Blindfolded, only hearing the prose, or seeing the opening lines pulled from the narrative, would you recognize these stories to be the work of Alice Munro based on the first few sentences alone? The opening of “Changes and Ceremonies”: Boys’ hate was dangerous, it was keen and bright, a miraculous
Massimo Marcone’s Acquired Tastes Key Porter, 2010 The subtitle of Massimo Marcone’s book gives it all away: “on the trail of the world’s most sought-after delicacies”. After briefly considering what constitutes a delicacy, and how the concept shifts across time and varies between cultures, the author focuses on a handful
If you’ve read all your Anne books until their pages have loosened from their spines, Second Story Press has the answer: two Anne-ish books in their Gutsy Girls series. Caroline Stellings’ The Contest Second Story Press, 2010 For Avonlea-ish-ness, The Contest is delightful. Although Hamilton, Ontario is a long way
When I was browsing the library stacks the other day, looking for the next volume in Maya Angelou’s autobiography, I happened upon this: JoAnn McCaig’s Reading In: Alice Munro’s Archives. And isn’t that just how it happens? How stacks of library books get out of hand? But how could I
Anthony Bidulka’s Amuse Bouche Russell Quant, #1 Insomniac Press, 2003 Things that I like about the first book in Anthony Bidulka’s mystery series: 1. Barbra; 2. Saskatoon; and 3. Russell Quant. 1. Barbra is a four-year-old Standard Schnauzer who’s firmly attached to Anthony Bidulka’s sleuth but also adores sleepovers and
