of the house. I might not be explaining it properly but maybe your basic internet would continue be enough if you got one.
Here is the link for Acorn.
https://acorn.tv
I use it way more than Netflix as I love the British programmes. They do a one month for free to so you could check it out.
Good luck!
Can you believe the rain?

Hi Deb, I'm surprised that you're losing your wifi signal in different locations in the house. That's me, living on the edge, LOL!

>196 mdoris: Thanks Mary. I looked into the idea of a WiFi booster, but I am wondering if the different " modem " from TELUS would guarantee a good signal and the Telus guy would know what he is doing . My sons works for Telus in the IT department, but he does not use Netflix and says he does not know much about it. I did check into Acorn TV and it looks very good! Thanks for all of the info.
Yes, the rain today has been dreadful. And more to come, as far as I know!

>197 lit_chick: Well, I know my mom had trouble with her WiFi signal at her place ( which is more than twice that size of our place) so I've just lived with it. But the last thing I want is to sign up for Net Flix and find that the TV gets hung up / or does not receive the signal. I'm always worried about exceeding a data cap and getting a bill for $2000 from Telus for one month - but that has never happened :) But it scares me! I think our place is small enough that I shouldn't be losing the wifi signal too. But that is the reality.

I'm in one of my "I don't want to create a review" phases so here are a few brief comments on Britt-Marie Was Here: A Novel by Fredrick Backman. I really enjoyed A Man Called Ove by the same author, so I was hoping for another wonderful tale of a curmudgeon who redeems himself/herself in a humourous but meaningful way. The " curmudgeon " is present in the person of Britt- Marie. Britt - Marie is a 63 year old woman who has issues with cutlery being its place, constant cleaning , and speaking her mind. She and her husband have separated, so Britt -Marie goes to the local employment office to seek a job. Not having any training or skills, she finds a place as a custodian in small, eccentric little town called Borg. In doing so , Britt -Marie finds herself running a children's football/ soccer team.

Sadly, though Britt-Marie does have a good heart, this is no The Man Called Ove. Instead, it is extremely repetitive in its mention of Britt-Marie's OCD ways. Britt- Marie replies "Ha Ha!" so many times in the book, I began to wonder about the translator. The other part of the story is Britt -Marie attempting to coach the kids football/ soccer team. Again, this was extremely repetitive.

Leave Britt-Marie Was Here: A Novel on the shelf and don't slog through it like I did , hoping it would get better. Did it have some tender moments ? Yes, but not worth my time.

I suppose you could say that the book turned me into a curmudgeon.

3 stars and that is being generous.

Hi Deborah!

We unfortunately use an awful company called Centurylink here in North Carolina, USA and we decided to get a wifi booster when I took over my daughter's rec room as my retreat. It's in the kitchen, which is almost directly beneath the rec room. Ours is set up as a separate wifi network and it works very well.

Hmm, I thought your I don't want to create a review review of Britt-Marie was excellent, Deb. Sadly, I think I'll pass on this one -- had been looking forward, after A Man Called Ove, to see what Backman created next.

Thanks for reading it, Deborah. I started on "Britt-Marie" a while back but didn't come very far before I dropped it. Begin to wonder if it was a one hit wonder with Ove.

>199 vancouverdeb: I'll pass too. Thanks for shortening my TBR pile by one! I liked his My Grandmother Wants to tell you she's sorry... (except for the supperlong title).

>200 karenmarie: Thanks Karen for the information re the wifi booster. My sister has the same internet provider as we do, so I think I''ll ask her what she is doing with her system . She has a techie husband and likely is techie herself.

>201 lit_chick: When I create comments off the top of my head, I figure they aren't a review . I have another book that I loved to review / dream up some comments for today. Don't be sad that you are skipping Britt-Marie - be glad I weeded that one out for you! :)

>202 ctpress: I thought of dropping the book too, Carsten, but I was determined to finish it, in case it got better, but no. I'm thinking that Fredrick Backman was a one hit wonder, yes. My sister tried My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises and did not finish it. Hey, great to see you , Carsten!

>203 charl08: No problem, Charlotte! I had great hopes for Britt- Marie .

