Hawaiian History at its Best - Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell

Say “Hawaii” and I immediately have visions of classic TV shows like Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum P. I.  Who can forget those cheesy Elvis movies? The one where he played a guy called Chad as in “Oh Chad, I’m so glad you’re home from the war. Did you miss me? Watch me hula.”  I picture lots of floral leis draping the necks of tanned surfer bodies that strut on the beach wearing bowling shirts in bright bold patterns.

Then I start reading this book called “Unfamiliar Fishes” and the image is totally altered, permanently.  That’s ok. I learned a lot about Hawaiian history and I laughed often because Sarah Vowell is one witty gal.  She reminds me a bit of Michael Palin and his travel shows where well researched educational material is tossed with a pinch of sarcasm, odd facts and jokes to keep it light. If you enjoy history with a twist of humour then I think you’ll like this. I did. It will certainly add a new dimension to your next visit to the islands.

Overall Rating ***** ( 3 stars out of 5) 

Canadian Book Covers on Display at the Design Exchange

If you are on the Financial District of Toronto and are a book lover, may I recommend a free exhibit at the Design Exchange museum? It’s called Out of Sorts and it features books from Canadian publishers with a focus on cover designs.  It’s a lovely display and provides a restful break from the hustle and bustle of the financial market.

For more info: http://www.dx.org/index.cfm?pagePath=Exhibitions/Current_Exhibitions&id=19195#oos

Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden

The book club has discovered a new favourite author!  Everyone enjoyed the book about the bush pilot in Northern Ontario and his niece who wanders to the big cities down south in search of her sister. If we had one complaint it would be that we should have started with the first novel from the trilogy instead of the second. We didn’t know! Oops. Here are some comments from members;

- About ¾ quarters of the way through it, I couldn’t put it down. I had to finish it and find out what happened to the bush pilot. His story was so engaging. He was my favourite character by far.

- I was upset by the violence and drunkenness the author describes in the northern aboriginal communities. At the same time I admired the knowledge of the land and how precious it is for survival.  The hunting scenes and numerous references on coping with the elements were unique.  As a reader you instantly understood the criticality of finding food, having shelter and an aircraft that runs.  I felt relieved that the younger characters showed an interest in preserving these traditions and that elders were able to mentor.

- The structure of the book was fantastic.  I loved how the chapters we’re either from the niece’s point of view or the uncle’s.  Both were confessing and their stories overlapped brilliantly.  Time jumped back and forth filling in gaps, explaining situations and leaving openings for the future.

Overall Rating ***** (4 stars out of five)

Blood, Bones & Butter - A Chef's Memoir

I often browse websites to pick new books. One of my favourite is Abe’s best sellers list since it’s based on sales and not what publishers want to promote. “Let the people choose!” I say. I scan the descriptions and if one sparks an interest I place a hold at my local library. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Blood, Bones and Butter. I vaguely recall it described as a memoir of a restaurant owner. Long story short; I read it in 3 days! I could not put it down. It’s not a string of undercover, lurid tales of running a restaurant in NYC. It’s far more reaching. It’s the life of author/chef Gabrielle Hamilton from childhood to middle-age. Sure there are lots of descriptions on food that will have you screaming “I must go to Greece NOW!”  My favourite passages however were the ones covering her relationships. They range from Norman Rockwell family ideals to absolute unrecoverable breakdowns. She’s brutally honest when it comes to her emotions and opinions. I admire her bravery and her self-reliance. She’s the type of person you’d want to drop by your kitchen and have a cuppa while prepping green beans.     

Overall Rating **** (4 stars out of 5)

Penguin Canada Features Book Club in May Newsletter

Thanks to Penguin Canada for featuring the book club and publishing our comments on The Help. We all look forward to the movie.

Penguin Canada - The Help

Two Generals Deserves Four Stars

The minute I picked it up, I knew I would love this graphic novel.  Physically it’s an exquisite piece. It’s incredibly handsome and manly.  The deep red cover with its engraved lettering mimics the leather notebooks used by officers during WWII. The size and weight felt very familiar in my hands and the elastic marker further enforced the idea that I was reading someone’s private diary.  I remember thinking, I hope I like this book because I’d want to give it as a gift. Recipients would be impressed with the packaging and remember the exchange.  Happily the content does not disappoint. 

It’s a wonderful story based on the author’s grandfather’s service as a Canadian soldier during WWII in France.  The panoramic sketches of the Normandy landing are breathtaking. Some pages contain nine panels of drawings containing no verbiage.  They remind me of stained glass window memorials but instead of cliché scenes of war patriotism, they show the reality of war; fear, sickness and prayer.

Overall Rating (*****) 4 stars out of 5.

The Help is Number 1

The book club had lots of fun discussing “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett.  Everyone gave it a thumb’s up.  That's why it's now our number 1 pick. We can’t wait to see what Hollywood does with it.  The movie comes out in late summer.  Here are some comments from our members;

It’s the only book I’ve read twice.  I loved it.

All the characters had positive traits as well as faults.  Nothing was black and white which made the story much more interesting.  It wasn’t preachy.  

I’m amazed at how recent this story takes place. When I began the book I thought I was in the 30’s. At one point, someone talks about Patsy Cline’s death.  I had to Google to find out when that was. It was 1963!

Overall Rating (*****) 5 stars out of 5

A Visit From the Goon Squad is a Winner!

