Don Gillmor’s Mount Pleasant (2013)

2014-05-13T15:44:03-04:00

You can imagine Harry Salter, the main character in Don Gillmor's second novel, nodding along with Murray. Random House Canada, 2013 Murray is actually a character in an Alice Munro story, looking back at his much-changed life, but the story is familiar. "Does it deserve to be called

Don Gillmor’s Mount Pleasant (2013)2014-05-13T15:44:03-04:00

Jowita Bydlowska’s Drunk Mom (2013)

2014-05-13T15:47:11-04:00

"It is through weakness and vulnerability that most of us... discover our soul." (Desmond Tutu) Doubleday Canada - Random House, 2013 If you take Desmond Tutu's statement as truth, Jowita Bydlowska's Drunk Mom is arguably the ultimate discovery. Her to-the-bare-walls description of her alcoholism displays every weakness. It

Jowita Bydlowska’s Drunk Mom (2013)2014-05-13T15:47:11-04:00

“Wigtime” Alice Munro

2014-07-11T17:16:11-04:00

One might say that Margot was playing Barbara's game of "Apples and Oranges", choosing between a nice house and a fresh start. 1990; Penguin, 1991 But if one said too much about Margot's choice, spoilers about "Wigtime" would wriggle into the discussion. Margot has made choices, indeed, but

“Wigtime” Alice Munro2014-07-11T17:16:11-04:00

“Differently” Alice Munro

2014-07-11T17:16:22-04:00

Alice Munro is capable of spinning readers away from the salient detail of Austin's death in a story like "Pictures of the Ice". 1990; Penguin, 1991 Yet, she is equally capable of writing an opening which cannot be set aside and which demands rereading as the story unfolds,

“Differently” Alice Munro2014-07-11T17:16:22-04:00

“Oh, What Avails” Alice Munro

2014-07-11T17:16:31-04:00

Remember when "Gravel", in Dear Life, had readers considering the way that life can shift beneath one's feet, like an aggregation of water-worn stones readjusting? 1990; Penguin, 1991 This story has one considering the formation of frazil ice, the way that loose and randomly shaped ice-crystals can form

“Oh, What Avails” Alice Munro2014-07-11T17:16:31-04:00
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