BOOK CLUB: STONE MATTRESS BY MARGARET ATWOOD

My most recent read with my book club was Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood. It is a collection of nine stories, three of which are related and one of which is a treat for Atwood readers as it is a sequel to her novel The Robber Bride. The stories are unusual and thought-provoking with the expertly crafted characters I so love to meet in Atwood's fiction. Aging is a theme that ties the majority of the stories together, creating a slightly darker undertone.

This was a pivotal read for my book club (since moving to Bermuda our pub time has morphed to FaceTime). At the start of our club, one bookclubber, who shall remain nameless, was steadfast in the rule that we never read a Margaret Atwood book. He was not a fan like me. It took me a decade, but finally we cracked the spine of an Atwood. The second rule of our club is that we never read an author twice, so this was the chance for Atwood to charm him with her delightful storytelling.

In the end, only two of three book club members praised the book. Atwood is a polarizing author with equal fans to critics, and I was unable to change my fellow bookclubber's opinion. At least he didn't despise the book, giving it instead a so-so rating.

I highly recommend it, but then again, I have been known to praise every Atwood book I read.

OUR BOOK LIST

These are the books currently sitting on our bedside tables. Can you guess who's reading which book?

          Love is Power, or Something Like That: Stories by A. Igoni Barrett
          The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs
          The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson
          Elmer and Rose by David McKee

OUR BOOK LIST

These are the books that are sitting on our bedside tables and are in heavy rotation with Monkey and Little Bean ...

Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boynton
Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills

FAMILY LITERACY DAY

Monkey adores reading. It is one of our favourite activities to do on these bitter cold winter days. When we're stuck inside, we like to stay in our pajamas just a little bit longer, curl up under a cozy blanket and read. So, in honour of Family Literacy Day, I surveyed my little household for our favourite books of all time...

My husband John's favourite is Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell. I'm actually surprised it wasn't a Stephen King book so I guess you learn something new about your partner every day! Monkey's favourite is Just One More Goal! by Robert Munsch. I think if I ask him tomorrow I'll get a different answer, but we'll go with this one since it nicely captures his current hockey obsession. Little Bean isn't quite sure what her favourite book is yet, so Monkey picked Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kundhardt, a cute book that helps little ones learn and understand simple instructions. And, The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood is my favourite book. It's on my reading pile to read again -- it's been far too long since I've been enchanted by this story.

What are your family's favourite books?

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OUR BOOK LIST

Lately, Monkey and I have been spending quality time curled up with a few good books. Here are a few of his favourite stories right now ...

What books are you and your little one reading right now?

1. Time to Pee! by Mo Willems
2. Amos's Sweater by Janet Lunn
3. The Complete Adventures of Curious George by Margaret and H.A. Rey
4. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
5. Rapido's Next Stop by Jean-Luc Fromental

BOOK CLUB: THEN WE CAME TO THE END

Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris is my most recent book club read. I was reading it at the doctor's office not too long ago and the nurse took one look at the title and told me it sounded depressing. She was right -- sort of. 

Set in an office environment, it is a black comedy that depicts the life of the average office worker from office gossip and lunchtime routines to coveting the best chair and desperately seeking a promotion. The writing was interesting and I was intrigued with the use of the collective 'we' for the narrator. I usually adore endings that neatly wrap up the story, but for once I was disappointed. For better or for worse, the use of the collective 'we' illustrated how employees become one when working for a company, and to close the loop on the main characters five years later seemed to conflict with the very premise of the story -- at least to me.

BOOK CLUB: THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is one of my favourite books that I read this summer. Set in the aftermath of World War II, the book follows a writer and her new friendships with members of a unique book club on the island of Guernsey. Through their letters, we learn about the effects of the war on both London and Guernsey, the human spirit and lasting friendships. It really is a sweet read.

BOOK CLUB: THE IRON BRIDGE

My last book club read was Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger. It was an in-depth look at the intense culture around high school football in west Texas. The story was interesting, but I found myself more intrigued with the back story behind the little town of Odessa (politics, socio-economic factors, demographics, etc.) than with the second-by-second account of the football games. The author's writing felt a bit sensationalist, but perhaps that was needed to truly capture the emotion and spirit of the town, its people and its football team.

Our next read is The Iron Bridge by Anton Piatigorsky. This book is a collection of six fictional stories that recount the childhoods of some of the world's most notorious dictators from Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler to Rafael Trujillo, Mao Tse-Tung, Pol Pot and Idi Amin. It sounds compelling.

FAVOURITE BOOKS

Monkey loves a good story. It is gloomy and grey outside today, so we're cuddling up with some of his favourite books ...

1. Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld
2. Go, Dog, Go! by P.D. Eastman
3. Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boynton
4. Fox's Socks by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
5. The Runaway Hug by Nick Bland and Freya Blackwood
6. Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers

And, here are more of Monkey's favourite books.

BOOK CLUB: FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

I have been neglecting my book club. The reason is that I wasn't particularly inspired by our last read, The Post Office by Charles Bukowski. The story can easily be summed up this way ... copious amounts of drinking, endless mail sorting and constant womanizing.

