Because I posted a picture book review yesterday, I thought I would double up on SSAC2018 videos today instead. So, below are Day 18 and 19 of my short story advent calendar project. About this time of month I start to question why I take on a project this time consuming in the busiest month of the year…but I’m a sucker for anything festive and bookish, so whatever.
I’m getting into the festive Halloween spirit here by reviewing a ‘spooky’ book by Craig Davidson: The Saturday Night Ghost Club. Notice the extra effort I’ve put into this video-I included Halloween decorations on my bookshelf! That’s about as crafty as I get unfortunately, but nonetheless here it is. I should have mentioned that this…
Smokey hogs the camera, I’m wearing my housecoat, and an important and timely story is included in today’s video.
My Canadian readers won’t be at all surprised to see I’m reviewing Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill because it won the richest literary prize in Canada back in November: the Giller Prize. I’ll be honest though, I had no intention of reading it until my book club chose it. I’m glad I did because first of…
If you were ever wondering how to pick up a maid in Statue Square, you will quickly find the answer to your question in Rea Tarvydas’s debut collection of short stories (whew, am I right?). Statue Square by the way, is a real place in Hong Kong, and I’ve tracked down an image of it…
This book is a bit of a departure for me, not only in tone and format, but also in publisher. Everything is So Political boasts a topic I typically wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot-pole. Why? Because politics make me nervous, I don’t like discussing them in group situations, and I usually find the subject terribly…
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa most recently appeared on the Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist, and we’ll find out on October 5 if it makes it to the shortlist. Interestingly, it’s a collection of short stories, written by a poet. It’s rare that a collection of short stories appears on an award list like…
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December 18, Strategies Against Sleeping: I’ve really enjoyed all of the translated stories in the collection. I found the driver a bit annoying, but I think we’ve all been there—with people wanting to talk when you’re not quite up to it, feeling obligated somehow to have a conversation, or even having to converse when you’re out-of-body dead tired. The author really relayed how tired Señora Elísa was in her disintegrating and revelatory story about the ‘beggar girl’. You could really feel the heat. And it was quite the ending. All I have to say is that must have been one heavy ‘suitcase’.
Ugh I know! Men are the worst for that, not getting the hint LOL
December 19, In This Fantasy: Not too many happy families in this collection of short stories. This character has some very specific and dark fantasies. Very powerful writing, though, particularly the imagery in the death fantasy.
I know! Plus the fact that this one occured right after the day before’s story, which also dealt with an exhausted mother…
The first one sounds as if it has a good message for the season even if it’s not a Christmassy story! I’m sure you’ve had more than fifteen of those pesky squares! I thought it might amuse you to know that every night now, when Tuppence hears your voice, she leaps over and demands that I play with her and her feathery wand while we listen – she knows that usually when I have the laptop on my knee I won’t play ‘cos I’m typing. She’s going to be devastated when you get to the end… :D
aw cute! Yes hopefully I’m at the end of these damn squares