Summertime and the reading is… wonderful! The month of August gave me the chance to dig into books, recent and not-so- recent, that have been sitting on my shelf for a while. Multi-genre publications include fiction, nonfiction, memoir, script, story, graphic text, persuasive letters and poetry.
CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger / 1951/ Fiction
“What really knocks me out is a book, that, when you’re all done reading it, uo wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn’t happen much, though.” (p. 18)
I first read this book about sixty years ago and i try to re-read it every ten years or so. This year spent August 12th (my birthday revisiting this special title, in an edition that has now filled with yellow pages. vv is absolutely one of my desert island books. Holden Caul777 field is an iconic anti-hero character and his quirky outlook on life. sharp observations, acerbic comments, wit, sense of adventure, out-of-the box wonderings and resilience engaged me when I first read this as a teenager. Reading this again, as a senior citizen , confirmed that this novel was a brave and significant piece of fiction and an important title sitting on the bookshelf of my life. Not all would agree but I for one am grateful that Holden and Salinger have always entertained me and made me think about the drama of growing up. I look forward to reading it in my eighties (or maybe before) .
THE GIFTS OF READING by Robert Macfarlane /2016 / Essay
What is the best book you’ve received as a gift? What book(s) have you gifted to others? Standing by a cash register at Fanfare Books (Stratford), a tiny 34-page booklet, entitled, The Gifts of Reading, caught my attention. British author and poet, Robert Macfarlane (The Lost Words) tells the story of how books given and received have been important to his living. Macfarlane pays tribute to a friend and colleague, Don, who gave him the book A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor, that recounts Fermor’s adventures on long, pilgrimage walk. This book inspired Robert Macfarlane to embark on hiking adventures which seemed to give him the gift of solace and reflection and was a title he has chosen to give to many others over the years. Another title, The Gift by Lewis Hyde further enlightened Macfarlane. Quoting Hyde, Macfarlane writes; Gifts give on. I believe it.
THE ILIAD AND THE ODYSSEY Retold and illustrated by Marcia Williams 1996-2006 / Graphic Text
There’s no disputing the popularity of the summer release of the Christopher Nolan film, The Odyssey. It’s a BIG film (3 hours) and a rather thrilling movie-viewing adventure. The movie has sparked a re-visit of publications telling the story of the Iliad and The Odyssey. The most popular recent version is a translation by Emily Wilson (2017). Marcia Williams who has been a champion of graphic stories (Tales from Shakespeare, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Oliver Twist, Les Miserables) has created an engaging retelling of the Odyssey story where the characters of Athena, Nausicaa, The Cicones) come alive in comic pages, helping to make this an accessible, manageable, abridged version of the classic story for readers young and old.
ON THE MOVE: Poems about Migration by Michael Rosen; illus. Quentin Blake/ Poetry / 2020
This publication offered Michael Rosen the opportunity to gather a number of selections from some of his previous poetry titles thus providing him with the opportunity to present a personal collection of poems on migration and displacement. Not unexpectedly, Michael Rosen’s poems clenched my heart. The book is organized into four sections 1. ‘Family and Friends’ are poems about Michael growing up in a Polish-Jewish family in London. 2. ‘The War’ conveys how Rosen came to know about World War II 3. ‘The Migrants in Me’ tells stories of ‘missing’ relatives. 4. On the Move provides an opportunity for the poet to connect experiences with migration around the world. In the introduction to the anthology, Michael Rosen writes: “Poetry is a way of thinking it gives me space to talk abut things that are personal to me, but it also lets me leave things hanging in the air.. to aks questions without giving too neat answers.” Throughout the book, we are offered Quentin Blakes’s extraordinary ‘moving’ images of people sticking togehter and moving on and on. Rosen hoped that this book can help readers “to reach out to each other and share what that makes us human.’ The human race has always been about migration, moving from place to place whether it’s to find a better life (migration) being forced to escape danger and leave their homes (refugees). The book begins with the following three lines:
Poetry is the migrant: it travels.
Poetry is the witness: it listens.
Poetry is the survivor; it lasts.