Our most recent book promises to be different. Considered one of the best books written about sports, Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger is a fitting read with the upcoming Super Bowl on Sunday. I'm not a football fan. To me, the game seems to always be in a state of interruption with its constant starting and stopping. I must be missing something. That said, I am a fan of the TV series Friday Night Lights (based on this book), which depicted the phenomenon that is high school football in rural Texas. I'm eager to see how the book compares ... and of course to learn more about who Coach Taylor really is.

GENIUS: THE BIBLIO-MAT

I often find myself wandering bookstore shelves unable to make up my mind. Too many choices leads to indecision. Enter the Biblio-Mat. It's a custom-made vending machine that randomly dispenses books for just $2. You can find it at The Monkey's Paw, a secondhand bookshop that specializes in old and unusual books and curiosities right here in Toronto. What a genius invention!

Check out this video to see how it works ...

And, what a remarkable PR stunt for this little bookshop.

(Photo / Video)

BOOK CLUB: POST OFFICE

The next book on my book club's reading list is Post Office, the first novel by the infamous Charles Bukowski.

Our last book, Illustrado by Miguel Syjuco was an okay read. It was an ambitious novel set in both New York City and the Philippines. It felt a bit disjointed, and at times I felt at a loss as to how the various story lines fit together. It turns out I was missing a lot of the cultural references. My friend and fellow book clubber, who is originally from the Philippines, had a different take on the novel. He told us that a number of Filipino folk tales were used to weave together seemingly random stories.

Dear editor, I think a footnote or two would be helpful for the book's next edition.

OUR BOOK LIST

A little while ago I shared Monkey's favourite toys. Now, I'd like to share the books that he loves and wants to read day after day after day ... 

1. Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

2. The Little Fisherman by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Dahlov Ipcar
3. Little People's Cars, Trucks, Planes and Trains
4. My Very First Mother Goose edited by Iona Opie, illustrated by Rosemary Wells
5. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
6. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

A READING TIP

Do you ever find yourself struggling to get through a book? Sometimes, I feel compelled to finish a not-so-great book and it becomes a daunting task. My brother-in-law recently shared a genius tip with me. He compared starting a new book to starting a new relationship. He said you should set aside two hours to start the book to see if you have anything in common. If after 100 pages you're still engaged, then it's safe to commit to finishing the book. But, if it's a struggle after two hours, then it just isn't meant to be. Don't feel married to a certain book if you weren't even meant to date.

I wonder if my book club will accept this explanation the next time I'm unable to finish a book!

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BOOK CLUB: ILLUSTRADO

The next book on my book club's reading list is Illustrado. It is the debut novel by Miguel Syjuco, and has earned high praise, including Winner of the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2008. Taking place primarily in the Philippines, it is a story that spans four generations, weaves in historical events and promises to be an enchanting read.

Our last book, The Receptionist: An Education at the New Yorker by Janet Groth, was an average read. The synopsis intrigued me, but unfortunately I was left with the one question that I hoped would be answered. Why did the young aspiring writer stay at the reception desk for more than two decades? Why didn't she fight harder to find a way to be published in a magazine she so admired?

BOOK CLUB: THE RECEPTIONIST

The next book for my book club is The Receptionist: An Education at The New Yorker. This is a recently released memoir by Janet Groth, who spent two decades as the receptionist for The New Yorker. I'm very intrigued to take a look behind-the-scenes during one of the most infamous periods for this magazine.

OUR LIBRARIES

This essay from The Walrus (April 2012) is an interesting read about the future of our libraries. It is especially timely in Toronto where our library workers are on strike.

If we can now find the latest bestseller, classic tale or academic study through a simple search online, what purpose does the library serve?

The premise of the essay is that libraries are changing, and changing for the better. Libraries are focusing more and more on becoming "an anchor of community life." Instead of housing stacks upon stacks of books, libraries are gathering places for people to work, relax and play.

It is like a cultural and more serene community centre that is open and welcoming to all. It will be interesting to see just how libraries adjust to this new changing landscape.

(Photo via Flickr)

THE WISDOM OF FRENCH PARENTING

I just got my copy of Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman and I'm very excited to read about the supposed wisdom of French parenting. Druckerman, a former reporter for the The Wall Street Journal, moves to Paris and finds that French children eat gourmet meals, are extremely well-behaved and that their parents are relaxed with an 'easy, calm authority' with their children.

I think my parenting philosophy is similar. I want to have a strong relationship with my little monkey -- one that is based on trust and mutual respect.

When my husband and I became parents, we decided we would include our baby in the things that we enjoy like eating out and traveling. We don't want to feel restricted by having a little baby in tow. Our thinking is that if we expose Monkey to new experiences and environments, he will be adaptable and will be eager to take on new experiences of his own. So far, so good. Monkey is an amazing traveling companion and we've come to appreciate dining with the other early birds.

(Photo via HiP Paris Blog)

CLASSIC LITERATURE FOR BABY

I came across these BabyLit board books at Valhalla, a local card and gift shop along Queen Street West. What a fun way to share the love of reading with your little one.

BOOK CLUB: THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA

I'm in a book club with two of my guy friends. We used to work together and it started out that we'd meet up every month to chat aimlessly over beer. Our conversations always went back to what books we'd read and what movies we'd seen. So, we started a little book club.

This month we read The Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams and we're going to see the play tonight at the Hart House. I had a hard time connecting with, and believing in, the characters so I'm eager to see if seeing the play unfold on stage will change that.