What Canadian Literature Are We Reading in 2026

I'm starting the year with a true crime story: I Got a Name: The Murder of Krystal Senyk by Eliza Robertson

I'm starting with a historical fiction book about a nursing student in Kingston Bib and Tucker by D. A. Brown and listening to Stardance by Spider Robinson and Jeanne Robinson. I had read Stardance many years ago but I've now got my hands on the rest of the series and I wanted to refresh my memory.

I finished Nemesis Spawned by James Lackie

>1 LynnB: Lynn, I read your review with great interest. I had never heard of this case. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

>5 LibraryCin: Eva Gates also writes as Vicki Delaney according to Google Books. I have heard of that author but haven't read anything by her.

I just finished Pick a Colour by Souvankham Thammavongsa. I wasn't too convinced at first but then decided to read it through the eyes of a poet and that seems to have unraveled some of its complexity behind an otherwise straight forward story.
This is a book club read so I'm looking forward to others' impressions.

I'm reading Valentine in Montreal by Heather O'Neill

I'm reading Who is Alex Trebek? by Lisa Rogak

I have a couple of books by Canadian authors waiting on my bedside table-Susan Juby and Heather O'Neill-but haven't got to them yet. Looking forward to seeing what everyone else recommends this year.

>10 ted74ca: I recommend Heather O'Neill most definitely. Which of her books do you have ready to read?

As for me, I'm reading In Winter I Get Up at Night by Jane Urquhart

>11 LynnB: I've read a couple of O'Neill's books before. I have The Capital of Dreams waiting for me right now.

>12 ted74ca: I think my favourite, so far, by Heather O'Neill is When We Lost Our Heads.
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I'm reading The Tiger and the Cosmonaut by Eddy Boudel Tan

I finished A Two-Spirit Journey by Ma-Nee Chacaby which won Canada Reads last year. Once you get past the chapters on her childhood and young adulthood when she was addicted, it's very life-affirming. She went through so much but she has given so much back. When I was reading the chapters at the beginning I felt there was a strange lack of emotion in her descriptions but later she talks about how going through therapy helped her deal with her past. So, I think she must have locked those feelings away until she had the strength to deal with them. I'm glad to have finally read it.

>14 gypsysmom: In spite of A Two-Spirit Journey being an inspirational story, I found it at times hard to read because of the amount of violence the author experienced as a woman and as a homosexual person. What I like abut this book is its brutal honesty. Things are never sugar coated or exaggerated. The author demonstrated great courage in telling her story. And great generosity by telling it as it may help other two-spirited people. Although she worked with a non-indigenous person to write the book, I like the way that collaboration let the author's voice come through. So, at times it isn't great writing in literary terms, but it is always great writing in terms of authenticity.

>15 LynnB: It seems like her collaborator really worked hard to make Ma-Nee's voice realistic.

My book club's selection for this month was really, really dismal: Damaged by Helen Webster (can't link it by either title or author). Author is local to me, from Lantzville on Vancouver Island and this was published by Silverdog Publishing. Subject matter was interesting-the rise of a cult like religious movement in a small Albertan town-but the writing was not good at all.

My latest read was far different from the last one-beautifully written and very imaginative. The Capital of Dreams by Heather O'Neill. Rather disturbing, with a shocking twist near the end, a story that keeps coming back to your thoughts.

>18 ted74ca: I've not read that one but I agree she is a gifted writer.

H>18 ted74ca: ooh, sounds good. I have it waiting for me on my kobo. Love H O’N

>10 ted74ca: I've enjoyed both Susan Juby and Heather O'Neill a lot

I've just started The Town That Drowned, set in 1960s New Brunswick

My book club is reading the Book of Records by Madeleine Thien, and our meeting is in two days. Surprise! My hold at the library (that I placed Sept 10) showed up today. Can I listen to a 14 hour audiobook in two days? Do I want to? We will see I guess

>25 Nickelini: That sounds like a tall order. But I bet it will be worth it if you at least listen to it before you return it to the library. My last book club meeting we had three people that hadn't read the book because of issues getting it and we still had a good meeting. And the ones who didn't read it were planning on doing so because the discussion intrigued them.

Like many Canadians, I'm intrigued by Heated Rivalry; unlike most, I'm reading the book by Rachel Reid rather than watching the series.

>27 LynnB: Let us know what you think. My husband and I watched the first episode of the show. I was surprised by how porny it was. Not sure if I'm going to continue -- I feel truely neutral about it, but at least I know what all the hub bub is about.

I watched it all. As the affair becomes less ‘pick-up/one night stand’, and more emotional, the graphic stuff becomes less. I was pretty surprised by the first episode!

>29 raidergirl3: That's good to know. Like >27 LynnB: I've just started listening to the (first) book Game Changer, as I don't get any of the tv channels that air the tv show.

>28 Nickelini: >29 raidergirl3: >30 LibraryCin: I'm about 20% into Heated Rivalry and it's pretty "porny". And the writing isn't great...lots of repetition in how the main characters describe and talk to each other. Hope it gets better.

I've just started The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters. My mom was clearing out some books she had read and I took this one home. Just a few chapters in so far!

