The Canadian Book Challenge 3- 7th Update
Here we are, another month under our belt and past the halfway mark.
Before moving on, let's first acknowledge two of Canada's literary greats that passed away in January: P.K. Page and Paul Quarrington. Any favourite books or memories of either? Going through my archives I was surprised to find I hadn't reviewed any books by Page. I've definitely come across her work in plenty of anthologies and consider myself a fan. Here's one review I did a while back of a book introduced by Page. As for Quarrington, my only experience was with King Leary, which I loved and reviewed here. I've had The Ravine sitting unread on my shelf for a while now, but I'm still very much looking forward to it. I'm sorry, not the stirring tribute either of these people deserve, but I still don't feel I've gotten to know either of their work sufficiently yet-- only enough to say I want to read more. Any recommendations?
Now to lighten things up a bit, I've created a couple more Canadian literature themed Sporcle quizzes for your enjoyment: Cremation of Sam McGee Rhymes and Famous Canadian Authors. Have fun!
And now the Olympics. This month the world's focus is on Canada. British Columbia. Vancouver. And while I'm excited for a bunch of reasons (not the least of which is that a friend of mine gets to sing in the opening ceremonies), I also sympathize with the political issues surrounding the games. Thanks to Flying Buttresses and Matthew Good for reminding us this past week. For what it's worth, I agree with the concept of the Olympics. But has anyone ever handled it correctly? And is it even possible? Anyone have some easy answers to sell? In the meantime, just a reminder that you have one more month to read and review books for the Olympians prize pack.
Speaking of competitions, have you voted in the most recent Great Wednesday Compare? It features two canuck authors: Ann-Marie MacDonald and Joseph Boyden.
Moving on, this is a roundup after all, what Canadians books did you read and review for the challenge last month? Add your links in the comments below as well as your overall total so far!
Labels: 3rd Canadian Book Challenge, 7th Roundup
posted by John Mutford | 2/01/2010
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42 comments
I read two Canadian books in January
Michael Kenyon's The Beautiful Children
and
Neil Christopher and Larry MacDougall (illustrator)- Stories of the Amautalik
bringing my total to 19.
I've read a bunch but so far I've only posted one review of my recent Canadian reads: The Sunless Countries by Karl Schroeder.
I should add that my total of reviews written is up to 8. My total read is 12.
I didn't get to read any Canadian books this time around. As for the Olympics, it's a major inconvenience for those of us who live here. As a social worker, I am frustrated because we were promised a small percentage of social housing as a result of us hosting the Olympics and they have already reneged on that.
The only people benefiting from us hosting is big business, as usual!
I finished my 8th - Away from Everywhere by Chad Pelley.
Teddy- That stinks!
I read one book this month: Generation A
http://www.chrisbookarama.com/2010/01/generation-by-douglas-coupland-review.html
I'm up to 6 now.
Only one more this month, but that takes me up to 13 - I'm a Grain Elevator! But I will continue reading Canadian books, and posting the reviews here...
Galore by Michael Crummey
Well I made up for no books in December. I read four in January, moving me up to a Totem Pole.
Red Snow by Michael Slade
24 Hours London by Marsha Moore
Yellowknife by Steve Zipp
Spin by Catherine McKenzie
One book this month, my 9th, The Lyre of Orpheus by Roberston Davies.
I had a fab reading month in January - devouring my Christmas booty! Of course once again, I've read more than I've reviewed but here's five for this month bringing my total to 20.
16. Play the Monster Blind by Lynn Coady
17. Flyboy Action Figure Comes with Gasmask by Jim Munroe
18. An Unexpected Break in the Weather by Deborah Schnitzer
19. Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture by Douglas Coupland
20. Lemon by Cordelia Strube
I read The World More Full Of Weepingby Robert J. Wiersema.
The Olympics are definitely a political issue right now. I think a lot of pressure comes from corporations who profit from the games.
Well, I managed to add a few more in January bringing me up to 24.
21. The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews
22. The Diary of Sophia Macnab written at Dundurn Castle, Hamilton, 1846, Age 13
23. The Last Safe House: A Story of the Underground Railroad by Barbara Greenwood
24. The Silver Anklet by Mahtab Narsimhan
I am currently slogging through Erika Ritter's The Dog by the Cradle, The Serpent Beneath. One review I read online (after starting the book of course!) said that the book has an "astonishing lack of focus" and that pretty much sums it up. So until I manage to hit the end of that one, my reading/reviewing will slow. I did however, post one before starting Ritter: Roxanne Willems Snopek's Great Dog Stories: Inspirational Tales about Exceptional Dogs.
I am now up to 8 and can be moved from the Snowmobiles to the Red River Carts.
I managed to read one very interesting book in January:
The Memory Artists by Jeffrey Moore.
I read Galveston by Paul Quarrington in September, 09 as part of the Challenge.
My total is now at 9 books.
