Books in the Junction Triangle
Just came upon details of an interesting-sounding book called Making Waves: The Portuguese Adventure by http://marysoderstrom.blogspot.com/. On a writers forum I belong to, the author calls it "an outgrowth of the traveling I've done in recent years for my non-fiction books about cities. Wherever I went, to make a long story short, the Portuguese had been there before other Europeans. Why wasn't that story better known, I asked myself." So on reading about Mary's book, I thought it might be of interest in the Junction Triangle, given the many Portuguese people who live here. And then I thought (being a writer and a reader!), why not start a new topic about books in general? Carmen and Anne at the local library have been running a book club for some time now, with an eclectic mix of fiction and non-fiction. It's open to all -- drop in at the branch for details. I'm curious to know what others in the JT are reading, or whether there are other book clubs up and running, or anything anyone wants to post about books.
Kristen
The Bishop's Man
I read "The Bishop's Man" by Linden MacIntyre which won the 2009 Giller Prize. I am pretty sure that he lives in the Roncy area. You will find some West End references in his book such as the Glidden Plant which was on Wallace and to Roncy itself. A pretty good book that really captures the mindset of priest who is the cleanup man for a Bishop.
Book Clubs and Books
Holy Oak Cafe (just a stone's throw from JT) has a book club, which sounds interesting: http://www.openbooktoronto.com/news/holy_oak_book_club. They also have a facebook account for the club: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Holy-Oak-Book-Club/104474779583723. I've been meaning to look into joining, but more recently I just can't get into fiction. I'm coming to terms with being an information junky.... If anyone wants to set up a book club dedicated to management/leadership books or health/Dr. Oz type books, let me know.
fiction and non
I've heard about the Holy Oak book club, Joanna. What a great little place that seems. I'm curious that you say you can't get into fiction "recently." So you could before? I wonder about the switch....
Perth Dupont Library
Perth Dupont Library also has a book club. The latest book that they were doing was Methland. I just picked up the book The Help. Will let you know how it is. Pretty thick though, I will see if I can get through it.
The Help
Finished The Help, and before the due date, too. It was not what I thought it was going to be at first. I thought that it took place in another era but it was about maids nonetheless. It had me hooked and I was staying up until 1:00 am just to finish it. It was such a moving topic and I am touched by the dedication of these women to their employers. A great read!!!
Origin of Halos
I am about to read Origin of Halos by Kristen Den Hartog. This will be the 3rd book that I am reading by this author. The first I read for the book club at the Perth Dupont library and Ms. Den Hartog attended the book club meeting. We were able to get her perspective of the book as well. I will let you know how this 3rd book is.
origin of haloes
Hi Katie,
Thanks for that! I hope you enjoy. There's another coming in April!
Origin of Haloes
I hope to read the 4th one before April, then. Sorry about the misspelling, spell check was correcting me.
Finished the Book
I just wanted to state that I have finished the book Origin of Haloes. (I finished it a few weeks ago actually). I am always amazed with the way that Kristen Den Hartog captures your attention and draws you in. She uses the perfect words in her descriptions of characters and settings that you can absolutely envision what is going on. Origin of Haloes was a great read and I strongly recommend it. I look forward to picking up Kristen 4th book.
dear Katie, re books
Thank you for not keeping quiet about this book and the others too! I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts.
Here Fishy Fish
The Portuguese and the Basques had been coming to the Grand Banks for a long long time before other Europeans figured it out. If you like that part of the story read:
"Cod: The Fish that Changed the World" by Mark Kurlansky (fun and breezy). He also wrote "The Basque History of the World: The Story of a Nation " which has some fascinating stories about fish and how the Basques were the first until the Portuguese caught on.
He also wrote "Salt: A world History" and one of my faves "The Big Oyster; History On The Half Shell". I have a prized autographed copy and Mark has a copy of my oyster doc. A fair trade.
"Here Fishy Fish" is a Monty Python reference and I will take any opportunity to squeak one in.
Screech
Random Passage is one of the more memorable fish history books I can think of. (historical fiction)
The book "Who Killed the Grand Banks?" by Alex Rose is a recent account of the cod fishery. I think all Canadians should read it. The challenge is to support compassionate yet responsible decision making. Or at least understand and learn from our worst decisions.
Books
I don't read nearly as much as I'd like to. But I've been taking transit alot more lately, so I have more time to read. I don't really read very much fiction these days, and mostly end up just pouring through the news, some history, stuff about photography, etc... I'm currently reading:
Lately, I've also been browsing through other books like The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, and similar. :)
city books
Vic, these books seem very "you"! Interesting that both you and Joanna say you don't read as much fiction now. Is it because you feel you have less time to give over to something pretend? Or just because you enjoy gathering information on particular topics? And speaking of time -- guess you will have even less of it soon, when that baby makes an appearance. I know I myself don't read as much fiction now either. Or I should say I don't read as often as I used to for pure enjoyment. The books I pick up (whether fiction or non) almost always have to do with whatever I'm working on, so even the novels are a way of gathering information.
I'm reading a fabulous book right now, the third in a trilogy, though I haven't read the first two. It's called The Ghost Road, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ghost_Road by Pat Barker, about British soldiers in WW1. Gorgeously written, largely based on actual accounts.
Books - Fiction v. Non-fiction
Kristen, I think you have assessed the situation correctly in posing your questions. The move towards non-fiction for me has been both as a result of having less time for escapism and because I am in a place in my life where I enjoy gathering information on a particular topic that benefits my life.
I used to love non-fiction as a kid and a teenager, especially anything that gave me insight into the world of adults. More recently, I have tried to read non-fiction books such as the "Polished Hoe" by Austin Clarke, which is a truly beautiful book, but I just haven't been able to give it the dedicated attention it deserves.