I've just finished listening to The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor which is one of the Canada Reads selections this year. It is set around World War II and involves three young people who all serve in the war. Rebekah is the daughter of a doctor who comes to a small town in Ontario to get away from allegations of Nazism in Montreal. She meets a farming family with three siblings, Landon, Kathleen (called Kit) and Jep, and becomes quite close to them. In fact, both Landon and Kit are attracted to her and she to them. When Nazi allegations target their family again, the family moves back to Montreal. During the war, Rebekah meets both Landon and Jep in Halifax as they have both joined the Navy. Kit, who ran away when Rebekah moved, managed to get into the Air Force as a navigator. After the war, all three end up back at the farm where they must confront their feelings about each other. It was an engaging story but I had to suspend my disbelief about several plot devices, in particular supernatural occurences. Still, I'm glad to have read it.

I finished The Town That Drowned by Riel Nason. It was terrific. Now I have a couple of other books to focus on, and then I will try to get back to The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien. I was able to listen to 37% to it before my book club meeting, and we did have a good conversation. I wasn't the only one who hadn't finished and it was fine. I hope to get back to it before the library wooshes it back, but if I don't, that's okay too

Foe by Iain Reid, another one of the Canada Reads 2026 choices, came in as an audiobook and, as it was pretty short, plus I had some long solitary walks, I finished it in about 2 days. I was very impressed with the book, although not with the narrator who seemed rather unemotional even when the characters were emotional. (Although, on reflection, that could have been a conscious choice.) It could be classed as science fiction since it is set in the future when people are chosen by lottery to go into space. Junior, an employee at a feed mill, is chosen but his wife, Henrietta (Hen), is not. To make life easier for Hen, the company that is behind the program intends to construct an artificial replica of Junior to stay with Hen while Junior is away. As you might imagine, Junior and Hen's lives are turned upside down by this development. Before Junior is sent away, a rep from the company comes to stay with the couple which heightens the stress, particularly for Junior. This book raises a lot of questions about AI as well as marital relationships and the future of farming. For such a short book, there is a lot packed into it.

Thanks to a discussion here, I picked up The Friends of Meager Fortune by David Adams Richards. This book is set in New Brunswick in the middle of the twentieth century and involves the great logging companies battling the elements (and each other) to get trees to market. This was a time when there was no mechanization in the woods. Trees were felled by hand saw, trimmed by axe, transported by horse-drawn sleighs to the banks of rivers, and then sent by those rivers in huge log drives to saw mills. Men had to be powerhouses to work in those conditions and the women who loved them endured long cold winters with just their own company. This book is the story of a logging dynasty, the Jamesons, and the destiny that had been foretold. Reading it, I felt like this is a classic tale that should endure.

I've finished the lovely The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

Ah, Blue Castle. I do like to read that every few years. It was put on as a musical many years ago here in Charlottetown. It was so good, I never understood why it wasn't put on again.

>39 raidergirl3: That would make for a beautiful show! So many opportunities for fun, creative scenes

>38 Cecilturtle: One of my favourite L. M. Montgomery books.

>38 Cecilturtle: One of my co-workers gave me this book last year. I wasn't interested, but now that I have a trip booked to the Maritimes, I think I'll pull it out. (I'm assuming it's set there)

>42 Nickelini: it’s the only book LM wrote not set somewhat in the Maritimes! But still read it, it’s a quick read and one of her best

>43 raidergirl3: Doh! Okay :)

I'm not usually a fan of "cozy" mystery novels, but I do like Susan Juby's writing, so I ended up really enjoying Mindful of Murder.

I'm reading Snap by Susin Nielsen

>45 ted74ca: Susan Juby calls it "a triumph"

>18 ted74ca: I gave up on Heather after four reads. The violence is just not very enjoyable after a while.

I read The Fourth Princess: A Gothic Novel of Old Shanghai by Janie Chang and loved it! My review is on the main page.

Ils dansent dans la tempête by Dominique Demers

This is the third in a trilogy for young adults. I didn't read the first two and I'm not young and so I'm definitely not the target audience. I usually enjoy Demers's book for all ages but this one felt overly emotive and grandiose. I probably would have secretly loved it had I been 13.

Dominique Demers is a Franco-Ontarian writer who is most known for her children's books. She has been widely translated into English and has written some marvellous stories that I used to read to my daughter. The Mysterious Librarian and The New Teacher, part of the Mademoiselle C series, are her most known and were even turned into movies.

I enjoyed The Taste of Hunger by Barbara Joan Scott and am now reading The Listeners by Jordan Tannahill

I'm reading Run Like a Girl: A Memoir of Ambition, Resilience and Fighting for Change by Catherine McKenna

I just finished reading The Tiger Claw by Shauna Singh Baldwin. It was shortlisted for the Giller Prize in 2004 so it's not a recent book but since it is historical fiction it can really be read anytime. The book is based on the real Noor Inayat Khan, a British spy in WWII. It's a fascinating story. Baldwin has fictionalized the real events by adding a love interest but, otherwise, it seems to me to stick closely to Khan's real life.