I read one this month, Cleavage by Theanna Bischoff.
That takes me up to 7 books, or to the Snowmobiles.
HI All,
It was a good reading month, 6 read and 4 of them reviewed.
First Nations/Aboriginal Fridays - The delta is My Home by Tom McLeod & Mindy
First Nations/Aboriginal Fridays - Beth Cuthand & Mary Longman
My (Worst) Best Sleepover Party by Anna Morgan and Dr. Rachael Turkienicz
The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys
Total books read: 9. Total books reviewed: 8. Since my last update I've reviewed Galore by Michael Crummey and <a href="http://theliterarytype.ca/?p=988> The Idler's Glossary </a> by Mark Kingwell and Joshua Gleen.
The book I've read but have not yet reviewed is February by Lisa Moore.
I've read:
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and The Incident Report, both great books. I read The Jade Peony, but never really wrote any review for it.
Guess I should say that brings me to 13 and the Grain Elevator.
I read 2 books for January
The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson
and
October by Ricahrd B Wright
Total Count is 2 books.
Also my URL for keeping track of the list is here: http://bkwrmjchallenges.blogspot.com/2009/12/canadian-book-challenge-3.html I signed up but don't see me on the side.
I read two Canadian books in January:
"100 Photos That Changed Canada" Mark Reid - www.teenaintoronto.com/2010/01/book-100-photos-that-changed-canada.html
"All of Me" Anne Murray - www.teenaintoronto.com/2010/01/book-all-of-me-2009-anne-murray.html
That brings my total to 11.
Suffering from a serious case of January book blahs, I only have one review posted for last month, period.
Jeff Lemire's Essex County Vol.2: Ghost Stories
total = 10
In overall Canlit in January, I've read three works of non-fiction (unusual for a mostly-fiction reader): Dorothy Livesay's Journey With My Selves, Margaret Atwood's Negotiating with the Dead, and Jane Urquhart's L.M. Montgomery. And I've managed two novels, Nicolas Dickner's Nikolski (Trans. Lazer Lenderhendler) and, the one book which does count toward the Challenge I set out for myself, one of Edith Wilson's novels, her first, Hetty Dorval.
So pass the Timbits, please!
I'm a lobster pot now because I finished another Canadian mystery, this time one set in the Yukon:
Killing in Kluane by Jim Lotz who is a new author to me. I'm going to be looking for more of his though.
My total is now 4.
Barrington Street Blues by Anne Emery
It Can Happen to You by Lynn Crymble
Thanks, John.
Chalk me up for 3 of this year's Canada Reads contenders. I've read Nikolski
http://kirbc.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/nikolski-by-nicholas-dickner/
The Jade Peony
http://kirbc.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/the-jade-peony-by-wayson-choy/
Fall on Your Knees
http://kirbc.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/fall-on-your-knees-by-ann-marie-macdonald/
I read one Canadian book in January, Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman, bringing my total to a meager 2. (hanging head in shame)
Just an update to let you know I read 7. Random Passage***** by Bernice Morgan (as promised in the Great Compare). Great stuff, I will be reading more of her very soon. Glad I discovered her here, thanks. Also read 8. Nikolski**** by Nicolas Dickner. A fun read but not a favourite I'm afraid. So 8 read, 1 reviewed. I'm still a Timbit technically but I have fun joining in, especially to see what others read.
I'm up to a total of three books (well, seven read, but only three reviews written). The two I've read since the last time I checked in are:
Leaven of Malice, by Robertson Davies
http://www.vestige.org/2010/01/1-leaven-of-malice-by-robertso.html
and
A Mixture of Frailties, by Robertson Davies
http://www.vestige.org/2010/02/2---a-mixture-of-frailties-by.html
9th!
Heaven is Small by Emily Schultz
Fourth book reviewed!
Generation X, by Douglas Coupland
http://www.vestige.org/2010/02/3---generation-x-by-douglas-co.html
Fifth book reviewed!
Century, by Ray Smith
http://www.vestige.org/2010/02/4---century-by-ray-smith.html
Another one under my belt - on a roll, now! My second Canadian book this month is http://www.alifeinbooks.com/?p=1475">Someone Knows My Name/The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. My total now stands at 3!
OK, I must have mistyped the code. Let me try again:
Someone Knows My Name aka The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill.
I've finished my sixth review:
Fall on Your Knees, by Ann-Marie MacDonald
I've posted my seventh review:
How Happy to Be, by Katrina Onstad
10th!
The Incident Report, by Martha Baillie
My eighth review is up:
Nikolski, by Nicolas Dickner
5 books...I'm so happy to be snowshoes!
Another Canadian book read and reviewed this month, bringing my total to four thus far. (Hurray, I'm a fiddle!)
My Famous Evening
My ninth review is up:
Moody Food, by Ray Robertson
In January, just one bringing me up to 12 total
-Corked