 Schott's
Original Miscellany
Ben Schott
This funny little book offers a wallop of interesting factoids such
as how to say "I love you" in Swahili, a table showing when
ice is thick enough to snowmobile on, and the last dinner menu from
the Titanic. Most trivia books seem predictable, as if their entries
were randomly pulled from Encyclopaedia Britannica, but this one is
more like sitting down to dinner with a fascinating guest from Britain
who knows the most wonderful things--both the mundane and the bizarre--about
everything you would never think to ask about.
Recommended by Marci
 Bel
Canto
Ann Patchett
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is a surprising book. I knew it had
won the PEN/Faulkner Award for 2002, and that has a lot to do with why
I read it at all, because upon learning the premise of the book, I was
skeptical as to whether ot not it could be a believable, satisfying
read. The plot sounds so implausible; a lavish party-- which the President
of the country has skipped to watch his favourite soap opera--is crashed
by terrorists, who find the party to not be what they expected, the
president not where they expected, and many of the guests not who they
expected, including a famous opera singer, who cannot stop herself from
singing.
I'm delighted to say that not once during my reading of this wonderful
book did I find myself having to suspend my disbelief, or questioning
the authenticity of any of the characters or situations found in its
pages. The opposite was, in fact, true; I believed so strongly in the
people the reader gets to know page by page that the book completely
won me over and broke my heart. Bel Canto is a beautiful example of
the individuals, with all their hopes, fears, desires and passions,
that make up every society, culture and subculture. I will read this
book again.
Recommended by Beth
 Kingdom
of Fear
Hunter S. Thompson
The insights, lunacy and acutely accurate but painful observations of
"gonzo journalist" Hunter S. Thompson have surfaced again
in the autobiographical bestseller "Kingdom of Fear". This
is a collection of memoirs tracing Hunter's childhood in Kentucky through
a series of mishaps, adventures and fearless refusal to bow to conformity
into the development of arguably the greatest modern chronicler of the
mythology of the American Dream. Poignant and hilarious, "Kingdom
of Fear" is so well written that it hurts.
Recommended by Judy
 All
Families Are Psychotic
Douglas Coupland
Douglas Coupland introduces us to (yet another) dysfunctional family
- the Drummonds. The family is thrown together as the daughter's impending
space shuttle launch nears. As they wait, a series of mis-adventures
and flashbacks show us their history of loathing, blinding self-interest
and terminal illnesses.
Recommended by Michael
Tempting
Faith DiNapoli
Lisa Gabriele
This is a wonderful novel, which follows Faith DiNapoli's life through
young childhood to her late teenage years. Raised by her Catholic mother
and her Italian Immigrant father, she struggles with trying to be normal.
Faith is convinced that her Catholic fate will deliver her the normalcy
that she is so much wanting. Her dedication to her religion creates
trying situations, as Faith commonly feels as though she is on her way
to hell.
Gabriele portrays Faith and her family in such a marvelous way. She
combines humor, with life-like experiences that almost any individual
can relate to, despite their religion.
Recommended by Cheryl
 The
Way the Crow Flies
Ann Marie MacDonald
MacDonald writes about the McCarthy family; freshly returned from Germany
to an air base in Canada in the early sixties. She covers the era and
its tensions along with the changes within the McCarthy family. There
is an underlying dark story that effects the family and tears at the
community. Young Madeleine is the focal point of the book with her rich
imagination. The story is full of ripe humour and gut wrenching anguish
that keeps you pressing on. This is one of those books that you keep
returning to year after year.
Recommended by Les
 Love
You Forever
Robert Munsch
I've read this to [my son] Aidan every night since he was born and it
can still bring me to tears. It's a beautiful story of how a parent's
love is enduring and how that love is reciprocated. "I'll love
you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby
you'll be" sums up the loving connection every parent feels for
their child. Incidentally, Robert Munsch is now a Canadian (he used
to be an American and has had a very interesting past, started out as
a monk and then worked in child care and is now a world famous childrens
author).