Wooo hooo! Jennifer Egan wins the Pulitzer! Congrats!
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Jennifer-Egan-wins-fiction-apf-2105827372.html?x=0

Maus by Art Spiegelman

I started taking an interest in the history of the graphic novel since reading Essex County as part of Canada Reads.  During my research I read that Maus was considered a classic of the genre.  Imagine my surprise when I saw it at my library’s “Hot Books” section the very next day.  That was a sign. I had to pick up despite already having too many books on the go.  After scanning a few pages it immediately took precedence on my pile of books. 

The author recounts his father’s experiences as a holocaust survivor during WWII.  They say memory is particularly acute when strong emotions are tied to events. Humans remember joyful occasions like reciting weddings vows more vividly than routine conversations like ordering a coffee at a café.  The same is true for sad or painful events.  Reading the words and viewing the images in Maus stirred up powerful emotions in me.  His father’s story is now permanently etched in my brain.  Regardless of the number of books I’ve read or films I’ve seen, when someone mentions holocaust, Maus will come to my frontal lobe.  It’s an honest, respectful, informative book on the holocaust.  An enormous accomplishment when you consider the genre.

Overall Rating (*****)

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

I’m not sure what led me to reserve this book at my local library but I’m glad I did.  Egan’s book “A Visit from the Goon Squad” is an entertaining read and I’ll be sure to pick up her previous books when I return this one.   Her writing style is unique for each chapter. It had me confused a bit at the beginning but I began to look forward to the changes as I progressed.   The words often had me chuckling out loud.  I also felt deep sadness and at times even a bit of envy.   You see, I never was a “cool” kid growing up.  Reading about the band members was my way of living rebellion.  Part of me wanted the characters to prosper and succeed. The other half wanted to see them fail to convince myself that I didn’t miss out on anything.  Silly isn’t it to feel this way because of a book? But it does move you and make you reflect.  Creative, contemporary and smart, A Visit from the Goon Squad is a pleasant one indeed.

Overall Rating (*****)

Mary Ann in Autumn - The "Real" San Francisco Treat

Armistead Maupin’s latest “Mary Ann in Autumn” does not disappoint.  If anything, it re-kindled fond memories of the Tales of the City TV series.  I was addicted to the series featuring Laura Linney as Mary Ann and Olympia Dukakis as the matriarch Mrs. Madrigal.   I didn’t have a VCR back then so I had to rush home and watch it as per PBS’s schedule.  Every episode was gripping and missing one meant missing a big part of the plot. This book brought all those feelings back and I couldn’t stop reading once I got started.   If you aren’t familiar with the series, I recommend that you read/watch the preceding Tales of the City segments before reading this instalment.  There’s pure joy in getting re-acquainted with Mary Ann and her entourage.  Maupin brilliantly ages them and one can relate to the consequences that time entails on the mind and body.  The friendships remain strong and the political fight is still present.  This is contemporary, entertaining fiction at its best.

Overall Rating (*****)

A Sad Time for Toronto Heritage Lovers

It was with deep sadness that I learned that Paul Oberman died on Monday in a tragic airplane crash in Maine. A year ago I had the pleasure of meeting him at Woodcliffe’s company headquarters. I was struck by his warmth, curiosity and sense of style.  After my presentation he gave me the greatest compliment an IT consultant could receive; “Your presentation was clear and interesting. It was about IT but even I understood it!”  He then gave me a gift; an iPod shuffle! I will treasure it always. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and staff.

Oscar Night - Best Wines Under $13

Luckily I had planned a wine tasting during the Oscars last night.  The final tally was close but we all had the same bottles in the top 3.  Picking an overall winner was not an option.  We were running low on supplies and the chicken wings hadn’t come out yet.   See pic for final results. 

We did agree that the Curtaja Nero D’Avola from Sicilia ($13.00 + a nickel) deserved a special mention. It paired very nicely with the wings.  The others were wonderful with cheese. I think I’ll make this wine tasting a tradition for Oscar night.  It really saved the party… along with Twitter commentary.  

I'll Never Pay a Kid to do a Chore Again

Sometimes after reading a lot of fiction I switch to non fiction for a change of pace.  In my case it's usually business books.  I've recently finished two bestsellers and I'm amazed at how they challenged my long held beliefs on work.

The first is "Drive" by Daniel Pink. It examines what truly motivates humans based on science and how traditional business practices are failing to capture this energy.  Companies will have to change their attitudes in this knowledge based economy in order to thrive.  Today's prevalent "carrot and big stick" management methods must be retired. He lists practical advice/strategies to encourage "Drive" for individuals, managers and teachers. After reading this book, you will never offer your kids cash  in exchange for chores. Read it and you'll learn why.  

The second book is called Linchpin by Seth Godin. He believes that many companies will send any work that can be easily replicated elsewhere where it is cheaper.  The "good ole days" where companies looked after their workers are over.  The book provides advice on how workers can survive this fundamental shift in company priorities.  He encourages them to find companies that recognize the creative value of their employees.  He also describes how successful workers build on their individuality and their talents. Becoming artists in a sense.

Both books have similar messages and I recommend them equally however if you are a teacher/parent/manager then "Drive" is a must-read. The concepts are excellent conversation starters at parties.  Everyone is affected by outsourcing, bad bosses, getting children engaged in school activities, etc...  There's something for everyone in these books. It's not just for business folks or HR types.

Overall Rating (***** )