How long has it been since you’ve been in a taxi? Personally, it’s been years because I tend to take Ubers, but after reading this book, I may seek out taxis more often. Driven: The Secret Lives of Taxi Drivers by Marcello Di Cintio is a look into the lives of taxi drivers across Canada,…
I’m finding myself drawn to collections of essays more and more as I get older. Perhaps it’s because I have less time on my hands, so reading self-contained chapters is more rewarding, or maybe it’s because I’m just curious about other people’s perspectives, and an essay is the perfect way to dive quickly into someone…
In the past few months I’ve reviewed a few works of climate fiction, but apparently they didn’t cause me enough anxiety so I kicked it up a notch with some non-fiction about our impending climate disaster instead. On Time and Water by Andri Snaer Magnason, translated from the Icelandic to English by Lytton Smith, focuses…
I may be giving you the wrong idea by calling this book a true crime. Don’t Call it a Cult by Sarah Berman isn’t about a murder, but it most definitely details the committing of a crime, numerous crimes, hundreds of little acts that constitute breaking the law. It explains the development of NXIVM, an…
It’s important that as you read my review, you understand that this is my first Joe Sacco book. Of course I’ve heard of him, but Paying the Land is the first book of his that has really appealed to me, maybe because it’s rooted in Canada and deals with Indigenous issues which I am fascinated…
Is there any greater pleasure than reading a book by your favourite author? Probably, but whenever a David Sedaris book is released, even one that’s only a selection of previously-released stories, I celebrate! He is my favourite author, and it’s my goal to one day see him read live. The Best of Me still held…
Does a book cover with hot pink letters and the word “Ladies” in the title give you a certain impression of what you’ll find inside? If you’re anything like me, you may write a book off simply based on its colour scheme alone (why does it have to be pink for god’s sakes?) but if…
If you had the chance to secretly sit in on someone’s private therapy session, would you? Does hearing about the drama and disappointments of someone else’s life make you feel better about yours? I would personally answer ‘yes!’ to both those questions, but I may be in the minority. Group, How One Therapist and a…
Each Fall I send an email to the major publishers I review for, asking them for their holiday specific titles. I do this because I need to plan for my radio segments early, but I also love reading for the specific season. If it was a normal year I would recommend these books as hostess…
As I plan and prepare for my bookish gift-giving guide for the 2020 holidays, I find myself dipping into books I wouldn’t normally pick up. Many of my long-time readers are probably a bit curious about the selection of books I’ve been diving into lately, and this is why; I’m reading books that will suit…
The more I read, the more eager I am for a challenge, or at the very least, the more I want to read stories that aren’t entirely straightforward or obvious. After the entertaining Harry’s Trees from last week, I headed back to my book shelf in search of a book that would push me, so…
When I read non-fiction I’m always on the look-out for something unique, a new topic or perspective that hasn’t been done to death. This is why celebrity memoirs rarely interest me, because I find they touch on similar things regardless of the author (rags to riches, sobriety, etc.). Big Friendship, How we Keep Each Other…