Recommended by Andrea
 Lying
Awake
Mark Salzman
For me, I really enjoyed Lying Awake. It's about a nun and her
crisis of faith. For such a short novel, it has a powerful impact, making
you question your own sense of faith and belief. A very quiet novel,
no melodramatics, but it conveys more about the importance of your own
belief than years of sitting in pews.
Recommended by Andrea
 Life
of Pi
Yann Martel
I have to say the best book I read this year was Life of Pi.
It has been a long time since I was so pleasantly surprised by the end
of a book - how much value and depth it added to the story.
Recommended by Sarah
 Playing
House
Patricia Pearson
This Canadian writer manages to show--with humour--how the life of
a 30-something New york magazine editor would be upended if she suddenly
became pregnant with the baby of an Acadian jazz musician. It's witty
and thoughtful, and offers the same indulgent pleasure of reading
a Candace Bushnell novel, but without leaving a guilty aftertaste.
Recommended by Marci
 Stop
Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works Erik Spiekermann,
E.M Ginger
The
Elements of Typographic Style
Robert Bringhurst
 Two
wonderful books about the world of typography. While Stop Stealing
Sheep is a more introductory book of the two, it is extremely informative
and touches upon all aspects of typography. Elements is a denser and
more comprehensive look at typography. Bringhurst's book is considered
by most to be THE book on typography today.
Recommended by Michael
|
 The
Wealthy Barber
David Chilton
Although The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton has been available
for years, and is now in its 3rd edition, this book is still full
of valuable information for anyone wanting to get their personal finances
in order. The advice given isn't ground breaking. In fact it can be
found in many books on the subject. However, The Wealthy Barber is
very readable. In a few short evenings I had read through the book
and taken away much useful information that I was able to immediately
apply to my life. A personal finance book that is enjoyable to read
is a rare indeed and for this reason I highly recommended it.
Recommended by Ron
 Middlesex
Jeffrey Eugenides
I feel like a cop-out for choosing the year's Pulitzer winner, but I
can't help it -- this novel floored me. Middlesex is narrated by a third-generation
Greek-American Alpha-5 Reductase Pseudohermaphrodite named Calliope,
and follows a recessive gene across two generations of lies and incest
through to its manifestation in the narrator's body. I’ve never
come across a hermaphrodite in fiction before, and I never want to again;
I can’t imagine how anyone could surpass Eugenides' Cal. Don't
be scared off by the big shiny award on the cover or the psycho-sexual
thematics; even your mom and your fifteen-year-old brother will probably
fall in love with Calliope and her/his story.
Recommended by Brianna
 E:
A Novel
Matt Beaumont
I absolutely loved E the Novel by Matt Beaumont. I bought my
copy on abebooks a few months ago and once I was finished with it, I
haven't seen it since. It's been a very popular lender.
It is a quick and easy read that will have you smiling, grinning and
laughing out loud at the office politics and mayhem that ensues. The
entire novel is presented as a series of emails between employees of
a multinational advertising company. You must follow this read with
his follow-up Christmas novel called E Before Christmas where
the staff of the same advertising company prepares for its annual Christmas
party.
Recommended by Susan
 Testaments
of Honour
Blake Heathcote
This is a book of Canadian stories of the Second World War as told
by the men and women who were there. It is filled with terrific stories
of bravery and heroism, also many pictures. It covers the stories of
Veterans who were paratroupers, doctors, pilots, spies, POWs, and many
more. It showed me a great deal about what our ancestors experienced
and reinforced in me the importance of Remembrance Day. I will read
this book again and again over the years, as the stories are very moving
and inspiring.
Recommended by Jennifer
Stalin
Edvard Radzinsky
This is really the only book that was written on the subject using research
from the Soviet archives during the small post cold war period that
they were open. The author is very famous in Russia - he is the most
often performed play-right in Russia next to Chekhov. His father was
killed by Stalin, and he interviews many of the most famous soviets
- including Molotov, Stalin's right hand man and the originator of the
'molotov cocktail'. Much of the information in the book is first hand,
or taken right from the words of the participants, which is quite rare
for Soviet history. In addition, it is very well written, which is generally
a rare trait for serious history books. It has become quite renowned
in Soviet history circles in a vert short period of time, and I'm sure
it will be considered one of the quintessential references on the era
for many years to come.