SQUIRREL SEEKS CHIPMUNK by David Sedaris; Illus. Ian Falconer / 2010 / stories
This was a re-read for me. I have a special pile of a dozen or David Sedaris books sitting on my bookshelf and I plan to revisit several of these titles because I think David Sedaris is one sensational, witty and wise author. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk is somewhat of a digression from his essays where Sedaris acutely observes the conversations and behaviours of the many people he encounters on his everyday schedule and from his travels. This is a collection of 16 stories with animal characters doing wildly extraordinary things Think of Aesop’s Fables but I’m not sure if there are explicit morals to be learned from these tales. Here are some titles; ‘The Motherless Bear’, ‘The Judicious Brown Chicken’, ‘The Parrot and the Pot Bellied Pig’, ‘The Vomit-Eating Flies’. Here are some tributes to Sedaris’s talent that appear on the back cover: “Wickedly funny”; “Outrageous”; “Delightfully bizarre”; ‘Charmingly subversive”; “Toxic little treats”; “a rip-roaring hoot”. How could the search for leeches in the rectum of a hippo not be considered wickedly funny (The Grieving Owl) How could a story about the choice vomit and feces snacks by two flies not be considered outrageous? ) (The Vomit-Eating Flies) The illustrations by the late Ian Falconer that are used to introduce each story brilliantly match the author’s humour and whacky narratives. I was so delighted/wowed to read this “rip roaring hoot of a book” again. And will likely do so again someday.
Some intriguing opening sentences:
The precocious story was only two weeks old when he asked where babies came from (The Parenting Storks)
A white-tailed doe was discovered one morning disembowled on the banks of the stream, and the residents of the forest went crazy with fear – “freaked out”was how the sparrow put it. (The Vigilant Rabbit)
The cow was notoriously cheap, so it surprised everyone when she voted hyes for the secret Santa Scheme (The Cow and the Turkey)
The white rat had been sick for as long as he could remember. If it wasn’t a headache, it was an upset stomach, a sore throat an eye infection. Pus seeped from his gums. His ears rang, and what little he ate went right through him. Now came the news that he had pancreatic cancer, which was something of a relief. (The Sick Rat and the Healthy Rat)
UNSAYABLE: A Life in Writing by Michael Cunningham / 2026 / memoir
I have liked some of Michael Cunningham’s novels (A Home at the End of the World; Flesh and Blood and The Hours (Pulitzer Prize). I was looking forwardto reading his latest nonfiction publication. The clean white cover, with title featured in a crisp font caught my attention. I hesitate to call this a memoir, though in libararies and bookstores it might sit on a shelf of autobiograhical work. This is not a presented as a ‘traditional’ autobiographical journey That’s ok. About half of the book is a meditation on the craft of writing, an account of Cunningham’s journey of learning (and struggling) to become a writer as well as an account of his work as a teacher of writing. Memories of living in California, traveling across the US. friendships, adoration of men, coming out, finding love are spilled across the pages. A commitment to writing, a reflection and analysis of choosing words and sentences to represent thoughts and feelings provide a testimony the the craft of creating literature. Chapters are rather short. When recounting life experiences, there is a limited narrative power of the events of the author’s life. Maybe, such stuff was ‘unsayable’. Maybe not all that interesting. This is a rather bi-genre publication – personal autobiographical vignettes betwixt meditations on the craft of writing. which doesn’t tell the truth of the subtitle, (i.e. ‘ A Life In Writing’). Ultimately, Unsayable is a recollection of ‘Life From Writing’; ‘A Life of Writing’. This wasn’t my favourite read this month.
Noteable feature … throughout the book, Cunningham sites words of wisdom about reading and writing from a number of notable figures. Each quotation appears on a single page.
“The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp. The reader reading it, makes it live: a live thing, a story.’ (Ursula K. Leguin, p. 17)).
“I’m a firm believer that language and how we use language determines how we act, and how we act determinges our lives and other people’s lives “(Ntozake Shange, p. 142)
WHISTLER by Ann Patchett / 2026 / fiction
Who am I to argue with the talent and success of the acclaimed author, Ann Patchett I haven’t read many of her books (Bel Canto, Tom Lake) but no doubt she is a great storyteller and a great observer of relationships. Patchet has a huge following and, I’d say a partiular audience. Whistler has been on the top ten New York Times bestseller list, since it was released in the spring of 2026. The story is centred on Daphne Fuller, happily married to Jonathan somewhat older than her, while wandering through the MET in New York, Daohne and Jonathan encounter Eddie, a man she hasn’t scene in a long. Eddie was briefly married to Daphne’s mother mother. At the time, Daphne was a young girl and quite fond of her stepfaher. A life-changing event involving a car-accident changed the life of both Eddie and Daphne and flashback sections of the event make for a compelling narrative and helps to explain the importance of the relationship and helps to show how their reunion is now significant to them both. Whistler is a story of memory, change, fate and the feelings of enduring love. This was a good read, but for this white old man, only a three-star read.
