Summer Readin’… Havin’ a Blast!

Summer Readin’… Havin’ a Blast! - theHumm July 2024

By John Pigeau

“I don’t change what I read when I go to the beach or on a vacation,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Michael Chabon once said. “I just read more.”

I do the same, Mr. Chabon.

Some people enjoy tanning on the beach, or swimming, or playing volleyball and so on — of course they do — but you’ll find me under the shade of the nearest leafy tree reading, perhaps, a battered old copy of Peter Benchley’s Jaws, which truly is the perfect beach read.

Now that it’s summer at last, lots of folks will find themselves with some leisure time on their hands — and maybe they’ll have a trip to the beach or a cottage getaway in the works. I hope so. And if you like to read in your leisureliness, I have some book recommendations you may appreciate.

First up, there’s a wonderful new book in the world called Anyword: A Festschrift for Phil Hall. The book is a 308-page tribute to writer Phil Hall, celebrating the man and his work through essays and appreciations from 28 writers. Talented contributors include Susan Gillis and John Steffler — who live quite near Perth, as does Mr. Hall — as well as Ronna Bloom, George Bowering, Mark Goldstein, Don McKay, rob mclennan, Erín Moure, and Sandra Ridley, to name a few. The book, published by Beautiful Outlaw, is sure to appeal to the discerning literary crowd.

Hall is one of Canada’ finest poets. In 2011, he won the Governor General’s Award for Poetry for the collection entitled Killdeer. Notably, his 22nd book, Vallejo’s Marrow (Beautiful Outlaw) came out earlier in the year, and it’s said to be one of Hall’s most powerful works to date. I loved Killdeer; I therefore feel quite safe in recommending that you pick up his latest book. Reading poetry is a wonderful way to spend some time, whatever the season. But maybe more so in summer.

Another collection of poetry I enthusiastically recommend is The Work (Gaspereau Press) by Bren Simmers. I special-ordered this book from my indie shop some time ago, and when it arrived I was profoundly moved by its lyric grace and power. The first poem in the collection, Load Upon Load, begins:

There comes a point

when the losses stack

up and all you want is

a few good years and

cash in your wallet.

Those lines spoke to me — smartly, elegantly. I was nodding my head: uh huh. The poems in The Work “engage with the work of love and loss and the hope that we might somehow learn to carry our portion of grief.” They do so with quiet yet resounding beauty, vulnerability and strength. That seems tough to pull off, but Simmers does it strikingly well. The Work is a heartrending, soulful, magnificent collection of poems.

On my coffee table are two excellent non-fiction books I’ve recently picked up. I’m enjoying them both simultaneously — book lovers know how this works — and recommending both without hesitation.

The first is The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara B. Franklin. Jones was an editor at Alfred A. Knopf for many years, and she worked with and helped nurture the careers of some of the most important authors of the 20th century, including Sylvia Plath, John Updike, Anne Tyler, Edna Lewis, and Julia Child, to name a few. Early in her career, when she was with Doubleday, Jones picked a manuscript out of a slush pile. She was rapt, read it in one sitting, and later begged her boss to consider publishing it. Eventually, he did. That book was Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. The Editor is an intimate biography of one very important editor’s astonishing career.

The second is an amusing and rather fascinating book written by a cantankerous Scottish bookseller, Shaun Bythell. Cleverly titled, Remainders of the Day is a marvellously entertaining diary of the daily happenings in Bythell’s beloved used bookshop, the largest of its kind in Scotland. Early on, he writes: “At 4pm a woman found a boxed set of Sue Grafton novels and asked if I’d break the set as she only wanted one of the books. I said no. She was furious.” Bythell’s a persnickety, sometimes delightful fellow who makes witty and endearing observations. You’ll likely laugh a lot. You may despair for the future of booksellers. And quite possibly, you’ll be thoroughly charmed.

Novels are popular in summer. One I’m thoroughly enjoying was recommended by the much-loved author and bookseller Ann Patchett — it’s called Sipsworth and was written by Simon Van Booy. The book is an enchanting love story about a woman and a mouse. Unusual as that sounds, it’s a terrific and surprisingly moving read. It’s a short book, too, which is sometimes kind of nice in summer.

Short stories, in fact, might just be ideal summer reading. Two collections I have my eye on have already received lots of praise; but since they’ve been published by two of Canada’s smaller presses they’ve not gotten much ink. They are Art of Camouflage (Freehand Books) by Sara Power, and Things That Cause Inappropriate Happiness (Guernica Editions) by Danila Botha. Botha’s stories — sad, vulnerable, funny — observe “what it’s like to find your place in the world.” Power’s formidable début collection, meantime, examines the lives of girls and women caught in the orbit of the military. Celebrated author Lisa Moore called it “spectacular.”

I’m a sucker for Stephen King’s short stories, too, so I’ve really been enjoying his latest, You Like It Darker. And yes, King’s about as mainstream as they come, but still — he’s a masterful storyteller, and these tales are rather good. Just don’t drop the book off the dock or in the pool. It’s sort of heavy.

Lastly, I need to mention Cocktail (Biblioasis) by Lisa Alward. This book of short stories has won so many awards that its cover is running out of sticker room. And, yes, it is that good.

Happy summer reading, friends!

Hookking Up with Teri Bell and Chris Wynnyk! - theHumm July 2024

By Sally Hansen

Art… and Soul

These two Valley sisters have hook(k)ed up in a deliciously creative undertaking titled Hookk Creative Crochet. For the past three years these two fabric artists have played and experimented and thoroughly enjoyed themselves developing a line of crocheted jewellery. Suspend any initial reservations, and take a serious look at their eye-catching results.

Matched with the right outfit, their colourful, organic, wildly original pieces can spice up your wardrobe and your life. Each croche......

Summer Readin’… Havin’ a Blast! - theHumm July 2024