Finding A Town Like Alice…In Baysville Public Library Of Course!!!

Remember the Flying Dragon on Bayview?

About four years ago, I was wandering around in Leslieville, and stumbled upon a gem of an independent book store: Flying Dragon Bookshop. As soon as I went in, and found the mounds of great reads, I knew I had found a treasure. I soon struck up a conversation with the owner, and she was happy to recommend a great book for my Book Club's Christmas Exchange meeting that December.

While we were chatting and going over possible selections, she mentioned to me that her favourite book of all time was Neville Shute's A Town Called Alice. Huge praise, I thought, considering the well-read source.  I asked for it, but sadly, she didn't have any in stock. I made a mental note to come back and get a copy the next time I was in the area.

Flying Dragon Bookshop was a Treasure

Time goes by, and as we have seen recently, independent bookshops are feeling the market crush of Amazon and Chapters. The next time I was in Leslieville, I was heart broken to see the once magical storefront empty, and the space stripped to the bare fixtures. Flying Dragon had flown away, and with it, another source of great reading and recommendations. No note in the window, and no sign of it some

I never forgot about the owner's recommendation of A Town Called Alice.  About 4 months ago, I popped it the Vaughan Public Library, only to find that there isn't a copy of this novel in their collection. Knowing that librarians can make almost anything happen if you ask nicely, I asked if there was a way to get me a copy of this title. After some digging, the librarian assured me that we could put in a request through the Inter-Library Loan program and find a library system in Ontario that might lend me a copy. Amazing…Good old fashion reciprocity between public service providers. I thought that didn't happen anymore!

Baysville: 50 Km South of Huntsville Ontario

Two weeks ago, I got the call that my book had arrived. I was thrilled and immediately dashed down to the library to pick up my long awaited book.

It's been a long time coming, and I can't wait to tell others about it. Thanks to Baysville Public Library for sharing…I haven't a clue where this book came from…But I'm grateful to them all the same!

Under My Tree This Year: Doctor Sleep

Christmas has always meant getting a good book or two as gifts from my family. Luckily, this year was no exception. I have fallen into the habit of buying myself a few books, wrapping them and popping them under the tree, so that on Christmas morning, I am never disappointed. In my opinion, it's better to take matters into your own hands if there is ever the chance that you might be disappointed in Santa.

This year, our family pulled names from a hat, and my dad ended up being my secret Santa.  As it turned out, not so secret though, because he just picked up the phone to see which book I wanted. Having just finished listening to the CBC interview of Stephen King and his son Owen King, I thought it would be nice to try Stephen King's most recent work, Doctor Sleep.

(Random thought--would it be intimidating to be a fledgling author with your father "Stephen King" watching on? Talk about a huge shadow under which to live. Mind you, I bet you'd have a little in with one or two publishers. Not sure. Owen King sounded pretty confident and grounded regardless. Maybe I should give his work a go.)

Now, I'm not a King fan per se, but as you may recall from my previous blog post in August 2012, I really enjoyed his historically based fictional account of the assassination of JFK in 11/22/63. It was my first kick at King, and I found it well written and very entertaining. When I listened to the interview on CBC, I learned that King had written The Shining. Doctor Sleep, as Stephen King explained in the interview, is the followup novel that presents Danny Torrence as an adult, and shows how the little boy in the movie has grown up. Now, I have never made it through the entire movie--it's just too scary. I sheepishly admit that I didn't know the movie was based on King's novel.

Having finished Doctor Sleep over the holidays, and I am going to suggest that it wasn't as good as 11/22/63. I know it's a totally different genre, and it's probably not fair to compare them two, but I was a little disappointed in Doctor Sleep. I've never read any of King's scary stuff and I wanted to be terrified, horrified, and disturbed. Sorry to say that I wasn't any of those things. In the end though, I did find it entertaining, and I would pick up another one of his novels for light entertainment.

I'm open to suggestions on which one I should read next.  I want it to be really scary. No half measures...I want to lose sleep...not be put to sleep.

I found this really funny interview with King speaking to a room of english university students. Thought I would include it, as an insight into King's mind.

Type Book Store in Toronto has a Dirty Little Secret at Night...

 

Here's what books do at night, when no one is looking!

Happy New Year to all the Girls of the World!!!

From the Toronto Star Saturday January 11, 2014

Timeless Values: I love you Major Pettigrew!!!

The first novel from Helen Simonson, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is a charming read. Like slipping on a pair of well worn slippers, it feels comfortable right from the start. Over the Christmas holidays, it was a pleasure to find this novel waiting for me at the end of the busy day.



Helen Simonson's website summarizes the novel in the following way

"When Major Pettigrew, a retired British army major in a small English village, embarks on an unexpected friendship with the widowed Mrs. Ali, who runs the local shop, trouble erupts to disturb the bucolic serenity of the village and of the Major’s carefully regimented life.

As the Major and Mrs. Ali discover just how much they have in common, including an educated background and a shared love of books, they must struggle to understand what it means to belong and how far the obligations of family and tradition can be set aside for personal freedom. Meanwhile, the village itself, lost in its petty prejudices and traditions, may not see its own destruction coming."

http://www.helensimonson.com/

Here is the author in discussion about her journey through the writing of this novel:

In a small, quaint English village Major Pettigrew is playing the role of stiff, traditionalist--his small village and his country club see him as old-school gentry. But as his friendship with Mrs. Ali grows,  he feels alienated from his old chums, and we discover that at heart, Major Pettigrew is a non-conformist. He is confronted with the reality that discrimination and ignorance abound in his happy little world, and he takes a stand that must surprise many.

This was an entertaining novel, and I really enjoyed the character development. Simonson does a great job painting a realistic picture with lots of details. I look forward to her next work.

In doing the research for this blog, I found a couple of entertaining video clips of the author speaking on a panel about making the shift from writing student to author. She has a good sense of humor. Check it out:  Simonson as Panelist