coming up for air: two thoughts on aging from george orwell
I came upon these passages in George Orwell's 1939 novel, Coming Up for Air. They seem very appropriate to me today.* * * *The change in his appearance after twenty…
what i’m reading
what i’m reading: two by two favourite authors: part two: zadie smith’s the fraud
In an earlier post, I mentioned that I recently read novels by two of my favourite authors, Roddy Doyle and Zadie Smith. I wrote about The Women Behind the Door…
what i’m reading: two by two favourite authors: part one: roddy doyle’s the women behind the door
I took a break from reading nonfiction to read novels by two of my favourite authors: The Women Behind the Door, by Roddy Doyle, and The Fraud, by Zadie Smith.…
day 7: kansas city: in which another public library blows me away
Newsflash: Kansas City is a hidden gem. This is actually a really cool city, and I would love to spend more time here. This is totally unexpected!We had a slow…
a problem with a hero: the antisemitism of george orwell
I've written many times about my views on the practice of shunning certain art or entertainment based on the morals or habits of the creator. In short, I don't do…
what i’m reading: 2024 wrap-up
My 2023 reading plan turned out to be perfect for me, so I renewed it for 2024, and will keep it for 2025, too.For more on why I'm now using…
what i’m reading: prequel by rachel maddow
As I wrote in my last post, there were two relatively new nonfictions that I wanted to make sure I read this year. I wrote about Doppelganger: A Trip Into…
what i’m reading: doppelganger by naomi klein
There were two nonfiction books in my 2024 reading plan that I wanted to get in by the end of the year. I usually read great nonfiction long after the…
what i’m reading: the wolf, outstanding nonfiction by nate blakeslee
current/international editionThe Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee is a masterpiece. It is truly one of the best works of narrative nonfiction…
how new york city is like a polar bear, or what i’m reading: three books about the death murder of north american cities
I knew these books would break my heart. I chose three books from my List, all on the same topic: How to Kill a City: Gentrification, Inequality, and the Fight…
what i’m reading: three retellings of classics: julia (1984), james (huckleberry finn), finn (huckleberry finn)
When I first heard about Julia, Sandra Newman's retelling of George Orwell's 1984 from Julia's perspective, I wasn't sure I would read it. Orwell is one of my very top…
labour day reading list
Image: Ricardo Levins MoralesLast year, I created and led a labour book club through my union, the BCGEU. I navigated my way through multitudes of obstacles to make this happen,…
what i’m reading: path lit by lightning, the life of jim thorpe
Jim Thorpe was one of my fascinations as a child and teen. I spent a lot of time watching old movies on TV, and one day stumbled on "Jim Thorpe:…
what i’m reading: how the word is passed by clint smith, a road trip through history and racism
Among the many recent titles published about racism, Clint Smith's How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America is probably the most meaningful and…
what i’m reading: the red parts: a powerful, haunting memoir of trauma, loss, and the limits of justice
This is why I keep a running book list that is decades long. For more than 15 years, my list has included this note.The Red Parts - Maggie Nelson -…
portland and on to seattle (days 9 and 10)
A man walks into a bookstore...Powell's, and this time we mean itOn Wednesday, we felt well enough to spend quality time in Powell's. Not that anything could have kept Allan…
fun with flu in portland (day 8)
Portland is Food Truck CityOn Monday, while we were driving to Portland, Allan was already sick, and by the time we were settled in our room, I was sick, too.…
what i’m reading: operation paperclip: the secret intelligence program that brought nazi scientists to america
Many years ago, I wrote about how the label conspiracy theory is used to shut down inquiry and squelch the questioning of authority: two words, part one, two words part…
what i’m reading: operation paperclip: the secret intelligence program that brought nazi scientists to america
Many years ago, I wrote about how the label conspiracy theory is used to shut down inquiry and squelch the questioning of authority: two words, part one, two words part…
what i’m reading: a first time for everything, delightful autobiographical tween graphic
A First Time for Everything, by Dan Santat, is a perfect tween book. It's funny, sweet, honest, sometimes poignant but not sad. It's a gentle comfort for every kid who…
