After a bit of a respite from Word Wednesday, I’m back at it again. I didn’t think I would miss it but I did. I am an unabashed logophile (more on that another week) and truthfully, picking a favourite word each week isn’t a chore, it’s more of a labour of love. I’ve been working on the craft of writing more this year and have dedicated some time each week for professional development – for the first few months of the year that means reading about writing. Currently, I’m in the middle of Stephen King’s wonderful book On Writing. While I’ve never been a huge fan of King’s horror novels (I still have a mild case of coulrophobia thanks to It – but only those with Pennywise makeup. other clowns aren’t objects of abject terror but I once rode 2 stops past where I needed to get off on the TTC because there was a guy dressed as Pennywise on the platform I needed to use) I appreciate the thought and hard work he devotes to his craft.
King devotes a lot of energy to the notion that writers must be, above all, readers. He says that it really doesn’t matter if the books are classic or even good. Indeed, he argues that “One learns most clearly what not to do by reading bad prose – one novel like Asteroid Miners (or Valley of the Dolls,Flowers in the Attic, and The Bridges of Madison County to name just a few) is worth a semester at a good writing school, even with the superstar guest lecturers thrown in”. I’m inclined to agree, though there are some books I haven’t been able to force myself to finish because the grammatical errors were so egregious that they muddled the plot. At the end of On Writing, King offers up a list of books that he has enjoyed – he says he’s not Oprah and this isn’t a book club reading list but simply a list of books that he has enjoyed and that have helped him grow in his craft. This got me thinking and I’ve been trying to stretch my reading muscles in the weeks since. (Yes I read the “And Furthermore, Part II” section before finishing the book – I’m a rebel like that). One book that I picked up recently and started reading (I typically have at least 3 or 4 books on the go at any given time – I pick and choose which book to read depending on my mood) is the 1961 classic Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. It was here that I came across the word I want to write about today.
%{include image.html url=“/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/If-you-dont-have-time-to-read-you-dont-have-the-time-or-the-tools-to-write..png” alt=“A notebook with a pen across it and the text: If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. If you want to be a writer you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. Stephen King” description=“Words to live by”}
There’s no etymology of this word since it is out of the mind of Heinlein. I have many awesome and geeky friends who use this word often enough that over the years, I’ve figured out the meaning by osmosis. I didn’t truly grok it until I read the definition given by Heinlein in the book:
Grok means to understand so thoroughly that the observer becomes a part of the observed—to merge, blend, intermarry, lose identity in group experience. It means almost everything that we mean by religion, philosophy, and science—and it means as little to us (because of our Earthling assumptions) as color means to a blind man.
So now when a friend comments that they grok something, I can smile knowing that I’m in the know. I grok what it means to grok.
%{include image.html url=“/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/coollogo_com-23492915.png” alt=“Stylized word Grok” description=“Grok”}
“What’s in a name?” Juliet famously queried. “That which we call a rose, would smell as sweet” were it called something else, she noted as she contemplated the trouble that was caused by her true love having the last name of her family’s sworn rival. In his latest novel, Terry Fallis has taken that question to the next level and the result is the hilariously funny book, No Relation. No Relation is Fallis’ fourth book – and the third I’ve read (I have Up and Down on my nightstand – queued up for reading when I finish my current book). As a political junkie, I adored The Best Laid Plans and its sequel The High Road. They were laugh out loud funny, and I was a little concerned about whether the smart and poignant political satire would transfer into a book that wasn’t at all political.
You can watch the book trailer for No Relation here https://youtu.be/CUPO1FKetmY
I needn’t have worried. No Relation is not only as funny as Fallis’ earlier works, it packs the same emotional punches too. You can’t help but feel for the protagonist, Earnest Hemmingway; in the span of the first few chapters he loses his job, his wallet, and his long time girlfriend. At this point I figured the book was going to be one of those uplifting stories about how he bounced back and made his life awesome again, which, in a way it was, but the devil is in the details and when you have a famous name, things aren’t quite as easy as they seem. Things are particularly hard for Earnest, who, by the way, cannot stand the writing of his famous namesake. Take replacing your driver’s licence – a giant pain for anyone, but it enters 4th circle of hell proportions for Earnest when the nice (or not so nice) bureaucrats at the DMV don’t believe him when he gives his name, which leads to an epic scene and ends with Earnest not only not getting a replacement but his outburst going viral on YouTube. I laughed so hard I cried while reading that chapter.