Wenjack by Joseph Boyden

This novella of about 99 pages is one that I think every Canadian should read. Joseph Boyden of Three Day Road and The Orenda fame penned this touching tale. Charlie Wenjack is a young eleven year old boy, who has been forcibly taken from his family and home to a residential school 600 kms away. There, Charlies is abused and misses his family. He decides to run away in hopes of being re-united with his family. The story is partly told from young Charlie's point of view, but also by animal spirits that watch over Charlie as he walks through the snow.

Though this is a fictional tale, it is based on the true story of Chanie ( Charlie ) Wenjack .

Though not that graphic, this short novella packs a huge emotional punch. The story is beautifully told and my heart hurt
as I read the story.

Highly recommended to everyone. I think that this novella should be a part of every Canadian School curriculum.

4.5 stars

Too bad about Britt-Marie Was Here. I really loved A Man called Ove.
Happy weekend, Deb!

>205 vancouverdeb: - Deb, I just left this same info at your comment on Mark's thread:

Did you watch *Secret Path*, the graphic animation project of the story Boyden first brought to light, last Sunday, on CBC? To be honest, I have not generally been a fan of Downie's music or the Hip in the past, but I do admire his ethic and his passion and drive. I found this animation of the graphic novel to be so well done and exceptionally moving:

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/arts/secretpath

http://secretpath.ca/#Home
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-thursday-edition-1.3814041/gor...

Happy Saturday, Deb. Good review of Wenjack. I will have to look for that one. I like Boyden and also want to read The Orenda.

I have something for you, (of course, I do)- To The Bright Edge of the World. I am deep into this one and it has a great rugged feel and a terrific Alaska setting. Might be your cuppa.

>205 vancouverdeb: Glad you liked Wenjack too! I made the mistake of reading it at work and was sneakily wiping away tears before any coworkers saw me and wondered about me!

>207 jessibud2: I've heard good things about Secret Path too!

>205 vancouverdeb: Will add this to the list Deborah!

Wenjack sounds good, Deb. Love this: The story is partly told from young Charlie's point of view, but also by animal spirits that watch over Charlie as he walks through the snow. I'm not a huge Boyden fan, read Three Day Road and liked it but certainly wasn't as excited about it as so many readers. But I do agree with you about his work needing to be part of every Canadian School curriculum.

>205 vancouverdeb: I am increasingly a big fan of Joseph Boyden and I have to thank Ilana for including him on the CAC or I wouldn't have gotten to read him. His books are so darned difficult to get here.

Have a great weekend, Deb.

Wenjack isn't abailable in translation (yet), Deborah, but I saw two books by him in our library, translations from Three day road and Through black spruce.

Deborah, Great review of Wenjack. It sounds like a very compelling read!

>206 Trifolia: Monica, I really loved A Man Called Ove too and I been waiting so long for Fredrik Backman to write something that approaches the brillance of a Man Called Ove, but so far , he has not done that.

>207 jessibud2: Thanks for the links, Shelley. I just watched a short part of the documentary and it looks very moving. I short 1 minute trailer that I had seen by Gord Downie, but this looks wonderful. Like you, I've never paid much attention to the The Tragically Hip and Gord Downie, but now that he has terminal brain cancer, and has been so open about it , I've realized what a extraordinary person he is.

>208 msf59:Wenjack just came out this month, I think, Mark, so it might take a while for it to be available in your area. I've never gotten around to reading Joseph Boyden but when I saw this novella , I knew it was my entry point. I have a look at your recommendation. I'm currently reading Another Brooklyn as per your rec and it is excellent so far!

>209 ChelleBearss: I'm glad someone else has Wenjack and felt so keen about it, Chelle. I was nearly in tears as I read it too. Such short and simple tale, but so affecting.

>210 charl08: Charlotte, it will probably take a while to cross the pond, but what worthwhile read.

>211 lit_chick: Nancy, the story takes all of 30 minutes to read, ( and maybe less for speedy readers ) . Do try to find a copy at your library. It is just such a beautiful and touching read. Sometimes I think in Canada we get weary of hearing about residential schools, the problems of the First Nations problems , but this was such short and touching read. Joseph Boyden managed to so much in such short amount of writing.

>212 PaulCranswick: Paul, I can imagine that Joseph Boyden's books are very difficult to obtain in Malaysia. I get so keen about Can Lit that sometimes I forget we are quite a small country and the books that are really popular are not so available in other countries. Happy Weekend!

