Okay, 90s music peeps, where’re you at? This playlist is for YOU. It’s made with love (and was a much bigger task than I first thought, mostly because nostalgia-related rabbit holes are especially long and sticky). Folks love to use the phrase “coming-of-age” when talking about movies and books. I think it’s meant to evoke Read More
Category: BANG Book Reviews
Book reviews, By A Normal Gal
Anti-Racist Book Club – Gratitude Day 4
I’m grateful for this book today. I am also really grateful for the meeting and discussion we had this week, the first of several we will have as a group of educators unpacking this book together. Especially on a day like this, it’s a source of solace… Talking with a whole bunch of people who Read More
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline – Two-Minute Book Review
My sister gave me the award-winning The Marrow Thieves for Christmas, knowing how keenly I feel about Indigenous issues. I was about a quarter of the way through when I heard a snippet on CBC saying that Jully Black would be defending this book for Canada Reads! So I felt cool by association (with Canada’s Read More
All The Light We Cannot See – Two-Minute Book Review
Title: All The Light We Cannot See – A Novel Author: Anthony Doerr Other works: The Shell Collector, About Grace, Memory Wall, Four Seasons in Rome Recommended by: This was a book club pick, but it was also one that my book-savvy husband had heard great things about. Also, the fact that it won a Pulitzer recommends it rather well. Read More
The Couple Next Door – Two-Minute Book Review
Our book club read The Couple Next Door only a few months ago, so I clearly remember how I felt about it. Author: Shari Lapena Other works: Things Go Flying, Happiness Economics Recommended by: Book Club, and several people I heard discussing it on the radio. Genre: Thriller/Mystery Main characters: Anne and Marco Conti, and Read More
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle – Two-Minute Book Review
Title: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle – A Year of Food Life Author: Barbara Kingsolver, with Stephen L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver Other works: (by Barbara) The Poisonwood Bible, Prodigal Summer, Small Wonder, The Lacuna, The Bean Trees, etc. Recommended by: Book Club! I also find that Kingsolver’s work recommends more of itself to be read. Genre: Non-fiction/Cooking/Poetry Read More
Big Magic – Two-Minute Book Review
Title: Big Magic – Creative Living Beyond Fear Author: Elizabeth Gilbert Other works: Eat, Pray, Love, The Signature of All Things, etc. Recommended by: Glennon at Momastery (again). I’ll pretty much try anything she says. Also, I’d already read Eat, Pray, Love, and although it wasn’t dramatically life-changing for me, it was fascinating and memorable Read More
The Gifts of Imperfection – Two-Minute Book Review
Sakes alive, it’s been ages since I officially reviewed a book! More than three years, actually. Pourquoi? I started to explain, but I’ve decided it doesn’t matter! I do want to write about books, but I don’t have time to wax philosophical, and you may well not have time to read such blither-blather either. Hence Read More
5-Day Artist Challenge Postponed Due to Hogwarts Sorting Incident
My dear dance friend Mary nominated me, well over a year ago, for the 5-Day Artist Challenge on Facebook, in which you post a photo or so every day for five days, along with some interesting information or anecdote, to share with others the role of art in your life. I did not manage to Read More
BANG Book Review: 9-Volume Bookstravaganza!
{Tra la, this post was supposed to be finished and posted OVER A WEEK AGO. Ridonculous. Had several rough nights with congested baby, also working on E methodically testing every boundary he can think of, especially the one where he tries to get us to do his bidding by being a whine-meister. Boo, excuses.} Sooo… Read More