Earnest, or Hem as he prefers for obvious reasons, eventually does get his driver’s licence replaced, but the incident at the DMV sparks something in him and he sets out to find other people who share his fate by having a famous name. Enter the Name Fame group. Mario Andretti (who can’t pass his driving test), Mahatma Gandhi, Diana Ross, Jackie Kennedy, Clark Kent, Peter Parker,James Moriarty Marie Antoinette (who owns a bakery) and other New Yorkers with famous monikers who bear – No Relation to their famous namesakes. They form a support group to help each other through the trials and tribulations that come with having a name that everyone knows (even if you have the wrong face to go with the name).
The name fame group sets out to help Hem with his writer’s block (yes, Earnest Hemmingway decides to pursue his goal of writing a novel when he is laid off -which is exactly what I expect out of a Terry Fallis character) and hilarity ensues. Add all of this to the subplot of Earnest’s father (who is also named Earnest Hemmingway) wanting Hem to take over the family underwear business – a business Hem wants absolutely nothing to do with, and you have the makings of a book that is not only uproariously funny, but also deeply touching.
No Relation is available for e-readers and trade paperback with a fabulous deckled edging (those are the awesome ruffled edges found on some trade paperback books and I’m a huge fan) from Amazon.ca (You can click on the link to check out the book – it has the cool Amazon preview thing where you can look inside the book). The book is also available as a podcast – I listened to the book after I’d finished reading it as Fallis reads it himself and does all the different voices which alone make it worth listening to. I adore audiobooks but I’m weird in that I always want to read the physical book in addition to (and if possible before) listening to an audio book. Maybe this is why I rarely run out of things to read. If you’re in need of a good laugh, and who isn’t these days, pick up a copy of No Relation. I should mention that the book is also on the short list for the 2015 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. I’ve read 3 of the other short listed books and I’d vote for No Relationif I was on the panel. The others were funny but not laugh-until-your-sides-hurt-and-your-family-looks-at-you-like-you’ve-lost-your-mind funny. No Relation is as funny as Fallis’ political humour books and is a must read for fans of smart Canadian literature.
The Roman Philosopher Marcus Aurelius said that: “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth”. This is true even of the greatest works of fiction. The stories we know and love come to us from one perspective – that which the author has chosen to give us. Major characters are (usually) well developed and minor characters are often not given a second thought by the reader.
In Juliet’s Nurse, we are presented with an alternate view of characters in William Shakespeare’s famous play Romeo and Juliet. Told from the point of view of Juliet’s wet-nurse, we get to meet Juliet and the Cappelletti (aka Capulet) family from the day of her birth until her tragic demise. Juliet, however, is not the focus of this rich and well written tale – though without her there would be no story – it is instead her nurse whose life we step into in this book.
%{include image.html url=“/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/juliets-nurse.jpg” alt=“Book cover with the title Juliet’s Nurse by Lois Leveen. The cover art is a Renaissance style painting of 2 people laying across the top and bottom of the cover respectively. You can see the face and hand of the top person who presents as female and the lips, chin, neck and torso of the lower figure whose gender is indeterminate” description=“The cover art got me again”}
The story begins with tragedy as Angelica (the nurse) loses her own child; in an attempt to ease her grief, her husband, Pietro, finds her a position as a wet-nurse to the Cappelletti family. The author takes us through Juliet’s childhood years, while also giving life to another minor character in the play – that of Juliet’s cousin Tybalt. Indeed, it was Tybalt who captured my heart in the story – the descriptions of his childish antics were so vivid that I could see him outside the nursery scaling trees and getting into mischief as if looking through a window.
The book is divided into two parts, with the first part being considerably longer than the second. The back-story, the history, and the years between Juliet’s birth and her teenage years are covered in lavish detail. The second part deals with the story as we already know it – but with the added benefit of Angelica’s point of view and with a more robust character to Tybalt. The book is rich with details of everyday life in 14th century Verona, right down to the descriptions of the designs for the dresses worn to the now infamous masquerade ball. As a work of historical fiction, Juliet’s Nurse reminded me of the works of Eva Stachniak author of The Winter Palace and Empress of the Night, in the way the reader was able to vividly visualize the scenes.
As a lover of history, and of Romeo and Juliet, I really enjoyed this new take on an old classic and think that it is a wonderful choice for a spring reading list.
I’m a classic introvert – I love to spend an evening curled up with a good book and with my BlackBerry at my side. That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy going out but it’s not something I *have* to do. Still, when my awesome friend Wanda Lynne Young posted a contest for the Book Lover’s Ball After Dark party on the Bookalicious blog on the Yummy Mummy Club website I had to enter. I’ve spent many a day at the Toronto Reference Library and the chance to spend an evening there was too good to pass up!