I discovered this author through LT. Her character, private investigator Baker Somerset, lives in Ottawa and it was such a hoot walking with her the streets that are so familiar to me.

>54 Cecilturtle: It's always great to read books set in one's home town, isn't it?

Just finished On Isabella Street by Genevieve Graham. It's set in 1967 and 1968 and has two interconnected plots involving the Vietnam War and deinstitutionalization of mental institutes. It was okay but I felt the characters were rather one-dimensional. Also, the Vietnam War section was overly dramatic. I've read a couple of other books by this author but I don't think I'll be seeking any more out.

>56 gypsysmom: 100%!!

I am drawn to very local books, often old and/or obscure ones from small publishers, that I have to put some effort into tracking down. Occasionally I am disappointed by them, but more often gratified. Rosemary Neering’s Down the Road: Journeys Through Small-Town British Columbia (1991) has been a delightful read.

Late in the book, Neering ventures into an area of central BC known as the Chilcotin, after a First Peoples tribe associated with it, and I immediately thought to myself, where have I heard about that before?

I came up with the answer quickly. Not too long ago I watched a lesser-known Randolph Scott Western called The Cariboo Trail (1950), set in British Columbia (although exteriors were actually shot in Colorado). The Chilcotin region is Scott’s goal, as perfect land for beef cattle. He talks about it very enthusiastically.

It was a relief to see Scott smiling, upbeat, and optimistic in this movie, after his consistently grim visage and character in the last film of his that I watched, Coroner Creek.

>59 PatrickMurtha: That area of BC is quite different from many other parts. And it is perfect for cattle ranching. The book sounds interesting.

I just started Ducks by Kate Beaton. It won Canada reads a few years ago

>61 Nickelini: And it also made it onto Barack Obama's reading list that year. It is very well done.

I just finished the second in the Stardance Trilogy by Spider and Jeanne Robinson, Starseed. This book introduces a whole new set of characters from the first book but the people from the first book make an appearance once in a while. A new group of postulants for Stardance are hoping to make it through a three month trial period. Morgan (Rain) McLeod from BC is one of them. She was a star of modern dance on Earth until her body gave up on her. Gravity is now just too hard on her but she is hoping that in zero gravity she can dance again. Then things start going wrong in their habitat and it seems some entity is trying to destroy the Stardancers. Morgan thinks she has figured out who it is but she doesn't like her suppositions. Considering this was written in 1990, I am quite impressed by how well the authors predicted technology of the future although, obviously, we haven't started living in space yet.

>60 gypsysmom: The book was a great pleasure and it is worth seeking out a copy.

>62 gypsysmom: Oooh, I didn't know that!

>61 Nickelini: It also made my favourites when i read it last year.

>62 gypsysmom: And it also made it onto Barack Obama's reading list that year. It is very well done.


I remember that! It made me sit up and take notice. According to the back of the book, it made many prestigious "best of" lists in 2022. I'm about a third of the way in and so far I can see why

I've now listened to A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt. It's one of the books chosen for the Canada Reads showdown. I was initially puzzled by it because it is a first-person narrative told by an Indigenous queer writer. Since Belcourt is also an Indigenous queer writer, it felt like a memoir rather than a novel. But the first chapter in the book talks about being shackled by a prison official and, as far as I knew, Belcourt had never been imprisoned. It's not until the last chapter that it becomes clear who is speaking in the first chapter and that kind of turns the whole book around. It's an interesting writing method and once I figured it out, really added to my appraisal of the book. Belcourt is articulate and well-versed in all kinds of literature some of which he references in this book.

>67 gypsysmom: Well said. I, too, was impressed with A Minor Chorus.

>61 Nickelini: Loved Ducks, and that it was defended by Matea Roach.

I've read Don't Be Canada: How One Country Did Everything Wrong All at Once by Tristin Hopper; interesting but one-sided.

I just loved the writing in In Winter I Get Up at Night by Jane Urquhart.

>69 ted74ca: Me too! I've read all her fiction. Map of Glass was my favourite.

>70 LynnB: I think mine is The Stone Carvers.

>69 ted74ca:, >70 LynnB:, >71 gypsysmom:

I haven't read Urquhart in years, but I've read 5 of her novels, and have 2 more unread in my stacks. I don't know which is my favourite, but I'd like to reread Changing Heaven. I liked it, but I think there were elements that went over my head at the time

>72 Nickelini: Changing Heaven was another favourite.

I'm reading It's Different This Time by Joss Richards for Canada Reads.

