May 2015: What We're Reading

I recently finished The Secret Lives of Saints: Child Brides and Lost Boys in a Polygamous Mormon Sect. I'd read and seen a lot about the FLDS in the States, and was interested in how Canada has dealt with our own group here in Canada (Bountiful, BC). Turns out that we've mishandled this situation even worse than the US has, and it doesn't matter which government tries to "help". Federal, provincial, Conservative, Liberal, NDP--they've only emboldened the leaders and the abuse continues. Not good!

So while I was in Mormon territory in my head, I decided to read the Giller-nominated Effigy by Alissa York. This is historical fiction, so not as frustrating or depressing.

I'm reading Vikings by Neil Oliver

Just finished Life on homicide : a police detective's memoir by (former Toronto Police Chief) William McCormack. Just starting Dogs and underdogs : finding happiness at both ends of the leash by Elizabeth Abbott.

Managed to grab a copy of Guy Vanderhaeghe's latest, Daddy Lenin and Other Stories, from the Express collection at the library.

Louise Penny again for me with The Beautiful Mystery

I'm reading Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi for a book club.

>6 LynnB: I read that many years ago and disliked it; however, I have to say it's really stuck with me and I learned a lot. I'll be interested to hear what you think.

I'm done with the Giller prize nominated Effigy and was sadly disappointed by it. Thought it was going to be a good one, but alas it wasn't to be. Now I'm off to Western Australia and Tim Winton's Dirt Music.

I've read so few Canadian books so far this year. :-(

However, I am planning, this weekend, to read a book that I was very excited was a part of Canada Reads a few years back: Essex County by Jeff Lemire. I was excited about it because it's the only graphic novel that has ever been in the competition. I hope to read it this weekend.

Lynn, I sent you a brief PM regarding Madame Bovary. Nothing that I loved, but also not as bad as I thought. Glad that I read it, but it took a bit of discipline on my part. 3.5 stars

Currently reading The Farm by Tom Rob Smith for the 75's " May Murder and Mayhem". Fun and fast reading!

4 rabbitprincess - Daddy Lenin and Other Stories . I'm interested in grabbing that from library, but they don't have it in as yet. Let me know what you think of it.

Currently reading The Secret Place by Tana French. This is the fifth one of hers I've read about the Dublin Murder Squad. As good a writer as she is, I believe she needs a better editor. One I've read was excellent for the first 2/3 but I just wanted it to end after that. The others were good reads, but this one is moving at a snail's pace and I'm hoping I can finish it. It's set in a girls' boarding school, and there is so much emphasis on 15-16 year old girls and so little on the detectives. I don't know how much more teen drama I can endure. Can you tell I'm a senior who has already raised two very nice girls but doesn't want to relive the experience?

>10 vancouverdeb: It was a pretty good collection, mostly modern-day stories with some looking back to the past (as far back as the 1950s). Two stories in particular really resonated with me, while the rest were at least "good". I gave it a 3.5 in relation to his other books I've read; overall, I think I prefer his "Western" books.

Now that that's finished, I will be spending my weekend trying to put more of a dent in Lords of Misrule, by Nigel Tranter, which is set in Scotland in the 1380s, so about as far away as you can get from the modern day!

I'm reading Roger Maris and a Cast of Hundreds by Gregory Rom

>rabbitprincess, thanks for the info re Daddy Lenin and other Stories. I'll make sure I get it from the library, rather then purchasing it.

Finished The Farm by Tom Rob Smith and what an excellent psychological thriller!

Currently reading Inside the O'Briens: A Novel by Lisa Genova.

Hello...I'm reading The Best American Short Stories 2005. As always with "The Best American" series, many of the best stories are actually written by Canadians, in this case Cory Doctorow, Alice Munro, Alix Ohlin and David Bezmozgis .

The Best "American" Comics series has just the same exasperating habit of including Canadian cartoonists in every volume with no mention that they happen to be from in an entirely separate and sovereign nation. Grrrr.

EndiaV, I've just finished a book about baseball....the American "World Series" had no foreign teams when they coined that name.

I'm reading Mr g: A Novel About Creation by Alan Lightman

Just finished The Secret Place and did enjoy it, but would have enjoyed it more if it had been edited down a bit. Excellent writing as usual for Tana French. I always prefer a bit more of her detectives in the Murder Squad; they weren't in the story as much as I would have liked. Just starting Ru - I got behind in Canada Reads this year.

I just finished The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford, which I have avoided finishing since I was a very young girl. (I made assumptions about the ending!)

