Book Review: Those Precious Days by Ann Patchett, published by Harper

 Those Precious Days is a collection of 22 essays--24 if you count the essays Ann Patchett wrote for the Introduction and Epilogue. She wrote about what she needs, whom she loves, what she can let go of, and how much energy it takes to let go. But it's what she writes about writing that intrigued me the most.

For example...

'When I'm putting together a novel, I leave all the doors and window open so the characters can come in and just as easily leave.' (p. 238)

Some points she made I agreed with...

'I've found that when some thought wakes me, writing it down is my best hope of going back to sleep.' (p. 187)

Some I didn't...

'writing must be separate from editing and if you try to do both things at the same time, nothing will get done.' (p. 63)

I've always combined editing with writing.

Those Precious Days

Ann Patchett

Harper

an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

2021

320 pages

Reading These Precious Days was like chatting with an old friend.

I'd like to thank Anne Logan of I've Read This: Book Reviews for Bookworms  for recommending this book.

I've also reviewed State of Wonder by Ann Patchett.

Go RED for Dyslexia

photo by ldyck

October on this Blog...

Scotiabank Giller Prize

and...

Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize

and...

City of Victoria Butler Book Prize

and...

It's literary awards season and we're celebrating on this blog. I'm devoting the entire month to reviewing books...

Sunday, October 16

Book Review: Everyone in this room will someday be dead (novel) by Emily Austin

Sunday, October 24

Book Review: Hannah and Ariela (novel) by Johnnie Bernhard

Sunday, October 31

 The Dollhouse: a ghost story by Charis Cotter

What happened to and on Sunday, October 9? Well, you know I couldn't go an entire month without sharing a short story. And so...

Sunday, October 9

Mistakes by Leanne Dyck (short story)

This story was inspired by my career as an Early Childhood Educator caring for children in daycare centres.

And I'll sneak other stories in here and there. Keep your eyes open...

Oh, yes and on Wednesday, October 12 I'll record Books and share it on this blog. And with your help, there will be more recordings. I'm always open to suggestions.

'as a writer I am first and foremost my father's daughter. I didn't operate out of a desire to please him so much as a desire not to offend him, and the truth is that the constraints did my work little harm. I found plenty of things to write about that weren't smoking or swearing or sex.' (p. 300)

As for me...

For me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of writing is sharing

Book Review: All We Left Behind by Danielle R. Graham (historical fiction romance)

 Set on Mayne Island, from 1941 to 1945, All We Left Behind is a sweet romance between Hayden Pierce and Chidori Setoguchi.

Buy this book

Published by One More Chapter

a division of Harper Collins Publishers

Published in 2020

'You didn't go and get sweet on that Jap girl now, did you?' (p. 15)

Prejudice is always there, around every turn, doggedly following Chidori--framing every tender moment with Hayden.

Chidori writes in her diary:  'Hayden is the only thing that truly brings joy to my heart during these harrowing times.' (p. 130)

Things go from bad to worse when, on Tuesday 21 April 1942, fifty Japanese Canadians are forced to leave Mayne Island. Frustrated because he is unable to prevent this injustice and enraged at being separated from his sweetheart, Hayden enlists with the Royal Air Force. And he faces the horrors of war--but he keeps Chidori's picture in his breast pocket. Memories of her buoyed him up at times of greatest peril, at times of greatest tragedy. 

In her Author Notes, Danielle R. Graham explains her reason for writing this novel...

'if [we] truly understand history [we] will be able to acknowledge the mistakes that were made, recognize prejudice when it is being repeated, stop messages of fear and bias from spreading, and have the courage to stand up for what is right.' (p. 350)

Graham uses a delicate hand and remains faithful to the era while writing funny and tender moments between Hayden and Chidori.

I can't imagine a better book to read during this month of remembrance. 

In All We Left Behind, Graham repeats this quote from Albert Camus, French philosopher and writer...

'In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me there's something stronger--something better, pushing right back.' 

Virtual (author) Reading...

Wednesday, November 25

I'll once again record two reads...

Gloves in My Pocket (poem)

a silly poem--my attempt at brightening things up a bit.

What's Wrong with Michelle? (short story)

Sarah thinks she knows and wants Amanda's help to correct things in Michelle's life.

Next Sunday...

Sunday, November 29

Did you know that this popular TV show was inspired by a book? What book? What is the book like? Is it similar to the show--in what way? Is it different? All these questions and more, hopefully, will be answered next Sunday. Well, at least I'll supply my answer to these questions. 

The only thing All We Left Behind is lacking (IMHO), is a word or two at the 

Book Review: Crow Winter by Karen McBride

Recent university graduate Hazel Ellis is grieving the loss of her father. To cope, she moves from Ottawa back to Spirit Bear Point First Nation reserve and rediscovers Algonquin spirituality.

'The reserve exists outside the boundaries of regular time.' (p. 80)

Published by HarperAvenue

an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

Published in 2019

Buy this book

What attracted me to this book? 