I didn’t win the tickets, but then the winner couldn’t make it and suddenly I could go! I had less than 6 hours’ notice to get ball ready but rushing around made for an even more exciting evening.
Book Lover’s Ball Programme
I arrived just as the party was starting, in fact those who had attended the dinner before hand were still eating so I took the opportunity to wander around and check out the main floor. The first ‘character’ I met was Harry Potter – appropriately doing some magic tricks. I chatted with him for a bit and went to sample some of the food and drink on offer.
The signature cocktail for the evening was the Book Lover’s Ball 10th Anniversary Old-Fashioned. It was sophisticated and very tasty. The sliders were excellent, the mini pulled pork divine, and the desserts were sumptuous and small enough that I could sample more than one.
I checked out the Adopt a branch library and pop up store where there were some seriously cute book totes and other merchandise available with a donation to the Toronto Public Library . I went to the Digital Innovation Hub and talked to some very knowledgeable people about the 3D printers and learned about 3D printing at the Toronto Public Library. I watched a few people have a 3D scan of themselves done too – it is really cool technology. I wandered through the TD Gallery’s Freedom City exhibit – while I was waiting for Wanda to be finished with dinner and my friend who was arriving separately to arrive.
Then I met up with Wanda and we had our picture taken in the photo booth. (I’d like to state for the record that the photo was not my idea, You all know I’m not a fan of having my picture taken but I couldn’t say no to Wanda). We refreshed our drinks and watched the dancing on the dance floor for a few minutes while deciding where to go next. After finding a few more people for our group, including Wanda’s lovely sister Kara, we went up to the 5th floor for the Library Mystery tour. What a surprise to find Doctor Watson in the Arthur Conan Doyle Room. The room is a vision of Sherlock Holmes’ study at 221 B Baker street and it is furnished to look like it is 1895. I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. I have read every one of his adventures multiple times, have seen most of the TV / Movie incarnations of the famous detective and have been to the Arthur Conan Doyle Room a few times while on scholarly visits to the Baldwin Room (Where the Canadiana is held). The Arthur Conan Doyle room never fails to impress me with the sheer magnitude of the collection. There are thousands of items in a relatively small space. Doctor Watson was ever so helpful to everyone, explaining the 4 special items on display.
The 4 items on display in the Arthur Conan Doyle Room: Clockwise from top Left: Beeton’s Christmas Annual 1887 – Sherlock’s first appearance in print, Angels of Darkness – a handwritten manuscript of a play written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (immaculate handwriting!), Hound of the Baskervilles Mini Dog Shaped book, First edition of the Hound of the Baskervilles (The most famous of the Sherlock stories)
These items were on the table with a Toronto Reference Library staff member on hand to answer questions and tell us some details about the collection. With some exceptions, books are not expensive collectables – most can be found for under a thousand dollars, but the sheer number of books in the Arthur Conan Doyle room – different editions of the beloved stories from around the world – is staggering. Sherlock finally made an appearance and posed for some pictures with his adoring public.
Sherlock poses with a fan
I reluctantly left the Arthur Conan Doyle Room (I could spend a month in there!) and went and looked at the other rare books on display, before heading back down to the second floor to try out the Celebrity Author Speed Scrabble. After a quick stop for some popcorn in the TD Library Lounge, we explored the Book Pod Gallery. There were 5 Pods, each depicting a piece of Canadian Literature. They were stunningly lit up for the event (I must admit that The Handmaid’s Tale one was a little spooky!) and I’m proud to say that I’ve read all the books depicted in them.
The Handmaid’s Tale Pod Life of Pi The Orenda You Are Here The Hockey Sweater
Having woven our way through the book pods, we found ourselves at the Celebrity Author Speed Scrabble. Our opponent was Andrew Pyper – and as we sat down to our 5 minute battle, he told us that he was win-less that evening. I felt bad for him, but not bad enough to throw a game of Scrabble! We started off with an 80 point bingo and the game went downhill from there. He was very gracious in defeat. I have since read one of his books and feel a bit worse about beating him so soundly.
Wanda, Andrew Pyper and I before the match began. Photo credit to Kara from karabana.blogspot.com
I was hoping to meet Jennifer Robson since I adored her books Somewhere in France and After the War is Over or Marissa Stapley, whose book Mating For Life, I had read for a Bookalicious Book club chat, but in hindsight it would have been harder to destroy them at Scrabble.