Also, completely different, am thoroughly enjoying Neil Smith's new novel, Boo (touchstones don't seem to be correct). How fresh!

I'm getting lazy about keeping track of my reading. It seems one book just merges into the next.
Finished inside the O'Briens, very good, informative, and an excellent ending. Also The Pocket Wife and All The Old Knives.

Have started a new job and am so exhausted at the end of the day I can hardly get any reading in. Finally finished The Coldest Blood by Jim Kelly.

I'm reading Infidelity by Stacey May Fowles

>21 LynnB: I'd never heard of that, so I followed the book link and read the one review here at LT. It sounds promising! I want to hear what you think of it when you're done.

I must be trying to clear Louise Penny from the book case as I am almost done How the Light Gets in my sixth this year!

I loved Infidelity! The characters were so real, and complex. There was so much passion in the affair between Ronnie and Charlie; and their emotions outside that relationship were also strongly portrayed.

I'm now about to start my mothers' day gift, The Children Act by Ian McEwan

>24 LynnB: Lynn I will be interested to see what you think of the new McEwan book. I read it last weekend and I really liked it!

Just started listening to Frog Music by Emma Donoghue.

I am reading The Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell

I'm going to start The Girl Who Was Saturday Night by Heather O'Neill as soon as I turn off the computer.

Just read Ru and completely enjoyed it, although I was thankful my ancestors came to Canada in the early 1800s and I didn't have to live the immigrant experience. Next up is Raven Black by Ann Cleeves. I love books set in the British Isles, this time the Shetland Islands.

>24 LynnB: loved Infidelity!

Thanks for reporting back. On to my wishlist it goes.

I'm having a slow month. Just finished two books:
La cité des mots by Alberto Manguel, a Massey Lectures series on language and storytelling.
In a very different style, much less intellectual but perhaps more accessible, I also finished Lead with a Story: how to use effective storytelling in the workplace.

Watch How We Walk by Jennifer LoveGrove. Dark, but really enjoyed it, excellent prose.

I also liked Watch How We Walk very much.

I'm reading a biography of Nobel Laureate John Nash called A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar.

Back to my old fave--British police procedurals-Death Wore White by Jim Kelly. Enjoyed it.

And now for something totally different-affairs of the heart, affairs, relationships, expectations-not at all what I usually read, but I enjoyed it. Infidelity by Stacey May Fowles.

The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson. The 1st is the Longmire mystery series and a very well written, entertaining book. I really enjoyed it.

Next up: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

more Louise Penny for me with The Long Way Home

I really disliked The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry; I thought it was fluffy with a soap-opera plot. But, from the main page, I can see mine is a minority opinion.

I've started A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth L. Ozeki.

The Skeleton Man by Jim Kelly

>39 LynnB: LynnB Hope that you like A tale for the Time Being as much as I did.

>24 LynnB: My copy of Infidelity arrived today. Hope I get to it soon. I'm still reading Dirt Music, which I think I started May 7. It's really, really well written and I like it, but obviously it's not compelling because it never takes me this long to read a book. Life has been getting in the way, but 20 days is a bit much for a 400 page novel (only compared to my usual. Your mileage, of course, may vary.)

Behind as usual, but I finished Inside the O'Briens and highly recommend it. What an illuminating book about Huntingtons Disease and how it affects both an the individual and the family. A quick and informative read. Also read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I highly recommend it. I had been looking at it for a while and I felt a bit like - oh , another WW11 story (I've read a lot of historical fiction this year) but it was a 5 star read for me and a " Heather's Pick".

Currently reading Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths. Our son is getting married this July and I've been busy searching for my mother of the groom dress etc . I am not a keen shopper, especially for something formal.

42 Joyce I know just what you mean about life getting in the way. Wedding of my son and also my husband is having some eye issues - he had a retinal tear last fall and now is having some issues with his other eye . Not a tear as yet, but threatening to do so. 4x times to VGH in the last week and back in early June for more checking of said issue. Time consuming!

>43 vancouverdeb: Retinal tear? Oh no! I had one a few years back. They lasered it to death hoping it would stop it from detaching. Gave me the go-ahead to go back to work and just under 2 weeks later it detached, anyway. (I believe I was 39 at the time). They say it could happen again. But, I have regularly been going to the ophthalmologist ever since to keep an eye on things (pun not intended!). Also had a cataract removed in that same eye about a year later. Hope your husband's eye will be ok without it getting worse. Good luck!

Some "chicklit" for these hot weekend days: He's Gone by Deb Caletti. Sort of a mystery, but mostly the tale of a marriage unraveling. I thought it was pretty good though.