>213 FAMeulstee: Anita, Three Day Road and Through Black Spruce are much longer and more complex reads by Joseph Boyden, but this newly published Wenjack is so short and yet tells so much , I hope soon it will be available in your area.

>214 mdoris: Mary, it really is a compelling read! Yet another book you'll have to " splash out for" and loan it to your new community! :)

Currently reading Another Brooklyn by Jaqueline Woodson as per Mark and others in the USA that have recommend this book. Seems excellent so far. Thanks Mark!

>218 vancouverdeb: Glad you are enjoying it, Tonto. It's a quick read.

>215 vancouverdeb: - Deb, I agree, about Downie. I am more of a folkie than a rocker and although, being in Toronto, I could easily have been a Hip fan, I never cared much for his voice (and because the music is so loud, could rarely even hear the lyrics unless I see them written. But as soon as his story broke, about his cancer, I began to follow the tour and watched it (along with the entire country, I'm sure) when CBC broadcast the final one. I have since heard and watched many interviews he has done and am really impressed with the person he is. Very brave and very genuine.

I have also heard Boyden in interviews many times but although I would love to read him, and have heard nothing but praise for everything he has ever written, I also know that his work is too violent and graphic for my taste so I haven't attempted any of his books. Wenjack might be a way in, for me too. Not sure if I am remembering this correctly, but I think I heard him interviewed about this book when he created a new *Heritage Minute* about Chanie Wenjack. The book may have followed that. Yes, I just googled and it's there, voiced by Pearl Wenjack, Chanie's sister: https://www.historicacanada.ca/

Hi Deborah! I've just added Wenjack to my wishlist.

Wishing you a wonderful Sunday.

>178 vancouverdeb: Deb, I am delighted that Do Not Say We Have Nothing won the Governor General's Fiction Award. I finally got my copy of it from the library and will be reading it soon. Have to read my book for my face-to-face book group next week first, though.

Thanks for posting Lawrence Hill's comments. Very interesting. That is one of the best books I've read in the past ten years no matter which title it goes by.

>219 msf59: Hi Mark It is a good read and a quick read, though I've yet to finish Another Brooklyn , but maybe later today.

>220 jessibud2: Thanks for the * Heritage Minute* , Shelley. I appreciated watching that. I'm not sure if our current Federal Government has re- installed our * Heritage Minutes* across Canada, or if it is just in Ontario so far? I used to see them quite often and enjoy them, but I've not seen one for quite a while. Right now the new First Nations book I have in mind is The Break by Katherena Vermette and I'm kind of dreading the graphic and violent nature of that book, but it is on the Roger Trust Prize list for this year, so I am hoping to get to it.

>221 karenmarie: Thanks Karen! I expect Wenjack will be quite widely available in time, and I've checked the Book Depository and they are out of stock for the moment. I was lucky to find at my local library. I'd seen it at the store, so I'd put a hold on it, but found a free copy at the library.

>222 Donna828: I was delighted to see Do Not Say We Have Nothing win the GG award here in Canada. At least it got some recognition that way. It is still up for Giller Prize in Canada, which cash wise is an even bigger prize, so I'm pulling for that too. Glad you found Lawrence Hill's comments useful, Donna. I too wondered about the different titles and who chose the original title and why. It was certainly a five star read for me too.

Excited to see what you think of Another Brooklyn, Deb. Have read a couple of reviews on this one ...

>223 vancouverdeb: - Deb, if you go to the site (the link I posted up above), I think you can see the newer Heritage Minutes. The one for Kenojuak Ashevak is really a good one. I used to love those Heritage Minutes when I was a kid, and am happy that they have been reinstated.

Hi Deb! Hope you had a great weekend!

>224 lit_chick: It should be this evening or tomorrow that I get finished Another Brooklyn,Nancy, but I feel confident enough to recommend it now.

>225 jessibud2: Yes, I did check out a few other heritage minutes, Shelley. Thanks for that. As far as what kind of music I enjoyed when I was young, I think the Beatles when I was a kid, and in my teens and twenties, Abba, The Police, Genesis ( Phil Collins) , Elton John, The Bee- Gees , The Beach Boys , Bare Naked Ladies , The Eagles - I suppose my taste was fairly varied.

