starfishian makes amends / gets in touch with her roots

I'm very excited by this project. However, it has uncovered a rather large issue with my 'Read 2009' tag: I've read only 1 book set in Canada since January 1, 2009, and only 3 books by Canadian authors this year! *gasp*

Tonight I will begin to make amends for my shocking lack of patriotism. OK not tonight - but as soon as I finish The Angel's Game.

Italics indicate books that are underway, but not complete

British Columbia: Stanley Park by Timothy L. Taylor
Alberta: The Outlander by Gil Adamson
Saskatchewan:
Manitoba: A Boy of Good Breeding by Miriam Toews
Ontario: The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan
Quebec:
New Brunswick: The Chignecto Isthmus and its First Settlers by Howard Trueman (non-fiction)
Nova Scotia: The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
PEI:
Newfoundland: Barnacle Love by Anthony de Sa
Labrador:
Nunavut:
Northwest Territories:
Yukon:



create your own personalized map of Canada

I found the same thing when I joined the Fifty States Challenge--I just don't read many American books. I read three Canadians for every American. Of course, having joined this group, I won't be able to find a Canadian book for love or money!

I have a copy of The Book of Negroes on its way to me from Sweden.

A Boy of Good Breeding is underway tonight for my Manitoba selection. So far so good.

I finished A Boy of Good Breeding last night. It was lovely, funny, and a nice quick read. More character than plot driven, and often reminiscent of my own childhood in a small Manitoba town.

I started Stanley Park last night, which will be my BC read. No real opnion so far.

I loved Stanley Park. All that food writing is so sensual (well, in the first part of the book anyway). It's an odd book though, and not everyone's thing. . . although it was picked for the Vancouver One City-One Read a few years ago (which means the Vancouver Public Library thought everyone here should read it). But maybe I just like a book set in my stomping grounds.

I think I'm liking it, Nickelini. It's not like anything else I've read recently, and I think it could have done with slightly tighter editing, but I do feel absorbed by it. Early still, to have much of an opinion.

I was surprised to find out via Facebook that a friend of mine is a friend of the author (thank you, WeRead app). So when I'm done, my copy will be an autographed copy!

When we were visiting Casablanca (Morocco) last year and mentioned to the fellow manning the tourist information booth that we were from Canada, he picked up the book he was reading (to help him with his English) and it was Story House another book by Timothy Taylor. Small world indeed.

Cool! I love how books link people together in unexpected ways.

I just finished Stanley Park, which I really liked. The book had a lot of complex themes, and I think the somewhat slow start was probably necessary to get the rest of the book set up. Recommended!

Now I'm on to Barnacle Love by Anthony de Sa. Set in Newfoundland (and Portugal). This has been on my wishlist for some time, and I was delighted to find a pristine copy waiting for me at the local library used book sale this morning. Must have been Fate.

Barnacle Love was a good solid read - more character-driven than plot-driven, though. The biggest question this book left me with is, should I apply it against Newfoundland, Ontario, or both?

I think I'll stick with Newfoundland.

There are plenty of books set in Ontario, many fewer for Newfoundland. Too bad parts weren't set in the Yukon!

I had smiliar thoughts to RWG, but also thought that maybe you could just wait and see where you might NEED to put it to meet your challenge, a little further down the reading road.......

Too true, RWG! Oddly enough, I have quite a pile of unread NF books, but I'm not so sure about my Ontario numbers. Oh well - I can always swtich it if I need to. Good idea, Michellereads.

Here's a site that might help find books: www.BooksSetIn.com

It even lets you search for books using a map.

I'm going to check that out. Thanks bofo!

I finished The Outlander by Gil Adamson last night -- my Alberta read. Interesting book! I'm not sure if I'll have time to review it properly, but overall, I liked it a great deal. Atypical heroine, quirky and diverse characters, unique setting. Adamson raises some interesting questions about gender roles (marriage, motherhood, societal norms and expectations) along the way. Well written, well paced. Recommended!

The Day the Falls Stood Still covers Ontario for me. Not a bad book, though not as compelling for me as some other books I've read recently.