Recently finished Wild People Quiet by Tara Gereaux. It's not her first book but I confess I haven't heard of her others, Saltus, published in 2020, and Size of a Fist, published in 2015. She is a Metis from Fort Qu'Appelle, SK so it perhaps isn't a surprise that this book is about a Metis woman who passes as white until her brother shows up in town. There are two time-lines, one from the years just after World War I and the other just after World War II. Metis people, or half-breeds as they were referred to at that time, faced horrible discrimination. The brother fought for Canada in World War II but he couldn't get steady work when he returned to Canada. There was a small group of Metis living on a road allowance in shacks but when the federal government decided to turn the land into a community pasture they were moved to an area in the north of the province. Gereaux isn't preachy about all this but it really hit me in my gut. I can remember when I grew up that people referred to "half-breeds" pejoratively. And I can also remember the housing conditions where they lived and that would have been 10 to 15 years after the occurrences in this book. The Metis people have made great strides since then, thankfully, although there are still issues. Anyway, it's a really excellent book and I hope to see it garner some awards. If you are curious about the title it's from a statement John A. Macdonald made about the man sent to negotiate with Louis Riel and his supporters. "I anticipate that he will have a good deal of trouble, and it will require considerable management to keep those wild people quiet."

I'm reading foe by Iain Reid for Canada Reads.

I'm continuing to read the Canada Reads books in preparation for the debate. Next up is The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor

I have been reading Mazo de la Roche’s Jalna series in narrative chron order, but I was disappointed in Mary Wakefield, a weak entry with an extremely watered-down Jane Eyre scenario. Mary is a lousy governess and her employer is a putz.

In the 16-novel series, this is the third in the narrative chronology (the first two are much better), but the eleventh published.

One thing I did notice and approve is that the children who were so engaging in the first two volumes grew up to be stiff and dull adults. Ain’t it always the way? 😏

>79 PatrickMurtha: I don't think I realized there were so many in the series. Am I wrong in thinking there was a TV show based on the books? I think that's how I followed the family rather than reading all the books.

>80 gypsysmom: Apparently there was a 13-episode series, The Whiteoaks of Jalna. We never saw it in the US.

I really liked Valentine in Montreal by Heather O/Neill. A fun romp.

>82 ted74ca: me too! I'm a huge Heather O'Neill fan.

I've just finished the excellent Dandelion Daughter by Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay and am about to conclude my read of the Canada Reads contenders with Searching for Terry Punchout by Tyler Hellard.

I'm trying to decide whether to continue with Fall On Your Knees. I'm 45% through the audio book. I listened to it for hours while gardening the other day, but when I went out to garden the next day, I just couldn't bare listening to it. I got to the part where Lily is child and she's extremely unlikeable. I understand she becomes a major character.

I mentioned this to my book club last night. I joined this club almost 25 years ago, but this group has been meeting in some form since the late 1980s. They had read Fall On Your Knees before I joined. Of those in my book club who have read it, this is what they said:

Person A: "I LOVE this book! It has an important spot on my bookcase"
Person B: "It's as if the author had a list of every trauma and made them fit into the book" (not sure if she thought it was worth reading or not)
Person C: "I just got rid of my copy" and I asked if she liked it, and she said "oh, NOOOOOO!"
Person D: "I hated it so much I left this book club for over 25 years" . . . this is true. I'd always heard about Person D and how she quit because all the books were so depressing. I didn't realize Fall On Your Knees was the last straw. She's just recently come back. I hope we don't scare her away again

This is not encouraging me to stick this out. I'm not sure why I want to . . .

>84 Nickelini: For what it's worth, Fall on Your Knees is one of my top three books of all time. Seems to be a love it or hate it book, with relatively few readers falling in the middle.

>84 Nickelini: I'm in the hate it camp. I would echo Person B's comment. I did finish it but it was a slog. I would say you should go with your gut and drop it now.

And can I just comment that I'm so envious you are gardening already?

I'm reading John Candy: A Life in Comedy by Paul Myers

>86 gypsysmom:, >85 LynnB:
Thanks for your input. I decided to DNF this now, while being open to trying it again in the future.

Wendy, we didn't have much winter this year, so I'm even more behind than usual

>87 LynnB: I look forward to your thoughts. He seemed like a nice guy. A sad loss, and he's been gone so long already

I'm reading Semi Detached by Cynthia Holz

>88 Nickelini:

Being a huge SCTV fan, I really enjoyed reading John Candy: A Life in Comedy I liked hearing about John Candy, obviously, but also the other great actors he worked with, such as Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy.

John Candy had, in many ways, a charmed life. He was talented and that talent was recognized, making him a star. He was in love with his wife of many years and enjoyed his two children. He was lucky to be able to work with long-time friends in most of his projects. He had amazing talent as both a comedic and dramatic actor, and was very creative.

He also suffered from congenital heart disease, which claimed his life, as well as that of his father and brother. He suffered from anxiety and had panic attacks. Yet, he remained a great person, generous and almost universally liked among those who knew him.

This biography, like all accounts of John Candy, is nice. There are no major scandals or breakdowns. But it tells a compelling story of a regular guy who became rich and famous and remained a regular guy.

Au hasard la chance by Michel Tremblay
I really enjoyed this short story set between Ottawa and Montréal: I could picture all the neighbourhoods perfectly. Tremblay explores different endings to show the whims of destiny. The first time is surprising, of course, but each bifurcating is equally unexpected even though Ti-Loup remains true to herself. A fun, delightful and engaging read.

I'm reading How It Works Out by Myriam Lacroix

I'm reading Ragged Company by Richard Wagamese

I'm reading a book by a Canadian author, but set in Paris: Emperor of Paris by CS Richardson. It's a book that deserves attention, which I'm struggling with at the moment due to a very minor medical problem that seems to affecting my reading focus.