>226 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel, great to see you. Happy Week ahead.

Thank you, Deborah, for bringing The book of negroes to my attention. I just finished it and it was a 5* read for me!

>228 FAMeulstee: So delighted that you enjoyed The Book of Negroes so much, Anita! It was a 5 star read for me too!

>229 vancouverdeb: I really need to get to Someone Knows My Name. I'll make it a priority to read it next year.

Happy Halloween Deborah. Hope that you had a great day. We got a few very cute trick or treaters in our "new" place!🎃

Hi Deb, just doing the rounds my dear as I have been a bit neglectful of late. Hope all is well with you and the family my dear and that your weather is not too bad. It is quite autumnal here now and it is getting a tad chilly of an evening. I saw the comments about Mark Carney, I like the chap and think he is doing a good job but some don't like him because some of his pre-brexit comments are coming home to roost. While some comments say he is not impartial I disagree and think he is doing a good job and has his finger on the pulse of how the country is going and making sure we stay safe. Sending love and hugs my dear.

>230 kidzdoc: I hope you will enjoy Someone Knows My Name as much Anita and me and many others, Darryl. It's really a great story.

>231 mdoris: Happy 1st of November , Mary! We had about 40 or so trick or treaters at our place, which is a good number for us. It seems like fewer and fewer kids go trick or treating these days .

>232 johnsimpson: I've been a bit slow on making the rounds myself, John , so no problem! It is pretty autumnal here too - lots of leaves on the ground and lots of overcast. I'm glad you like our Mark Carney, who we have loaned to England for a while! :) Love and hugs to you and Karen.

I want to get my thread caught up, but I've not felt like writing a review, nor have I had a lot of time.

I finished Another Brooklyn and it was an excellent read. It's about 4 young girls coming of age in a very poor part of Brooklyn. The story is told from the point of view of August, a pre-teen girl who has been uprooted from rural Tennessee. After Augie's mother began to suffer with mental health problems , her father took Augie and her younger brother from the family farm to Brooklyn, with the promise that one day mom would join them . Augie's father is preoccupied with work, finding a religion and at times, a woman for himself. 1970's Brooklyn proves a difficult neighbourhood to adapt to , with the poverty and family problems that surround the area. Initially overwhelmed by it all, August finds a feeling of belonging with three other girls in the area, Gigi,Sylvia and Angela. None of the girls come from an ideal family life , but together they confront life.

It is a short read at 180 pages or so and packs a lot into the story. Beautifully written.

These quick comments do not do the book justice. Highly recommended , 4 stars.

And the Rogers' Trust fiction prize went to Mysterious Fragrance of the Yellow Mountains by Yasuko Thanh on November 3rd 2016. I don"t know much about it, but I have put a hold on it at my library.

Currently reading a new piece of Can Lit, The Break by Katherena Vermette. It was also up for the 2016 Roger's Trust Award and 2016 Governor's General's Award, but did not win. Initially I had difficult time getting into the first couple of chapters, but now I can hardly put it down. It is about a number of First Nations people / native people living in the poverty that is the North End of Winnipeg. First nation gangs, poverty, dysfunctional families and the prejudice and the weariness of the police that deal with this group of people really show through in the insightful novel.

I hesitate to say I am " enjoying it " due to the subject matter, but it sure is a page turner, told by a First Nations woman who lost her brother.

This might be another book that I am going to flog / warble about.

>234 vancouverdeb: - That one sounds good, Deb. Thanks for the recommendation. I am currently reading (well, listening to on audiobook and the narrator is outstanding) the newest book by Anna Quindlen, one of my favourite authors. It is called Miller's Valley and so far, it is excellent. I'm about halfway through. Also told in the voice of the young daughter, and the writing, as always with Quidlen, is wonderful.

I also dropped into BMV today (do you have that store in BC?) and picked up a Canadian book from a first-time novelist, Alan Gibney. It is called I Carried You Home and sounds like a good read. I actually heard an interview with the author when it first came out a few months ago and was quite impressed. I hope to get to it soon.

>234 vancouverdeb: Just finished reading your review and i looked down and realized that I'm reading a book by the same author which I am finding WONDERFUL. Brown Girl Dreaming. So Another Brooklyn goes on the list!