After our 5 minute game of scrabble (that lasted a few extra minutes since it was the final one of the night), I went over to the Prose Store. I got a custom piece of poetry from the Spontaneous Prose Store. I love the idea of this. Kaile H. Glick (the spontaneous prose writer) was sitting at a table with her typewriter, some carbon paper, and some sticky labels. I went up to her, chatted a bit, and then she asked what I’d like my prose to be about. At a loss, I tossed out Doctor Who. (It’s my general fall back and a good test of a person’s geek credentials). She smiled and started typing. I adore the sound of words being written on a typewriter, past experience has taught me that I should not use a typewriter as I like to rearrange words and not have to rewrite the whole piece, but I appreciate the sound of others typing. Two minutes later, this is what she came up with:
The spontaneous prose on Doctor Who
The fact that there are smudges from the carbon paper makes it even more excellent. If you want some spontaneous prose of your own, Kaile has a website where you can order her books and even book her for your own event!
My next stop in the prose store was the Type Face Literary portrait. There was a good half hour wait for this, so my friend Heidi and I got to catch up which is always awesome. The time flew by and it was my turn to be interviewed by Matthew J. Trafford. We talked for a few minutes about what I liked to do, and I was the first one all night to have a pet which excited him to no end. Then I went back and talked with my friends for a few more minutes. Then I was handed an envelope. Which I opened immediately, because I was curious. (Heidi was doing her interview while I was opening my envelope). Matthew has a way with words that I seldom see in a quick write, he only had time for one draft and then he copied it out on the good paper ready for framing. This is what he came up with:
My Literary Portrait. I think it fits me well.
By this time it was after midnight and so, like Cinderella, I had to leave the ball. After getting my winter gear at coat check, I stopped off at the Bedtime Stories booth for a warm cup of hot chocolate before heading back into the cold, and got a new book to read courtesy of Harlequin. My only regret on the night was that it wasn’t long enough. I hope the Toronto Public Library Foundation hosts another After Dark party next year. If you’re a bibliophile like me, this is a can’t miss event.
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a complete and total football junkie and have been since I was a toddler. I’m also an avid reader and quite enjoy the genre known as “chick lit”. One of my favourite writers in this genre has been Emily Giffin . I find her work engaging and fun to read with characters I can relate to. Given this, imagine my glee when I found out that Giffin’s latest book, The One & Only, was going to feature a female football reporter as the protagonist. I may have squealed. Loudly. Then I made an almost fatal mistake – I crowd sourced. I often hit up Goodreads when I find a book I like just to see what others have thought about it. I saw a lot of negative Nellies complaining about the book making generalizations about women who love football always being in it for a guy, that there was too much football (no such thing imho) and not enough plot, or that the characters weren’t relatable. I hate feeling disappointed or let down by an author I love so I put the book aside for a few days to think about whether or not I wanted to read it. I took it up to the cottage with me because I’m always running out of books to read (especially when the weather is as dismal as it was this summer, rainy and cold for most of my vacation) and I’m really glad I did. Had I not read the book based on those few Goodreads users who really disliked the book, I would have missed out on one of my favourite books so far this year.
I could immediately relate to the main character, Shea Rigsby. I lost track of the number of times I said “Oh My God, Yes. That.” while reading after the first 3 chapters. I thought there was just the right amount of football details in the book, especially considering that a portion of the target audience wouldn’t have much prior knowledge of the intricacies of the sport. Giffin was careful to give readers enough information to be able to understand how football worked within the context of the plot but didn’t overload readers with useless tidbits. Being Canadian, I am more used to how college football works up here, so the extra insight into the NCAA and how the organization impacts every team was eye opening.
The One & Only isn’t just a book about football though; it is a book about love, loyalty, football, and change. None of these themes operate in isolation and they all complement each other beautifully to make this book impossible to put down. I think almost every reader can relate to Shea’s struggle to follow her heart and the questions of loyalty that doing that create for her. We have all been in Shea’s shoes at one point in our lives – trying to decide if we should step off the edge into the unknown or stay close to home, with our security blanket. For Shea, stepping off the edge means leaving the town she grew up in, the one where her best friend lives, where she went to college, and where she got a job working for the athletic department at the school. Shea has begun to wonder if all she has ever known is enough – or if there is something better out there in the wider world. Along the way, Shea finds that some of the people in her life aren’t who she thought they were and that loyalty is more than wearing a team jersey on game day. In essence this is a coming of age novel, where the protagonist is left to discover The One and Only thing that makes her life worth living.
In the end, I was not able to put the book down until it was finished and have re-read it once already and recommended it to random strangers in bookstores if I saw them hovering near a copy of the book. The moral of my story is pretty simple – don’t judge a book by it’s cover (although this one is gorgeous and understated and perfect), and don’t be put off by a few negative reviews on a social media site. You may miss out on an amazing read.
The One & Only is available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, Audio, and E-book editions.