(I tweaked my neck, and when I relax it throbs, but when I'm physically busy, it ebbs away. My mom (born 1926) always said, "when I wake up feeling poorly, I get up and wash the floor and then I feel fine." This silly advice seemed to work for me today)

Anyway, I will slowly read this, because it is worth focus.

I've read this author before, and he is also a book designer. A very interesting person

>94 Nickelini: Loved it! Reading that book was almost like looking at a series of paintings. The prose was so evocative of images, which was so fitting since the main character is illiterate. Mr. Richardson can create a real sense of place...images, smells, feelings...in just a few words. And the characters are paradoxically sparsely drawn yet have so much depth. So, amazing writing and a touching love story to boot.

>94 Nickelini: As you say, CS Richardson was the cover designer for a lot of books back before he ever took up writing them. A Toronto Life article says he has designed over 1500. Whenever I come across a really well designed cover of a Canadian book from the 1990s or early 2000s, 9 times out of 10 when I look to see who designed the cover it is CS Richardson. I thought his End of the Alphabet was brilliant.

Hope you feel better soon. I've been dealing with sciatic pain for the last 6 months and, like you, when I get moving it seems to disappear. I'll keep your mom's advice in mind but I think I'd rather go for a walk than wash a floor!

I just finished Snap and I really liked it. The author had a nice touch balancing some bad situations with good characters. Really felt the Vancouver and Canada setting.

@LynnB - I read your review and you nailed it. It felt light, but the topics (#metoo, anger issues, divorce) weren't light at all. I was reading A Guardian and a Thief at the same time, and I had to dip back and forth because The G&T was very upsetting, set in India during climate crisis, and nothing went right, but in Snap I was enjoying seeing the characters make progress.

>98 LibraryCin: I've read a few of this author's books, although not this one. I think my favourite was The Forgotten Home Child. Have you read any others?

>99 gypsysmom: Yes, I've read The Forgotten Home Child, as well as At the Mountain's Edge. I had to look back at my ratings, but it looks like, of these three by the author, I also rated "The Forgotten Home Child" the highest at 4 stars.

I also have Come From Away on my tbr.

>96 gypsysmom: Whenever I come across a really well designed cover of a Canadian book from the 1990s or early 2000s, 9 times out of 10 when I look to see who designed the cover it is CS Richardson.

I noticed that too! I used to seek out his covers.

You have my sympathy about sciatica! That's a bad one, especially because it hangs around so long

>101 Nickelini: Thanks for your sympathy. I went to see my physiotherapist on Monday and she suggested some things to do and they do seem to help. It's not nearly as bad as it was when it started so I'm hopeful it will eventually clear up.

Further to covers by CS Richardson, I recently pulled a book from my shelves that was published in 2009. The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels wasn't my favourite read but the cover is great and, sure enough, when I checked it was designed by CS Richardson. I've attached an image but it's pretty tiny. Maybe if you click on it you'll be able to see it better.

>102 gypsysmom: That's a beautiful cover!

I'm reading my daughter's copy of No Safe Harbour by Julie Lawson. This was one of her favourite books when she was around 11 yrs old. I really don't know anything about the Halifax Explosion. Growing up in Vancouver in the 1970s, I was never taught about it.

>104 Nickelini: there is an excellent display area about the Halifax explosion at the Maritine Museum on the Halifax waterfront. There is also a Titanic section plus tons of military history, which I found a snooze. But the Halifax explosion section is fascinating. Admission was less than $10, maybe $5? I was just there for the first time last month. I hope you get a chance to see it!

The CNIB was developed because of all the eye injuries when the windows blew out during the explosion.

>105 raidergirl3: The CNIB was developed because of all the eye injuries when the windows blew out during the explosion.

Oh wow! I did not know that. It sounds like a shockingly horrific event. I just heard the number of dead again (I'd forgotton) and it's almost unimaginable.

We are staying near the Citadel, so I will add the Marime Museum to our Halfiax day (the other full day we are being dorky tourists and doing Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg). I'm currently booking everything, so getting rather excited.

>106 Nickelini: it’s not being a dorky tourist to go to Peggy’s Cove or Lunenberg! Everyone should see them. Lunenberg is a Unesco historic site (parking is horrific, it’s so small) We were there for the first time a few years ago and the Bluenose was in dock and we were able to go on board. Very cool.
There is also a memorial near Peggy’s Cove to the Swiss Air disaster which was worth a stop, for 15 minutes.
My sister and I spent a day downtown Halifax last month. NS Art Museum, Maritime Museum, Mary’s African Cafe for lunch, World of Teas for a tea break. Steve-a-Rino’s is a classic Halifax coffee shop/lunch stop nearby. The Public Gardens are beautiful to walk through. There is plenty of public art around too! My sister takes her girl guides on a scavenger hunt for art downtown each year.

>104 Nickelini: Barometer Rising by Hugh MacLennan is a classic Canadian read and is all about the Halifax Explosion. I'm not sure but I think we may have read this in high school here in Manitoba. I'm surprised it wasn't used in Vancouver.

