Tag: Non-fiction

Canada Reads 2022 Contenders

The debates will take place March 28-31, 2022 and I will attempt to read and review each book prior to.

Gosh, I am behind on literally everything! Talk about serious pandemic fatigue, Hong Kong is nuts right now. Anyways, we have Canada Reads to look forward to! The theme this year is, what is the one book all of Canada should read? Here are this year’s contenders.

The debates will take place March 28-31, 2022 and I will attempt to read and review each book prior to. The debates will be hosted by Ali Hassan and will be broadcast on CBC Radio One, CBC Listen, CBC TV, CBC Gem and on CBC Books. 

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.”

2/5 stars.
ebook, 309 pages.
DNF 50%: July 13, 2021 – August 1, 2021

I’m going to keep this review brief because I was severely underwhelmed and bored by this book. I did give it a good go though as I made it about halfway through before throwing in the towel.

Part of the reason for my feelings on this book is that all of the content in it already feels familiar. I know that when this book was first published it was absolutely groundbreaking, meaning I’m a bit late to the party in reading this. I was working at a bookstore when it first came out in 2008 and I recall how popular it was. Since then the stats in this book have been used and referenced many, many times since then creating a sense of familiarity for me, despite having not read it before. It also doesn’t help that I never read business or success-related books because I don’t find them appealing or interesting, however, this was a book club selection and I’m committed to my club, ya know? So, the lack of general interest and sense of familiarity created a DNF for me.

The leader of this discussion in our book club was so passionate about this book that it made up for some of the boredom I experienced reading it. There are definitely some intriguing stories and statistics in here so I can appreciate the appeal of this novel if you are business-minded and enjoy books of this nature. This, however, was not a book for me.

Blankets by Craig Thompson

“We experience a discomfort that may be foreign to others, but that pain opens up a world of beauty. Wouldn’t you think?”

5/5 stars.
Paperback, 592 pages.
Read from June 21, 2021 to June 22, 2021.

Childhood and youth are often reflected on with nostalgia as we age, even for those who have had difficult upbringings. Craig Thompson’s Blankets is a coming of age story in which he reflects on his youth with reverence, sadness, longing, and regret.

Craig grew up in Wisconsin in a strict Christian household with his parents and younger brother. Craig and his brother grew up like a lot of brothers do, a mix of roughhousing, shenanigans, and rivalry but as Craig gets older he comes to some harsh realisations about the abuse that occurred in within family, a weight that he still carries. As Craig enters his teenage years he is an awkward youth who has yet to find his place among his peers. During a stint at a Christian camp for teens, he meets a curious and intriguing young woman named Raina. As Craig and Raina get to know each other, their blossoming love is beautifully described with all the familiar intensity of a teen relationship, both sexually and emotionally. However, Raina comes from her own troubled home and while the two of them maintain a long-distance relationship, their home and family lives make it difficult to maintain. Craig’s relationship with also God begins to change, as he questions and grapples with the experiences and discussions he has with Raina.

The artwork colour scheme used by the author creates a perfect dream-like tone and mimics the blustery winter weather of Wisconsin as well as the fondness and frustration of being a teenager. Craig’s work is insightful, poetic, honest, and highly relatable. The story itself doesn’t feel tragic, though it has elements of tragedy, instead, it’s Craig’s matter-of-fact recollection of times gone and of moments of love, growth, and regret that he still holds close to his heart.

At first glance, this novel may look intimidatingly large but its content and beautiful imagery is devour-worthy and makes for a quick and pleasurable read. A highly recommended read to graphic novel lovers or for those looking to enter the genre.

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