AJ – Page 73 – What David Read

The Cure For Death By Lightning by Gail Anderson-Dargatz

The Cure For Death By Lightning by Gail Anderson-Dargatz This is a remarkable book, told in the voice of 14 year-old Beth who is growing up in rural B.C. in the early 1940s. There is exceptional detail in the writing, ranging from the recipes and remedies in her mother’s scrapbook to farming details like milking cows and separating the milk. There is also a very strong magical/mystical element. But be warned, there is some very unpleasant detail, described in a completely understated manner. So, highly recommended but with a warning.

Note: this book is from the CBC list: 100 novels that make you proud to be a Canadian, a superb reading list.

All Over Creation by Ruth Ozeki

Who knew that a book about Idaho potato farming could be compelling! Rich characters: people who make poor choices (consistently), sleazy scumbags, radical environmentalists. This is not as good as A Tale For The Time Being, but is a fine read.

Let Me Be Frank With You by Richard Ford

Let Me Be Frank With You by Richard Ford This is another book about Frank Bascombe (3 previous novels), who at age 68 is starting to mellow (less annoying than in previous novels) but just a bit. Ford is a rare writer who makes me slow down my reading, to savour his wonderful writing.

Kicking The Sky by Anthony De Sa

Kicking The Sky by Anthony De Sa Evocative story telling about the late 70s in Little Portugal, Toronto. De Sa captures the rapid (<1 year) and heart breaking transition in the life of a 12-year-old, from blissful innocence (well, not quite complete innocence because these are young boys), from simple adolescence to the knowledge that the world is a tough and gritty place with sinister characters. The nature of the time with rampant homophobia is described vividly. Thanks Steph, for this recommendation. De Sa’s previous book, Barnacle Love, has some back story but is not as good as Kicking The Sky.

Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes

Beukes wrote the masterful mystery Shining Girls, and her latest mystery is also excellent: crime in the age of social media. This is a gritty story set in Detroit, sort of M. Connelly/H. Bosch meets Stephen King to make for a fascinating story.

The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

This is a cracking good mystery, with misinterpreted observations, deceit and lies (intentional and unintentional). The writing is reminiscent of Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl, et al) with two time lines that precede and follow an apparent crime. The main character in this novel is delightfully flawed, a real train wreck.

The Unspeakable by Meghan Daum

A collection of essays that are introspective, insightful and (apparently) honest appraisals of life in general and the author’s life in specific. Two of the essays on mother-daughter relationships and motherhood are sensational. Overall the writing is breezy and ironic. Note: this title is from Lola’s Literature Lounge, so thanks Chris.

The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys

The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys This is a quiet novel about love and loss, regret and contrition, and the aftermath of war. This is Humphreys’ 3rd novel set in WWII (Coventry, and the sublime The Lost Garden): each of them is different and perceptive. Humphreys is becoming one of my favourite authors.

Adult Onset by Anne-Marie MacDonald

Adult Onset by Anne-Marie MacDonald This is a complicated sometimes messy book that will not appeal to all, but in my opinion the book and story telling is brilliant. Difficult issues of childhood trauma (real or perceived?), debilitating post-partum depression, and mother-child relationships including maternal love and rage are all included for an incredible spectrum of issues. The core character, Mary Rose (MR, aka Mister) is sometimes completely off the rails and often neurotic, so a hard character to care about at times, which makes the storytelling all the more compelling.