I just finished Pick a Colour by Souvankham Thammavongsa which won the Giller Prize last year. I'm really not sure how to rate the book. It takes place in one day in a nail salon owned by a former boxer who somehow lost a finger. I kept expecting to learn at the end how that happened but we never do. There are lots of moments of observation of human interactions that are sure to strike a chord with readers but there are times when the thoughts of the main character show she is always reserved with others. I read the author's book of short stories How to Pronounce Knife and I prefer that book to this one even though I'm not usually a fan of short fiction.

Has anyone else read this? What did you think? Did I miss something that made this book praiseworthy? I've read two of the other Giller finalists, The Paris Express and The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus and I am having trouble figuring out what made this book the winner.

>107 raidergirl3: Thank you for all the Halifax tips! Sounds great

>108 gypsysmom: I'm surprised it wasn't used in Vancouver.

I'm pretty sure we didn't read anything Canadian when I was in school. Mostly British and the occasional novel from the US.

Thanks for the recommendation

>109 gypsysmom: I really liked it. I saw it as an exercise in contrasts: a boxer turned nail technician; her tough stance on employees, yet worried about their well-being; her disdain of clients yet kindness to homeless person... once you start looking at contradictions they are through out the novel, and it helped me read more carefully to understand Ning, her hurts, victories and hopes.

>112 Cecilturtle: Thanks for your comments. I can see what you mean. I just don't think I would have picked it to win.

I'm reading River Thieves by Michael Crummey

Sitting at home with a head cold made me pick up It's Different This Time by Joss Richard, the romance that was in Canada Reads this year. I admit I'm no fan of romances but how this one was picked is a mystery to me. For one thing, the author no longer lives in Canada and the whole book takes place in New York City with a little bit in Los Angeles. For another, there is no serious character development. Everyone is beautiful or handsome and all are intelligent. The parts that could have been interesting like Adam's mother's degivath from cancer or June's estrangement from her mother were hardly given any depth. I know a lot of authors like to incorporate descriptions of food in their work (even Louise Penny) but, really, if any real people ate like the characters in this book they would all be obese. As someone else said, I hope CBC will move away from the idea that there has to be a romance in the selection for future Canada Reads. Even having a head cold didn't make me suspend my judgment enough to like the book.

>115 gypsysmom: thanks for taking one for the team!
I’ll read a few rom-com type books but there has to be something unique about it. I’ve read a few Carley Fortune books, starting with the PEI one. Hers are at least very Canadian.

>115 gypsysmom: Oh, no! I enjoy a romance every once in a while. But that sounds incredibly NOT Canada Reads. I find it tough to include a book not set in Canada. We have fabulous authors who write about other places, and they can win all the awards, but Canada Reads, to me, needs to be distinctly Canadian. YMMV (to use an internet abbreviation from 20 years ago)

Speaking of fabulous Canadian authors who write about other places, I finally read Anil's Ghost. It was very good and in particular much better than Divisadero, which had put me off reading Ondaatje's novels for (yikes) apparently almost 20 years. Still it was not as phenomenal as The English Patient.

It was very interesting to learn about Sri Lankan history about which I had previously known very little. (Canada makes no appearance.) However my criticism of Anil's Ghost is essentially the same as my criticism of Divisadero, although to a lesser degree. That is, despite Ondaatje's lyricism and insightful exploration of character, it's often hard to escape the sense that he has done a bunch of scholarly research and is now presenting it to you in narrative form. (From the acknowledgements, it seems that is in fact what he has done.) At its worst, the novel picks up the flavour of a very high quality term paper, which isn't what I want in a novel. Still I'm very glad to have read this one.

In the end, I think Ondaatje is a better poet than novelist and I think I'll probably stick to his poetry in future.

>118 CabbageMoth: I also really liked Anil's Ghost and it is still one of my favourites of Ondaatje's works. I'm not much of a poetry reader (although my best friend from high school days has been doing her utmost to change that, including posting a poem every day in April on FB) but I always think you can tell that a writer started out as a poet even when they turn to prose.

Several friends from work were Sri Lankan and Ondaatje is certainly looked up to in their culture.

>118 CabbageMoth:
I read Anil's Ghost ages ago, and I don't remember much about it other than I absolutely loved it. I got obsessed with Sri Lankan literature for a while there.

>119 gypsysmom: Like you, I'm not much of a poetry reader, but I can always tell a novelist who writes poetry. Their use of language is enjoyable

>120 Nickelini: Care to recommend any Sri Lankan books? I have read nothing unless you count this one.

>121 CabbageMoth: I’ll sneak in here before Joyce who will probably have many suggestions. I recently read Brotherless Night, and have another by the author on my shelf to read. It was set during the 1980s civil war and I liked it. It also won the Wonen’s Prize for Fiction.

>121 CabbageMoth:
In no particular order . . .

Wave, a gripping memoir by Sonali Deraniyagala, who lost her entire family to the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004

Mosquito, Bone China, and Brixton Beach - 3 very different novels by Roma Tearne. The first is my favourite; the second is more of a traditional multi-generational story, and the third is mostly set in London after the main character immigrates.