However, I am breezing through "Becoming the Evidence Based Manager" by Gary Latham (an organizational behavior professor at the University of Toronto) and "Beauty: Pure and Simple" by Kristen Ma (a successful entrepreneur whose Yorkville spa is greatly acclaimed for promoting natural beauty). I also have subscriptions to Money Sense - Canada's Personal Finance Magazine and Canadian House and Home. I think that what I'm reading probably has something to do with my life stage. I'm trying to advance in my career, make appropriate life decisions, and find time for easy pampering in my busy life.
On another note, I have also read Stroll; I loved the section on the Junction and the Maltese diaspora. I've been planning on reading it while actually doing the walks, but haven't gotten around to it. I want to see specifically what the author is talking about, because some of the things he describes I have never ever noticed. I find it interesting how many of us in the neighborhood enjoy books that focus on the city and city history. When I initially moved to JT, I poured over Toronto archive photos for hours trying to find a picture with my house in it or a similar house, so I could see what my house originally looked like. Alas, I didn't find such as picture, but I did find out about Grand Trunk, CPR lands, the importance of the railroad to this area, what our back alleys used to look like, and when the neighborhood had plumbing installed. I also found a great picture of the Wallace Bridge when there were shops around it. At the time, the Wallace Bridge had two sets of stairs going down to Dundas Street, not just one set. Maybe we need a history club?
history club?
Hi Joanna,
This idea of a history club has been mentioned before, and I think it is very likely to happen. I know I'd be an enthusiastic member, as would several people who post regularly here. I've looked at those old photos of the neighbourhood too. Just fascinating! One of my favourites is of Carlton Park, apparently the oldest park in the hood. Very haunting image. If I was savvy enough, I would add it here, but alas!
JT historical society
Kristen,
Maybe we should bite the bullet and finally start the JTHS this winter. It certainly sounds like it would be popular judging from recent posts.
Marcel
History club - definitely
Yup, count me in. If someone wants to start this up, I'll definitely attend. Could start small and simple, and grow from there. Maybe even a gathering at a local coffee shop, etc.
-Vic
history in the new year
Okay, let's do it! What about a Sunday afternoon in January, maybe the 9th or the 15th? Or an evening after 8?
Toronto / History books
Yeah, I haven't really been into fiction for a very long time. When I was young, I used to love reading Farley Mowat, the "Three Investigators" series, Hardy Boys....stuff like that. In highschool I took a liking to A Clockwork Orange, Brave New World, and 1984. But overall, I don't think I was ever a prolific fiction reader.
Local history, and any kind of geography were my favourites. I have strong memories of being six years old, and making peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and then sitting down to pour through the National Geographic World Atlas (and later North American Atlas) that my parents bought for me. Or sometimes just road and highway maps. Thinking back, that World Atlas is probably my favourite book of all-time. Are there other six-year-olds that love to read population statistics, follow road lines on maps, and imagine the futuristic growth patterns of a Census Metropolitan Area? (Yes, I had considered studying GIS, urban planning, or something else more geography-based instead of computers; who knows, I still might)
I also used to love reading the local history articles in the Hamilton Spectator. I wish I could remember the writer's name now, but he was pretty cool. He even helped me dig through some stuff for a school project once, when I was down at the Hamilton Public Library's main branch. I really got interested in reading about Hamilton's history, especially around the downtown core and places where I've lived. When I moved to Ottawa, it was the same thing. And now for Toronto... I enjoy a bit of Canadian history too, and bits and pieces of world history, but I think the local stuff interests me the most. Stories, photos, etc. of places that I can actually experience myself, or compare a long-lost era to the present.
I picture myself telling little bits of history to my son/daughter someday, and pointing out cool/interesting features wherever we are. I don't know if s/he will be as interested as I am, or maybe say, "Geeze dad, quit it with your old-man stories". :)
Photography books and online articles have also taken up my reading time over the last few years too.
Back to the topic of fiction: I usually find fiction is hard to get in to, because I feel like I need to devote large chunks of time to it. I have a harder time keeping focused when I can only read it in small chunks. But usually when I try to set aside some time to read, e.g. like in the evening before bed, I'm too tired to concentrate and I end up getting sleepy. :)
Update: Yesterday I finished reading Stroll, and today started reading Toronto Sketches 3, by Mike Filey.
books, maps, stories
Love this image of you at six! What a great peek into your reading life. You will have so much fun reading to/with your child, it's one of my favourite things about being a mom. My uncle once told me that he had a nighttime ritual with his daughter. She would spin the globe and wherever her finger landed, he would tell her a story about that place. Maybe the game could be modified for the local level as well?
Mon Atlas
So both of you would love this song then: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lutuDgZvAk This is Damien Robitaille from La Fontaine Ontario. He loves geography, and music too!
books in the junction triangle
Just came upon details of an interesting-sounding book called Making Waves: The Portuguese Adventure by http://marysoderstrom.blogspot.com/. On a writers forum I belong to, the author calls it "an outgrowth of the traveling I've done in recent years for my non-fiction books about cities. Wherever I went, to make a long story short, the Portuguese had been there before other Europeans. Why wasn't that story better known, I asked myself." So on reading about Mary's book, I thought it might be of interest in the Junction Triangle, given the many Portuguese people who live here. And then I thought (being a writer and a reader!), why not start a new topic about books in general? Carmen and Anne at the local library have been running a book club for some time now, with an eclectic mix of fiction and non-fiction. It's open to all -- drop in at the branch for details. I'm curious to know what others in the JT are reading, or whether there are other book clubs up and running, or anything anyone wants to post about books.
Kristen