Recommended by Jason
 The
Adventures of Taxi Dog
Sal Barracca (illustrated by Mark Buehner)
Also a favourite. [My son] Aidan loves this book, in part because of
the phenomenal illustrations by Mark Buehner. They're colourful and
show his incredible ability to portray perspective. The story is about
an abandoned dog who finds a home with Jim the taxi driver and their
adventures as they taxi folks around New York city. The rhyme is fun
and catchy..."my name is Maxi, I ride in a taxi, around New York
city all day. I sit next to Jim, I belong to him, but it wasn't always
this way. I grew up in the city, all dirty and gritty, looking for food
after dark. I roamed all around, avoiding the pound, and lived on my
own in the park." It's just a fun, heart-warming story for anybody
that loves animals. And believe me Aidan loves dogs!
Recommended by Andrea
 Cryptonomicon
Neal Stephenson
This is a hefty book, both in terms of length and in terms of detail.
Stephenson spends a large amount of time developing side plots, historical
detail and mathematical facts, but not to the books detriment. The plot
revolves around two generations of families that are connected both
in the past and the present unbeknownst to them. The story flips between
World War II and the present, flips between codebreakers and computers
geeks...all linked by Nazi gold.
Recommended by Michael
 The
Lovely Bones
Alice Sebold
The Lovely Bones is probably one of the most emotional experiences
I have ever had as a reader. Sebold tells us a painfully sad and funny
story, set in heaven and on earth, tracking loss and love in our lives.
I envy everybody who hasn't read it yet...
Recommended by Boris
 Jan
Wong's China
Jan Wong
Last year I ready Red China Blues and jumped at the chance to
read Jan Wong's second book about her experiences in China. This book
is less idealistic than the first, yet still provides an interesting
perspective into a China that struggles with its Communist ideology
along with its burgeoning market economy.
Recommended by Denise
 Clara
Callan
Richard B. Wright
This novel, which won the 2001 Governor General's Award (possibly Canada's
most prestigious literary prize) follows the lives of two sisters from
small-town Ontario, circa 1939-42. Nora is the flighty younger of the
two who moves to New York to pursue a career in radio, and Clara is
a sensible school teacher back home, conservative but confident. Written
in the form of a diary (Clara's) and letters back and forth, the book
sees the sisters encounter love, betrayal, and the onset of World War
II.
Wright writes from a woman's point of view so brilliantly and so naturally,
and his characters are so fully realized that one is actually sad to
let them go at the end of the book.
Recommended by Courtenay
Sailing
Alone Around the Room
Billy Collins
Love
is a Dog From Hell
Charles Bukowski
 Two
books I enjoyed reading this year. Both of these are books of poetry.
I like them because I can read half a dozen before falling asleep
at night. Both are thoughtful and funny. They contrast in that Billy
Collins is polite and G-rated stuff you could read to your mother.
Bucowski is funny, and sometimes thoughtful, usually crass—I
would never read it to my mother.
Recommended by Dave
 The
Corrections
Jonathan Franzen
Extremely well written; you feel the angst that the characters feel.
The scene at the dinner table is absolutlely brilliant. Who can't empathize
with a small child sitting and staring at cold mush on his plate for
hours and playing with a piece of gum under the table?
Recommended by Sarah
 American
Gods
Neil Gaiman
"This is a bad land for Gods" says Shadow, the main character
of American Gods. He is right, the Gods and Beliefs brought with the
immigrants of the Old World are forgotten and replaced with the newer
Gods (Television, Internet...). Shadow finds himself helping out the
old Gods in battle against the new. A strange road-trip across American
and its cultural/spritual identity.
Recommended by Michael
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