Woot! Good reading Deb. Another Brooklyn is already on the list, as is The Break. But I am delighted that you have enthusiastically endorsed both. Thumb, my friend.

>237 jessibud2: Shelley, no, we don't have BMV in Vancouver or B.C. I looked it up and looks to be an independent book seller in the Toronto area only. Too bad for us in the Vancouver area. Miller's Valleyis a book I have had out of the library and I keep meaning to read it and then another book comes along and takes priority. I'm always keen to get my hands on new Can Lit, so thanks for the rec of I Carried You Home.

>238 mdoris: Doris, I'm going to look for Brown Girl Dreaming. Another Brooklyn is also about the African -American experience in the USA. Another Brooklyn is also wonderful!

>239 lit_chick: Plowing along here, Nancy. Yes , I enthusiastically endorse both Another Brooklyn and also yes, The Break. I think The Break is going to be a 4. 5 star read for me. Now, having parents who grew up in the North end of Winnipeg in their youth and and having family who still live in Winnipeg , I may pre-disposed to find The Break very enlightening. I better understand the crime and problems that plague Winnipeg today.

Hooray for Another Brooklyn! Good review, Deb. See? I was not blowing smoke.

I hope you can find Brown Girl Dreaming. It remains my favorite of her work.

The Break, also sounds good. Hope you had a good week.

Good to find you reading a lot, Deborah. "Another Brooklyn" sounds like an enjoyable read.

I like the title "Mysterious Fragrance of the Yellow Mountains" - almost impossible not to get intrigued - looking forward to your thoughts on that one when you get to it.

Have a nice weekend.

>235 vancouverdeb: Just the title alone makes me want to read that one. Look forward to hearing what you think when the library gets hold of it for you.

Hi Deborah - I'm probably one of the only people who didn't even finish Brown Girl Dreaming. I think I'm too much a form traditionalist and poetry's not a form I delve into much.

I wish you a happy weekend.

I've heard Brown Girl Dreaming is fantastic.

Hi, Deb.

>234 vancouverdeb: Yay for Another Brooklyn! Good comments. I agree completely.

>245 The_Hibernator: It is!

>241 msf59: Mark, as if I'd ever think that you " blew smoke' unless maybe you were smoking a cigar for fun! I very much respect your recommendations. Lone Ranger, you ought to know that by know! I even have The Association of Small Bombs out from the library because you recommended it. It seems like a bunch of my holds have come in all at once, so will I get to it this time round?

>242 ctpress: Mysterious Fragrance of the Yellow Mountains does have a lovely title and cover, Carsten, but I've read varied reviews, so I am uncertain what to think about it. And yes, I think you would enjoy Another Brooklyn very much!

>243 charl08: Great to see you, Charlotte! I'll pop over to your thread to see what the Guardian recommends this week. I've not even gotten time to read my newspaper book reviews yet today.

>244 karenmarie: I'm a bit of a traditionalist, I think, Karen, so I am not sure how I'll feel about Brown Girl Dreaming. I've yet to check if my library has it. I did love Another Brooklyn, though.

>245 The_Hibernator: Great to know, Rachel! I'll check my library.

>246 jnwelch: Joe, I thumbed the review of your daughter in laws debut novel. I meant to charge my kindle so as to read Dead Boys Dreaming oops no touchstone - or I have not quite got the title right.

I am loving The Break by Katherena Vermette. I must admit I was not expecting to enjoy this book so much, but I am. It is gritty, yes, but it really seems like an authentic story of life in Winnipeg for First Nations people who have moved from a reserve and into Winnipeg ( or many other Canadian cities. ) It is told by many interconnected narrators and it is fascinating to read of their different experiences and how in different ways they try to escape their background ( or not ) and even if they have succeeded in moving from their family, how challenging that is. I did not expect the characters to mainly be so three dimensional - people with faults - many faults, but sympathetic too. There is also an element of tension throughout the book - bit of a mystery and it sure keeps me turning that pages. Not yet finished but yes, I am definitely recommending The Break as a standout book for me this year. The prose is relatively ordinary, but it is a fantastic book. One of those books that you read and your point of view on life is changed. A meaty book

One of those books that you read and your point of view on life is changed. Wow! Those are 5* reads for me as a rule, Deb. So glad you are appreciating The Break so much.

