Short Story Advent Calendar Unveiling: December 20

I absolutely loved today’s story (ies) from Stephen Leacock-a Canadian treasure for sure! I was just talking about him to FictionFan a few weeks ago, so very timely indeed.
I absolutely loved today’s story (ies) from Stephen Leacock-a Canadian treasure for sure! I was just talking about him to FictionFan a few weeks ago, so very timely indeed.
So I was very tired when I recorded this, which was actually on December 14. But as I write this it’s December 15, and a couple hours away from getting my tooth pulled, so close enough. Thanks for following along guys!
So it’s funny that I’m writing this review today, of all days. Mainly because I was lucky enough to meet the author of Teardown, Clea Young this week for the very first time. But I’ve spoken to Clea many times in the past, we’ve shared many laughs together, as well as many frustrations, but Monday night…
Reproduction by Ian Williams, winner of the 2019 Giller Prize is a quirky read. Aside from this book being PAINFULLY LONG, I enjoyed it. It plays with lots of things: format, timelines, even phrasing. That being said, I’m a reader who doesn’t like freaky-deaky experimentation in my books, but I still found this story readable….
So, I don’t normally review ‘coffee table’ books but I made an exception for this one because it’s a picture book of cats on outdoor adventures. Yes, you read that right, cats are in canoes, hiking mountains and perching on paddle boards in the great white north that is the Canadian wilderness. Bolt and Keel…
I adore this book. I knew I would, there’s a cat on the cover and I heard Patrick deWitt read from it during his Giller event here in Calgary last year and the section he read was HILARIOUS. Luckily the rest of the book lived up to his stellar performance, and I think I’ve found…
Although this book is described as a novel in the press release, I think of it as a book of short stories, as each chapter can easily stand on its own. Taken together, the chapters are not cohesive enough to create one story, but I don’t believe that is a negative thing, each section is…
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Ha! That is a coincidence, him showing up so soon after we were talking about him! These sound delightful, and that third one does sound very thought-provoking. So far, I think overall the stories in this one have sounded better than last year’s, and I’m glad to see some Christmas-themed ones appearing now… (The war ended at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, btw ;) )
Ohhh right! I should REALLY know that by now, LOL
I love the idea of a story tryptic. Thanks to the proliferation of the MFA, a lot of short story collections are published but often lack an overall theme or connection between the stories.
Cracking the spine of this story was like bumping into an old friend. And three stories for the price of one—a Christmas present, for sure. Story I: a quart of Scotch whisky sounds about right. Story II: regret and longing—what kid hasn’t been left in that position. I loved the description of Hoodoo ‘playing’ with his presents. Story III: Santa with PTSD—tragic, but so wonderful how it captured the time it was written and the overall sentiment of the season. Delightful all around!
agreed! This was definitely one of my favs
That cover does look like a clock, and the hands are pointing to 12:20! Right?
yes!!!