Cinnamon Gardens and Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai - about a young boy growing up in Sri Lanka

Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje - a literary scrapbook, not a novel

Reef - Romesh Gunesekera. A quiet book, and short listed for the Booker prize

I have a stack of unread Sri Lankan books, but I never seem to get to them. One day. Maybe when I retire.

Years ago I learned from Roma Tearne, when I interviewed her, that there is almost no literature coming out of Sri Lanka, and almost all of it is being written by immigrants in the western world (Canada, UK, US, Australia)

>123 Nickelini: >122 raidergirl3: Thank you both! I will add these all to my TBR list. Of course, the list is always getting longer so you never can know when or if things finally percolate to the top.

>108 gypsysmom: Barometer Rising by Hugh MacLennan is a classic Canadian read and is all about the Halifax Explosion. I'm not sure but I think we may have read this in high school here in Manitoba. I'm surprised it wasn't used in Vancouver.

We definitely didn't read the MacLennan book (what class was that for?) but you had me doubting myself -- how did I NOT know about the Halifax explosion until I was in my late 20s? Did we really not learn about this in school? My daughters did. But it seemed like something I'd remember. Anyway, reading the author notes at the end of No Safe Harbour, the author says she didn't learn about it at school in BC either. She knew about it because her dad was from Halifax. So I'm still confident that we were not taught this, but I'm happy my daughters were.

>125 Nickelini: I also don't remember learning about the Halifax Explosion in school. I grew up in Saskatchewan.

I'm reading Hope and Despair: My Struggle to Free My Husband Maher Arar by Monia Mazigh

>125 Nickelini: I went to high school in Alberta and learned about the explosion much later when I moved to Ontario (and probably incidentally). Apart from PEI I've never been to the Maritimes - there definitely seems to be a Est/West segmentation :(

>128 Cecilturtle: Well I grew up (and still live) in Manitoba which I consider to be part of the West but I know some westerners consider us to be part of the East! Maybe someone on the Manitoba curricula committee was from Nova Scotia and that's why we read it.

>129 gypsysmom: Having grown up in SK and as an adult living in AB, I've always considered Manitoba West.

>129 gypsysmom:
Grew up in BC with lots of visits to Alberta (my dad's work) and occasionally Manitoba (favourite cousins). Manitoba was always still west to me, or maybe middle-ish. Ontario and eastward was all "east" or "eastern Canada." I think because people would say they were "going back east" when they were going to Toronto. Also we never went there.

Now I'm an adult who has traveled, and while everywhere is east of me, Ontario is not the east. Maybe centre (more in their minds, as in the reputation of Toronto thinking they are the centre of the world. LOL), and Quebec is Quebec, and eastern Canada is NB, NS, PEI, and NF. I'm fine with Manitoba being part of the west. After all, their symbol is a bison. That's very western

>128 Cecilturtle: - there definitely seems to be a Est/West segmentation :(

Absolutely! Unless you travel for family or work, it's a lot of work and expense to get from one side of the country to the other. EG:

- It took some searching, but I found a direct flight from Vancouver to Halifax, return. Booked it. A couple of weeks later, Air Canada cancelled the flight to Halifax. So we had to book a flight connecting in Toronto. Then they cancelled the direct flight home, so through Toronto both ways now. It's going to take an entire day, each way. I can get to Europe, Japan, California, Mexico, and Hawaii way easier and faster. And that's going to Halifax -- if I was trying to get to Charlottetown or NB it would be even more difficult.

- My parents used to say "we should go to Ontario and see our own country sometime," but my brother lived in California, and Hawaii was such a quick and affordable trip back in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. So they went to visit my brother in LA often, and went to Hawaii 14 times. They did tour Ontario, once, with their church choir after they were retired (and met Preston Manning! Big thrill!). But every year when your choice is Hawaii? or Toronto? Hmm. Yep, I get the 14 Hawaii trips. (Also my mom had family in Ontario who she didn't really want to see. LOL)

I realize we've been straying from strictrly sticking to Canadian literature on this thread, but before we course-correct, can I sneek in one last off-topic question about Maritime Canada? Any music suggestions? I'm a fan of Great Big Sea, but they are from Newfoundland, which is not the same thing. Any music that will set the mood while we are driving the Maritime loop? (I remembered the Irish Rovers, but when I searched them it appears they were from Toronto).

One more: Working for the federal government, in one department, the eastern region went all the way to Alberta! In another, it ended in Quebec, but included the NWT. My dad's only question was how I knew who to cheer for in the Grey Cup.

>134 LynnB: lol!
>132 Nickelini: I agree! I spent my teens years in Alberta but since my parents moved away over 30 years ago, I've had no reason to go back. Apart from a couple of work-related trips to Vancouver, it's just too expensive (plus my family is in Europe, so the "wrong" direction).

Anyway, I've just finished a self help book from local-to-me author Vickie Lanthier, High Agency Human. Lanthier is former military with a nursing degree and talks about moving through and preparing for adversity. I'll post more when I have the touchstones figured out.