Btw, have you got Netflix yet? I've started watching The Crown, and it is superb! Just superb! You must watch! (read binge!)

>250 lit_chick: Yes, indeed, The Break is really a meaningful book to me. I was thinking earlier today what books would I say were my favourites this year, so far? Sometimes there is a difference between the most enjoyable reads and difficult reads that open your eyes to something you know something about , but all of a sudden a book really shakes up your point of view, and yes, The Break has done that, along several other reads this year.

* sighs* No I have not got Netflix yet I was out last night celebrating the graduation of my nephew in law, who just graduated from the what I call " The Cop Shop" aka he is now a Constable for the Vancouver Police. I was asking about Netflx and do I need a wifi booster , how much interent do I need etc? Well, one of my sisters has Netflix, and loves it, but has no idea how much internet usage it takes up, or what her plan is. The techie son thinks we could just get a wifi booster and not worry about the data aspect, but he does not have netflix , so I am still not sure. At least I know that if I have to wait a while, I'll be able to watch back issues- am I correct?

I am so keen to watch The Crown!

>249 vancouverdeb: - I agree that sometimes a book can grab you by the throat when you least expect it, as The Break did for you. And I agree there is a difference between the most enjoyable reads and difficult reads that open your eyes and then there are others that are from a different league. That's why I love visiting your thread so much. You always come up with so many excellent and surprising book-bullets.

>252 Trifolia: Such kind words, Monica. Right now I am on a bit of " Can Lit " reading binge, because so many Canadian Literary prizes have been recently awarded and one the largest prize is to be awarded tomorrow. That is the Canadian Giller Prize, which is worth $100,000.00 CDN. Of course , just being nominated is good publicity for a book.

I've finished The Break, but I've yet to compose a review of sorts.

Meantime, I am quite keen to see what the Giller Prize will be! :) Kevin From Canada, who used to feature on the Mookse and Gripes Shadow Booker Prize Winner, before his passing , his followers have decided that the Shadow Giller Prize is going to be - https://kevinfromcanada.wordpress.com/2016/11/05/the-2016-shadow-giller-winner/#...

The Party Wall, translated from the French. Luckily I should have that book from the library in a couple of days, as I have put a hold on it.

Looks like you are getting in some good reading lately, Deb. It's definitely reading weather but we got a short respite today so I am enjoying it.

Happy Sunday, Deb! You know I was kidding about the "smoke", right? This is what I do. I hope you are enjoying The Association of Small Bombs.

I have to warble about another one, that was warbled to me- Jimmy Bluefeather. Boy, this is a good one and I think it would be your cuppa. Just sayin'...

>251 vancouverdeb: At least I know that if I have to wait a while, I'll be able to watch back issues- am I correct? Yes, Deb, absolutely! It's what I love about Netflix: I can binge-watch, view back issues. It's TV according to me, the way it should be when I'm paying for it!

Guilty pleasure, I'm binge watching Scott and Bailey. Not sure why I didn't pick it up the first time around.

Hi Deb! I'm adding Wenjack to my wish list. I loved both Three Day Road and The Orenda.

I am also looking forward to reading Another Brooklyn and I'm currently a bit more than halfway through Do Not Say We Have Nothing. It's an excellent read so far.

Have a great week!

>255 Familyhistorian: Brr I'm cold, Meg! Just in from a birthday party for my sister. She keeps her place colder than I do and I did not dress well for driving home! Yes, getting some great reading in.

>256 msf59: Sure, Lone Ranger, I knew you were blowing smoke - from a Cuban Cigar! So far today I've not had a chance to sort out my next read. I'll let you know.

>257 lit_chick: Good to know, Nancy! I feel less anxious about the fab "The Crown " series slipping by me!

>258 mdoris: Guilty pleasures are the best kind, Mary! Enjoy!

>259 EBT1002: Wenjack is a shortie, Ellen. I hope you enjoy it. Glad that you are enjoying Do Not Say We Have Nothing.

>250 lit_chick: >251 vancouverdeb: I want to watch The Crown too, but it's hampered by the fact that we can't find the remote control to our Apple TV, so we can't watch anything on Netflix at all at the moment.

#262 - Ah, that little black thing - I've also looked for that one several time - slipping through the pillows in the sofa for instance :) You can use your iPhone as a remote I think.