A devoted listener of The Next Chapter on CBC radio, I heard Shelagh Rogers interview Karen McBride and I thought, I've got to learn more about that book. I typed Crow Winter into a search engine, read an excerpt and was hooked. I bought the book at an independent bookstore--Tanner's Books on Vancouver Island.

My Review

Reviewing Crow Winter is a heavy weight because it is so rich with many layers

-how to heal from grief

and

-the importance of culture--ethnic and familial

and

-an introduction to Algonquin culture--including a glossary of Algonquin words

and

-comments on settlers' exploitation of reserve land

and 

-an introduction to life on a reserve

and 

-the importance of nature and why we must do our part to protect and heal it

and...

All of these layers are piled up in an unputdownable read. I walked into the world Karen McBride created and didn't want to leave. The imaginary was just so beautiful. I felt this story.

And on top of all of that there's an intriguing mystery. In fact, there are two. One is solved. And the other... How involved is Hazel's mother Nora in Hazel's relationship with Nanabush? 

Oh and also...

Well, I could go on and on and still not feel like I did justice to this book. You'll just have to read Crow Winter. 

'Gifts of sunshine from my neighbour's garden' photo by ldyck

Sharing my author journey...

A few days ago--Wednesday, June 17--I re-wrote this short story (originally written in December 2005) and because it's about you I wanted to share it with you...

Book Review: Akin by Emma Donoghue

In this interesting interview, Emma Donoghue talks about Akin. 

Eighty-year-old, newly widowed, newly retired, Noah Selvaggio travels to his hometown Nice, France with an envelope full of mysterious photos and his great-nephew.

Micheal Jerome Young is an impoverished (think of the expanded definition), very America eleven-year-old. What will he think of France?

Buy this book

Published by HarperCollins Publishers

Published in 2019

It's World War II, you're living in Nice, France. Do you...

A) Work for the Resistance

B) Wait and see what happens--even though it's pretty clear what is happening to your Jewish neighbours

C)Collaborate with the Nazis

It's 2017, during a trip to France you discover evidence that seems to indicate that a beloved relative collaborated with the Nazis. What do you do?

'[A]lthough so many had claimed afterward to have been involved in the Resistance, only around two percent--mainly students and immigrants--had actually committed themselves. Perhaps another eight percent had taken timid steps.' (p. 101)

'And after all, didn't [Noah's] kind manage to ignore today's awful wrongs? Read the paper, shook their heads regretfully, sipped their lattes.' (p. 102)

Emma Donoghue has crafted yet another compelling read. As there are rather long chapters, I'm thankfully for the page breaks.

Things I'd like to ask Emma Donoghue--given the opportunity...

1)I recall an interview in which you said that your son had inspired Room. Did your son inspire this novel as well?

2)Why is Noah so quick to think the worse of his beloved relative with very little evidence when the opposite could be equally as likely?

3)Was writing about Noah's obvious irritation with grammar and other language issues mistakes therapeutic for you?

Here are some questions Emma Donoghue has answered.

Next Sunday evening...




I'll share a short story I wrote recently for this upcoming event... 

Storyteller evening--with music

at the Agricultural Society Hall

on Mayne Island, BC

at 7:30 PM
on Saturday, November 30th

Book Review: The Quintland Sisters by Shelley Wood (historical fiction)

In 1934, during the Great Depression, the birth of the Dionne quintuplets charmed Canadians and the world. The sisters were a tremendous help to Ontario's flagging economy--to the tune of half a billion dollars. Tourists lined up to visit the sisters and purchased whatever they endorsed. And yet in 2018 one of the remaining sisters struggled to make ends meet on a fixed income.

What happened?

One of the driving forces behind writing this novel for author Shelley Wood was to help us remember the Dionne sisters.

Buy this book

I purchased my copy from Amazon

Published by HarperCollins

Published in 2019

Emma Trimpany, a seventeen-year-old rural (Northern Ontario) French-Canadian girl, helps to deliver the quintuplets and continues to care for them--as their nurse--for five years. Told in journal entries, newspaper clippings, and letters, The Quintland Sisters spans the years 1934 to 1939. Emma takes us behind the facade of the quints seemingly happy childhood into the drama and we learn what it meant to be a young woman in the 1930s, what it meant to live in the shadow of fame. 

Shelley Wood gives a portion of the proceeds derived from this novel to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.

Adding mystery and romance helped keep me riveted from page one to the final page. 

Favourite quote:

'it is in doing the hardest things that we find ourselves the happiest, and that when we're happy, the harder things come easy.' (p. 433)

 More...

'The Quintland Sisters went on sale March 5, 2019 and was an instant bestseller on the Globe & Mail and Toronto Star Canadian bestseller list, holding the #1 spot for its first five weeks in print.' -Shelley Wood

After reading The Quintland Sisters, you may also enjoy reading
The Birth House.

Next Sunday evening...

The Invisible Woman

Has someone you knew disappeared? Have you? Maybe it's time it stopped.