Past Recommendations (2002-2004)

john@johnwmacdonald.com

Title: A Beautiful Mind Author: Sylvia Nasar NY: Simon & Schuster, 1998

Title: The Cheese Monkeys Author: Chip Kidd NY: Simon & Schuster, 2001

Title: Spelling Mississippi Author:  Marnie Woodrow Make sure to read her insightful journal entries.

Title: Kitchen Confidential Author: Anthony Bourdain Lond: Bloomsbury, 2000

Title: The Romantic Author: Barbara Gowdy

Title: The New Yorker Stories Author: Morley Callaghan Toronto: Exile Editions, 2001

Title: A Gentle Madness Author: Nicholas Basbanes NY: Henry Holt Co., 1995

Title: The Truth About Death and Dying Author: Rui Umezawa

Title: On Snooker Author: Mordecai Richler Canada: Knopf, 2001

Title: Rush Home Road Author:  Lori Lansens

Title: The Luck of Ginger Coffey Author: Brian Moore New Canadian Library, 1999

Title: In Praise of Older Women Author: Stephen Vizinczey 1965

Title: Morely Callaghan: Literary Anarchist Author: Gary Boire ECW Press, 1994

Title: Undertow: An Inspector Stride Mystery Author:  Thomas Rendell Curran

Title: In the Stacks:  Short Stories about Libraries and Librarians Ed. Michael Cart, 2002

Title: The Bobby Gold Stories: a Novel Author: Anthony Bourdain (2003) Tony Bourdain... simply, my ultimate food hero.

Title: The Haunted Bookshop Author: Christopher Morely (1919) or via Gutenburg Project

Title: Moody Food A Novel Author: Ray Robertson 2002

Title: Belonging Author: Isabel Huggan (2003) Her stories in 'First Impressions' certainly made an impression on me and this memoir did not disappoint.

Title: The Lovely Bones Author: Alice Sebold There is a reason this book has gone through at least 13 printings since its release last summer.  Stunning!

Title: Have You Seen Me? Author: Laura Denham Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2002. The life of Juliet who just needs to grow up and find herself and get a healthier lifestyle than the one she chooses.

Title: First Impressions Editor:  John Metcalf  (1980) Contains gems of short stories that deserve to be reprined for another generation to read.  My favourites were by Isabel Huggan and Martin Avery.  My copy is an xlib discard 1st ed. hardcover that was purchased at the Book Den on MacLaren.  Seek out a copy ASAP.

Title: You Are Not a Stranger Here Author: Adam Haslett,  2002 Every story a gem you will soon not forget.

Title: Mycological Studies Author: Jay Millar 2002, Coach House Press. Mushrooms rule poetry!

Title: Leo Kennedy and His Works Author:  Francis Zichy

Title: The Time Traveler's Wife Author: Audrey Niffenegger 2003

Title: You Shall Know Our Velocity Author: Dave Eggers (2002) Very trendy author; very American story...

Title: As Though Life Mattered: Leo Kennedy's Story Author: Patricia Morley, Montreal-Queen's University Press, 1994

Title: The Perilous Trade Author: Roy MacSkimming 2003.  Book Trade Memoir... very interesting history of the trade from an insider's perspective.  Nice guy to boot.

Title: red earth (05) Author: rob mclennan (2003) This poet is a champion of poetry and poets young and old.  Relationships of people, their landscapes and objects. A quotation preceeds each poem.

Title: Québécité Author: George Elliott Clarke

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: An Unauthorized Autobiography by Chuck Barris. 1984.  I laughed so hard I almost sharted.  A bizarre piece of fiction that is pevertedly bitter-sweet.  A must read for children and anyone interested in leading a double life.  The movie adaptation was good, too.  I was suprised to find the first edition in relatively good condition at the local thrift shop.  The book supposedly has a cult following and now I know why.  OK, it's not meant for children but it was a fun read.  Who knew Chucky Baby could write such a story?  If only half of it was true I would be scared.

Title: Vicious Spring Author:  Hollis Hampton-Jones (2003) Hollis' First Novel, a bildungsroman, is set in Nashville.  A Life of Christy (read Christ) and Del (read Devil). A quasi Last Temptation of Christy where temptations (read sex and drugs) abound and where salvation rests in the Caribbean.  A book that Hampton-Jones can be proud of.  While the vignettes are short, they are precise and powerful and stunningly real.  I must admit I judged the book by its cover initially; the UK dust jacket is less provocative.

Title: A Splendor of Letters Author: Nicholas Basbanes

Title: Mordecai & Me Author: Joel Yanofsky

Title: The Elsewhere Community Author: Hugh Kenner (January 7, 1923 - November 24, 2003)

Title: Anthropology Author: Dan Rhodes (My favourite chapter is Innocence) This is a hilarious debut collection of 101 stories or 101 words each.

Title: HA! A Self-Murder Mystery Author: Gordon Sheppard, McGill-Queen's University Press, 2003. 869pp. This is simply the most unique and impressive book I have ever come across.  It weighs in at a whopping 1.6 Kg or 3 1/2lbs.  After 6 straight days of reading I feel educated, voyeuristic, saddened and have a deeper sense of insight into Quebec History and Aquin's literary influences.  It is the story of Hubert Aquin's life and ultimate death by his own 'words'.  Sheppard explicitly depicts Aquin's life and death as a work of art vis a vis a long tradition of such in literature and film.  Through quotes, musical interludes and interviews Aquin's last violent act was a work of art by a shattered man.  His life, full of tragedy (self-inflicted or otherwise), love and loss, begat several classics in Quebec Literature, namely Prochain Episode.  Sheppard's book surely merits a wide audience as does the work of Aquin. I urge you to consider reading this book. Excellent value for the $$.  Here is his new website:  http://www.gordonsheppard.com

I read several books the last month (May 2004).  I want to mention one that sticks out: "Standing on Richards" by George Bowering.  I have to be honest, I never read much of Bowering in the past--a few poems here and there, but this book of short stories caught my imagination.  As you know I like to laugh... OK, you may not know that... but I found myself just doing that when I read his stories.  I found that 'Two Glasses of Remy' was my favourite.  I feel I must quote a particular passage: "She put her gentle bony fingers on the sides of my head, leaned way over me, and kissed me on the mouth.  Her mouth was open, and so was mine, in surprise.  Electricity went through my body in a big car.  She did something with her tongue for only one second, but she held the kiss.  I could feel her breast against me, and as God as my witness, I considered touching it with my hand." (p.71)  A quasi-perverted-romantic-male-fantasy Brian Moore would be proud of in his Harlequin Romance writing days.  It would be neat to have Mr. Bowering as my neighbour so he could tell me more stories in person.  This book satisfies.