>133 Nickelini: East Pointers, a PEI band and they just released a new album, are just what you are looking for to listen to.
Also look for Lennie Gallant, he’s got tons of albums. I love Joel Plaskett.
Oh, there are so many! I’ll be back with more suggestions

>134 LynnB: Working for the federal government, in one department, the eastern region went all the way to Alberta! In another, it ended in Quebec, but included the NWT.

Oh, that's wild! I wonder how that came about

>136 raidergirl3: East Pointers, a PEI band and they just released a new album, are just what you are looking for to listen to.
Also look for Lennie Gallant, he’s got tons of albums. I love Joel Plaskett.
Oh, there are so many! I’ll be back with more suggestions

I know and like Joel Plaskett (thank you CBC radio). I will look up the others. Thank you!

ETA - Just clicked on "Maritime Moonshine" by East Pointers. Great recommendation!

>133 Nickelini: For music, how about Ashley MacIsaac?

ETA: And I was educated about the Maritime provinces vs Atlantic provinces years ago by a friend from Newfoundland. You are correct, Nfld is not a "Maritime" province, but it is an Atlantic province.

>138 Nickelini: the East Pointers are from Souris area. Chances are very high you will meet a ‘cousin’ of theirs on your trip. Souris is full of Chaissons. I worked with one of their cousins before I retired.

>137 Nickelini: It was to balance the workload among departmental regions. Some provinces had more clients or files than others.

We Want What We Want by Alix Ohlin

High Agency Human by Vickie Lanthier

I'm reading Arrival: The Story of CanLit by Nick Mount

>144 LynnB: I read that and found it really interesting. I'll be waiting to hear what you think of it.

Just finished What They Wanted by Donna Morrissey and I was blown away by how good it was. It's a sequel of sorts to her book Sylvanus Now in that it follows the children of Sylvanus, Sylvia and Chris, as they move from Newfoundland to Alberta to work on an oil rig. Wayne Johnston is quoted on the back of the book as saying "Donna Morrissey is a wonderfully gifted writer." I would agree. Her descriptions of the place where Sylvia and Chris grew up in outport Newfoundland really evoke the isolation and connection to the land and sea. Then, when they move to the noisy, dirty oil rig in northern Alberta, it isn't just the characters that experience the disconnect. The book was published in 2008. My copy is a discontinued library book. I just checked the Winnipeg Public Library catalogue and they don't show any copies although they still have a listing. If you can get your hands on a copy, I don't think you will regret it.

>146 gypsysmom: Great review! Off to the library to put it on hold. It sure sounds like my kind of book!

I'm reading The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight

I'm listening to The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs. It's lots of fun so far, and I recommend it. But it's one of those books by a Canadian author who sets her novel in some vague place that's stripped of any Canadianism, and hints at being somewhere in the US.

>149 Nickelini: I was so impressed with the tone she got in that book. The ridiculousness of it all was perfect and hilarious.

>150 raidergirl3: I was so impressed with the tone she got in that book. The ridiculousness of it all was perfect and hilarious.


So far, I agree! And consider that it's a first novel! But the author has written for TV for years, so it's not exactly her first rodeo.

>145 gypsysmom: I absolutely LOVED Arrival: The Story of CanLit! It may be the best nonfiction book I've read. Ever. What makes the book so delightful is the perfect blend of a history of Canadian publishing, a biographical look at prominent authors, and literary criticism....all situated in the broader context of what was happening in Canadian culture, with a little politics thrown in. And the author was able to blend all this into a fascinating read which brought back lots of memories. Excellent!

>152 LynnB: that sounds awesome! Does it look at French Canada at all? I suppose it has its own arch, especially in 1970 with the Révolution tranquille.

>152 LynnB: So glad you liked it. I'd say it is required reading for anyone interested in Canadian Literature.

>153 Cecilturtle: Yes, it looks at French Canada, notably Marie Claire Blais and Michel Tremblay and Hubert Aquin, the latter in the context of the FLQ.

>155 LynnB: very cool!

>157 Toney3306: And our little community here will do its best to share thoughts and recommendations.

>159 LibraryCin: You are correct that the book was based upon Gabrielle Roy's teaching career in Manitoba. One of her other books Children of My Heart focuses on teaching in another school. I see from Wikipedia that it was her last published work and that it won the 1977 Governor General's Award for French Literature. Personally, I love Where Nests the Water Hen. There is a community in Manitoba called Waterhen near the shores of Lake Manitoba and I've always assumed that the book was set in that area.

>160 gypsysmom: I would also assume that to be the case.

This was the first book I've read by her. I would be willing to try another, just not sure which one. So, if you or anyone else has recommendations. :-)

>161 LibraryCin: She is most famous for The Tin Flute which is set in Montreal during World War II. I also liked her collection of short stories called Garden in the Wind, Enchanted Summer.

>162 gypsysmom: Thank you! I'm not usually a big fan of short stories, so maybe I'll try The Tin Flute.

I'm reading Finding Flora by Elinor Florence

>164 LynnB: I'm hoping to read this soon, too.