#250, 262 - Just started watching The Crown - looks great. Amazed at how much Netflix keep producing of series and documentaries. Just watched the four part series Cooked. Beautifully made and very thought provoking in terms of big company food production and food processing and what it does to natural, "original" non-processed food.

I'm another fan of Scott and Bailey. Your thread is making me want to get to Netflix. You've reminded me I could just be patient about the Gilmore Girls films and wait until they're all released. Hmm.

>262 SandDune: Those pesky remotes, Rhian!

Another fan of Scott and Bailey here, too! And Longmire, and Bloodline, and Hell on Wheels, and The Big C, and Midsomer Murders, and ... Deb, these are hints for you, my friend, LOL!

>246 jnwelch: It's just Dead Boys, Deb. I'm glad you're going to read it. Really well done. And thanks again for the thumb!

>262 SandDune: Rhian, I am sorry that you can't find your remote! Argh! And I'm hampered by the fact that I don't have netflix yet , nor a wifi booster and whatever else I need :)

>263 ctpress: Oh I know, Carsten, the Crown looks fabulous! I so want to watch it. You are so techie advanced, Carsten! Using your I phone as a remote control for your TV! Could you come and live next door to me to help me sort of my computer/ netflix enigmas?

>264 charl08: I confess I've never heard of Scott and Bailey, Charlotte and perhaps it is just as well! Well, as I like to say to others " just splash out' " ( aka spend money ) and get netflix, Charlotte! ; I'm not sure where I learned that phrase - -perhaps from one of my grandmothers?

>265 lit_chick: Teasing me, tempting me, are you , Nancy! :) Well, we already get Longmire and Midsomer Murders on our TV and so far I don't watch them. It's The Crown I want, cries to self.

>266 jnwelch: Thanks Joe , just Dead Boys. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to remember her last name , as she shares it with one of my long ago chem teachers. He was a nice fellow, so I recall the name Ramirez.

Giller Prize announcement day! Later on tonight!

And The Giller Prize for 2016 Goes to Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien Yay!

>270 vancouverdeb: Good compensation for not winning the Booker, Deb. I thought it and impressive book.

>270 vancouverdeb: That is nice, Deborah, you all liked her book.
Now I expect there will come a Dutch translation in the near future.

>271 PaulCranswick: Yes, I agree, Paul. Do Not Say We Have Nothing took two prizes here in Canada, the Governor's General's English Literary Prize, ( $25,000) and now the Giller Prize ( ($100,000). So yes good compensation dollar wise, plus the publicity and subsequent purchase of more of the author's Book.

>272 FAMeulstee: Let's hope that yes, Anita, that there will be a Dutch Translation in the near future! :)

Hurrah! That's great news. Thanks for sharing.

I'm pleased Do Not Say We Have Nothing won the Giller!

>274 charl08: Agreed, Charlotte, it is great news!

>275 lit_chick: Yes , I'm very pleased that Do Not Say We Have Nothing won the Giller Prize too, Nancy. So glad I don't feel I have to read more of the short listed Giller's unless I want to do so! :)

Pulling out of my " Trump Slump" . The Break by Katherena Vermette is a fabulous read about First Nations people living in the present in the North End of Winnipeg. It was short listed for both the Governor General's Prize and the Roger's Literary Prize here in Canada.

I did not expect to enjoy it so much and began reading it out of a sense of responsibility to read Can Lit and potential prize winners. Instead I was surprised by the most insightful and engaging read about First Nations people living in Winnipeg. Initially , Stella, who has married a man who is not First Nations ,witnesses some sort of disturbance in her front yard and calls the police. She and her husband live just a few blocks from the very rough area of the North End of Winnipeg. Two policeman arrive to take her statement. One of the policeman is an older fellow and very jaded about First Nations people , or as he is calls them - Natives. The younger and more junior policeman is Metis and takes the case much more to heart.

What follows is what led up to the attack and what happens afterwards. The story is told from many different points of view through shifting narrators. The story very much humanizes the troubled First Nations people in the North End of Winnipeg and I suppose First Nations people in general. This is not a story about resentment from living in a residential school, or coming from a Reserve, but rather focuses on the hardship of life for the disadvantaged First Nations people living in the city.

