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April in Review
Books Acquired: The Tempest by William Shakespeare Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan Noir by Christopher Moore Books Read: My Life with Bob by Pamela Paul Assassin’s Fate by Robin Hobb Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie Stir by Jessica Fechtor Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher We have our annual used book sale this weekend, the one I cleared some shelves for earlier in the month, so I wasn’t planning to pick up anything new in April, but Christopher Moore released a new book and I’m weak. I really enjoy his novels, and this is his comedic…
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Murder on the Orient Express
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie Published: 1926 Narrated by: Kenneth Branagh Series: Hercule Poirot #10 Length: 06:12 (274 pages) I’ve been meaning to read this for ages now. When the latest film adaptation came out, I didn’t want to ruin the book by watching that first, so I figured now was the time, even if all I’ve heard about the adaptation are complaints about Kenneth Branagh’s moustache (which I find whimsical). There’s a new Audible edition that is narrated by Branagh, so that seemed like the perfect place to start. I’ve listened to a couple of his narrations in the past, The Magician’s Nephew and Heart of…
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Annual Times Colonist 2018 Book Sale Unhaul
My favourite annual book sale is just around the corner, and this weekend we gathered up some books for donation. I went through my shelves and basically grabbed everything I wasn’t excited to read. Some of these I may pick up again in the future, or listen to on audiobook, but I thought it would be good to clear out some shelf space and mental clutter. Books donated today for the Times Colonist's annual charity book drive. Clearing out unread books I dont see myself picking up in the next couple of years. Ended up keeping The Accidental Tourist and The Man Called Noon at the last minute. A post…
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Assassin’s Fate
Assassin’s Fate by Robin Hobb Published: 2017 Series: The Fitz and The Fool Trilogy #3 Length: 847 pages This is the last in The Fitz and The Fool Trilogy, and from what I’ve heard, the last book to feature these two characters. It really felt like the end of an era reading this. I started the first book over fifteen years ago and have just loved this world and these characters ever since. I started reading these before I was researching every miniscule decision I make online, and as a result, I accidentally skipped the Liveship Traders Trilogy. I just didn’t know it was in the same universe at the…
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My Life with Bob
My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues by Pamela Paul Published: 2017 Narrated by: Eileen Stevens, Pamela Paul Length: 06:55 (242 pages) I’m a huge fan of books about books. I think anyone who spends time reading book blogs will probably also love the genre. I’m not entirely sure what draws me to these, especially since many don’t really dig deeply into the contents of the books, but I think I just enjoy reading about how books are important to people. Pamela Paul is the editor of The New York Times Book Review and has been keeping a list of each book she’s read since…
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Brother
Brother by David Chariandy Published: 2017 Narrated by: Joseph Pierre Length: 04:08 (192 pages) This was on the longlist for Canada Reads 2018. The only other contender that I got around to reading was American War, which I thought was very good and which nearly won the competition, but I connected with Brother quite a bit more. I picked this up as part of my effort to inject a little more Canadian fiction into my reading, and I’m glad I did. It’s from my country but is still a world away from my experience growing up here. This takes place in Scarborough, a neighbourhood in Toronto, in the early 90s…
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32 Yolks
32 Yolks: From My Mother’s Table to Working the Line by Eric Ripert and Veronica Chambers Published: 2016 Narrated by: Peter Ganim Length: 07:26 (247 pages) I love a good food memoir, and this is probably the first one I’ve read coming from a Michelin star chef. I think I heard of Eric Ripert through Anthony Bourdain’s various television shows, and then I watched both On The Table and Avec Eric, which I enjoyed but wouldn’t necessarily rave about. Other chefs do seem to mention him with reverence, I’ve noticed, so he’s always seemed more like a legit chef than a media personality to me. This covers his childhood right…
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The Land of Mist
The Land of Mist by Arthur Conan Doyle Published: 1926 Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards Series: Professor Challenger #3 Length: 09:39 (248 pages) Arthur Conan Doyle was an interesting man. His Sherlock novels are the epitome of rational and logical thinking, yet he was deeply into spiritualism, attending seances and sittings with mediums. He was a member of multiple psychic research institutes, a founding member of one of them, and he wrote dozens of books and articles on the topic. He was famously duped by the Cottingley Fairies hoax and apparently drove his once-friend Harry Houdini to anger by insisting his illusions were real. Many of his Sherlock plots revolve around…
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Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship
Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship by Robert Kurson Published: 2015 Narrated by: Ray Porter Length: 08:24 (275 pages) I’ve always been obsessed with stories of treasure hunting. I used to dream of being Indiana Jones as a kid, searching the world for artifacts of historical significance (it’s not always about the money, as any self-respecting treasure hunter will tell you). I still remember my disappointment when it occurred to me that satellites had mapped out the world and the chance of coming across a disused temple somewhere was slim to none. Well, it turns out treasure hunting has been alive and well, it’s…
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March in Review
Books Acquired: Tom Waits on Tom Waits: Interviews and Encounters by Paul Mahar Nimona by Noelle Stevenson Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home by Jessica Fechtor Books Read: The Land of Mist by Arthur Conan Doyle 32 Yolks: From My Mother’s Table to Working the Line by Eric Ripert Brother by David Chariandy I was sick for a good chunk of this month. It was one of those sicknesses that just would not go away. It unfortunately also involved nausea and headaches, so I couldn’t really focus too much on a book or a screen, which is the only good part of being sick! I’m…