SHOUT OUT
>>>>> TED TALK: Ann Patchett (14 min. 54 sec) <<<<<
THE LOVE OF MY LIFE (AND WHY I NEED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU)
Bestselling author Ann Patchett shares her passion for reading in this Ted Talk. She notes that reading is not just a private pleasure but has the potential to pull readers out of isolation and build empathy. Patchett urges her audience to be part of a society that cultivates readers today and tomorrow.
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS by Kenneth Grahame adapted for the stage by Alan Bennett / 1996 /script
Because I was seeing a theatre production of The Wind in the Willows, I decided to re-read the classic book by Kenneth Grahame written in 1908. The production at the Shaw Festival was based on the script, Toad of Toad Hall, written by A.A. Milne I also chose to read the script by Alan Bennett was written for the National Theatre production (1990) which I was lucky enough to have seen and loved. Bennett is the perfect playwright for an adaptation that catures the humour, the adventures and the special camaraderie of Ratty, Mole, Toad and Badger.
YOU WERE MADE FOR THIS WORLD: Celebrated Indigenous Voices Speak to Young People by Stephanie Sinclair and Sara Sinclair (editors) / 2026 / Letters; Art
Though the targeted audience for this special anthology is intended for youth, it deserve attention for readers open to receiving the wisdom and advice of Indigenous voices.
“To our readers: Welcome! We are so happy you are here to honor who are, the land we are on and the medicine we all need to find our way forward” (Stephanie ad Sara Sinclair, editors, Introduction, p. 15)
This beautiful collection of writing brings together 20 celebrated Indigenous voices reaching out to young people, giving advice to care for their heritages, care for the environment, and care for themselves. Most selections by writers, artists, activists, scholars, are presented in one to three pages as persuasive letters, written in the second voice addressed to First Nations young people. Writing is often drawn from the biographical background of the writer. A piece of evocative art work by acclaimed artists from across Turtle Island accompanies each piece adding to the richness of this book.
Excerpts
(Words by Tanya Tagaq)
Share your smile
open and full of laughter
Receive the rain
Splash in the puddles
And protect your heart.
(Words by David A. Robertson)
So just hang on. One day, you’ll find your way out of the dark and you won’t be tired anymore.
(Words by Brittany Luby)
Brave one ~/ You can learn/ There are many different ways to do so.
(Words by katherena vermette)
I want this letter to be a pack of wishes. I want to end these words out to the universe, out to Creator or whoever is in chage, so that if thse wishes are not tru now , then they will be one day soon…. I wish you LOVE.. I wish you PEACE.. I wish you HAPPINESS… I hope you KNOW YOU ARE AMAZING.
>>>> SHOUT OUT <<<<<
52 WAYS TO RECONCILIATION: How to walk with Indigenous Peoples on the Path to Healing by David A. Robertson / 2025 / How to Guide
David A. Robertson is a very special author. Although i’ve never met him (other than listening to one of his conference sessions) I know, from his writing that he is a very special human being. This guide offers readers small acts that can help make a difference on the path to reconciliation. The book is arranged into 52 short chapters, each providing a suggestion – one for each of the 52 weeks of the year – for addressing, supporting and taking action to authentically recognize reconciliation. Some examples: Start an Indigenous Book Club (week #2), Check Your idioms (week #7): Support an Indigenous Musician (week #9) Go Even Further on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (week #38) Talk to Your Kids about a Hard History (week #43). Each ‘how to’ piece’ offers concrete, practical suggestions for readers to consider. Wouldn’t it be grand for a person to achieve all 52 tips? Start by reading this book. Then ‘Share this book’ (week #52). It matters!
Of special interest
In the introduction to the book (pages 1-6), Robertson offers some meaningful definitions; explanations and rationale into why it is important to ‘walk with Indigenous people.’ To understand the truth of reconciliation, this introduction offers wise insights from a very wise member of Norway House Cree Nation. This introduction is a must-read. Some examples:
“Since 2008, it has become ubiquitous and inextricably tied to long-term goal of healing the relationship between Indigenous Peoples and Canada at large. However, in being used so widely and indiscriminately, it has started to lose it’s meaning.”
“Technically, reconciliation is defined as the restoration of friendly relations.”
“If there was not a good relationship to begin with (between Indigenous Peoples and colonists) then what exactly are we restoring? The work that we are trying to do then, is to develop a strong and healthy relationship for the first time. Don’t get me wrong: I believe that we are getting there, but reconciliation is something of. misnomer.”
“Reconciliation is an action.I know that each of us has a role to play; it’s just that we have different roles. Part of how we move forward is to understand truth, accept it, and then fully explore what our role is.”