This book gave me great empathy and insight into what living as a First Nation person might be like . Instead of reading with a sense of duty, I found this a compelling and fascinating read. There is a bit of a mystery about what happened in Stella's front yard - the blood left behind - was it just a couple of drunks? A bit of a gang fight, or was there more to it? But what drives the book is the characters, who are not necessarily that likeable, but are sympathetic and behave in understandable ways.

I had a difficult time getting into the first couple of chapters, but I quickly could not put it down. First nation gangs, poverty, dysfunctional families and the prejudice and the weariness of the police that deal with this group of people really show through in this novel.

5 stars

Currently nearly finished Miss Jane by Brad Watson and I think this is going to be another 4.5 to 5 star read.

Hi, Deb! Hope you are pulling out of your Trump Slump. I felt gut-punched yesterday but feeling better today. Why be miserable, right? Plenty of time for that later.

Miss Jane sounds great!!

Fabulousness, Deb! Delighted to hear that The Break was a five-star read, and that Miss Jane is running a very close second. We are playing great minds again, you and I: Miss Jane is presently sitting on my dining table waiting for me to finish Work Like Any Other.

Thumbs for a great review of The Break.

Amazing reading going on in your neck of the woods!

>279 msf59: Totally out of my Trump Slump, I think Mark. Miss Jane is fabulous! Not quite finished.

>280 lit_chick: You are so kind, Nancy. The Break was a great read! I think that the contemporary feel of the book and the authenticity of story really rang true for me. I've had Miss Jane on as hoped for read and it came in from the library a few days ago. Yes, great minds and all of that! :)

>281 mdoris: So kind, Mary! I am sure you have some amazing reading going on in your neck of the woods too!

>278 vancouverdeb: I really like that book cover!

The Break and Miss Jane both sound really good, Deb.

>283 ChelleBearss: Miss Jane is even more fabulous than the cover, Chelle! :) Excellent book and the cover suits the topic.

>284 jnwelch: The Break and Miss Jane have proven to be excellent books, Joe . Happy long weekend Joe - or at least it is here. We have Remembrance Day today.

Sounds like a really great five star read, Deborah. Thumb. Sometimes the novels that are hardest to read because of the subject matter can make the strongest impression.

Morning, Deb! I'm glad Miss Jane is turning out to be an excellent read!

I am reading The Underground Railroad and it has managed to push me through my disrupted post-election concentration problems. I'm still not sleeping well and I've moved through shock into the anger stage, but I know that this, too will pass (the anger, not the fear). I will be looking for ways to invest my time, energy and charitable giving to do all I can to offset his agenda.

P and I just booked passage on a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi for March. My sister and her partner are doing the trip and invited us to join them. It's something I would never have thought of on my own but I'm excited for the spring break plans!

Have a great weekend!

Hi Deborah! I'm so glad that Do Not Say We Have Nothing won the Giller. I was disappointed that it didn't win the Booker.

Hi Deb, hope you and the family are having a good weekend my dear. I am getting used to Karen's new shifts and so my cleaning routine has changed and we have Hannah on a different day now. I am still able to get some decent reading done though, ha ha. Sending love and hugs to you and the family my dear.

>286 ctpress: So true, Carsten, that often the the novels with difficult subject matter prove to have the greatest impression. In this case, the book was so readable too and much less difficult to read than I expected.

>287 EBT1002: Actually I have finished Miss Jane and it is an excellent read! What a beautiful encouraging read about a girl/ young woman born with a physical deformity of some magnitude, but carrying on with people that fear/ dislike her, but also people who are touchingly understanding of her physical challenges. So beautifully written too.

Excellent that you and P have booked a trip on the Mississippi with your sister and her partner. I hope that helps you push through this difficult time. Personally I'm thinking I might wear a safety pin, even here in Canada. The Trump victory has really troubled me.

>288 cbl_tn: Yes, I too was pleased the Do Not Say We Have Nothing won both the Giller Prize and also the Canada's Governor General Prize, though I would have been okay if The Break had taken a prize, but it was at least shortlisted for couple of Can Lit prizes.

>289 johnsimpson: Not a bad weekend here at all, John. We have had a lot of rain and a certain amount of wind, but that is November, I suppose. I'm glad that you are okay with Karen's new shift and are still finding time to read. Love to you and Karen!