Another possibility for next year's book!!
Zoe Whitall - Holding still for as long as possible.
In this robust, scruffy, elegantly plotted, and ultimately life-affirming novel, rising star Zoe Whittall presents a dazzling portrait of a generation we’ve rarely seen in literature — the 25-year-olds who grew up on anti-anxiety meds, text-messaging each other truncated emotional reactions, unsure of what’s public and what’s private. With this extraordinary novel — which offers a thrillingly detailed inside look at the work of paramedics, devastating insight into anxiety disorders, and entertaining celebrity gossip — Zoe Whittall fulfills the promise of her acclaimed first novel, Bottle Rocket Hearts, and proves herself as one of our most talented younger writers.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Next year's book
We are now in the process of choosing the book for next year! Tell us what you think. Which book would you like to read? Please comment!
We are considering:
1. Ottawa writer Rick Mofina and his book Panic Zone, due to come out in June 2010. This is the second in a series (after Vengeance Road) and is a fast paced thriller.
"The Panic Zone is a headlong rush toward Armageddon. It's brisk pace and tight focus remind me of early Michael Crichton."
Dean Koontz #1 New York Times bestselling author.
2. Ottawa writer Phil Jenkins and his book River Song which is a non-fiction book about the history of the St Lawrence River, told in a narrative and personal style.
He was the winner of the Ottawa Citizen Award for Non-Fiction and Winner of the Canadian Authors Association Lela Common Award for Non-Fiction
3. Drew Hayden Taylor and his book Motorcyles and Sweetgrass. It is a story of magic, family, a mysterious stranger . . . and a band of marauding raccoons.
“Drew Hayden Taylor has woven an epic tale of magic, mystery and charm for the world to discover in Motorcycles & Sweetgrass. This is a novel to savor. A complete delight!”— Richard Van Camp, author of The Moon of Letting Go and The Lesser Blessed
4. Ottawa author and winner of the Ottawa Book Award for 2009, Andrew Steinmetz and his book Eva's threepenny theater which tells the story of his great-aunt Eva who performed in the first workshop production of Bertolt Brecht’s masterpiece The Threepenny Opera, in 1928.
5. Tom Henighan's book due out in July 2010 entitled Nightshade.
Deadly nightshade - the poison plant par excellence … and in historic Quebec City at an important scientific conference concerning the genetic manipulation of trees it means murder!
Police, RCMP, and a mysterious FBI agent from Washington converge on the scene. But the sharpest eye belongs to Sam Montcalm, a despised "bedroom snooper" from Ottawa whose primary concern is to clear a First Nations activist of the crime. Sam is middle-aged, tough, and sophisticated, with a taste for classical music and serious art. Yet he's also a lone wolf who feels displaced nearly everywhere, and his relations with his colleagues, the police - and with women - are always complicated. "You're a psychic wound without a health card," a friend comments.
The story moves to its surprising climax as Montcalm follows the trail of murder back to Canada's capital and into the Gatineau Hills, his deep sense of cynicism about human nature confirmed as he closes in on the killer and struggles to come to terms with himself.
Tom Henighan is an Ottawa writer and editor. His fiction includes The Well of Time, shortlisted for the Seal Books First Novel Award; Mercury Man, shortlisted for the Red Maple Award; Viking Quest and Viking Terror, the latter shortlisted for the City of Ottawa Fiction Prize, and Doom Lake Holiday, a teen mystery set in Ontario's Rideau Lakes.
We are considering:
1. Ottawa writer Rick Mofina and his book Panic Zone, due to come out in June 2010. This is the second in a series (after Vengeance Road) and is a fast paced thriller.
"The Panic Zone is a headlong rush toward Armageddon. It's brisk pace and tight focus remind me of early Michael Crichton."
Dean Koontz #1 New York Times bestselling author.
2. Ottawa writer Phil Jenkins and his book River Song which is a non-fiction book about the history of the St Lawrence River, told in a narrative and personal style.
He was the winner of the Ottawa Citizen Award for Non-Fiction and Winner of the Canadian Authors Association Lela Common Award for Non-Fiction
3. Drew Hayden Taylor and his book Motorcyles and Sweetgrass. It is a story of magic, family, a mysterious stranger . . . and a band of marauding raccoons.
“Drew Hayden Taylor has woven an epic tale of magic, mystery and charm for the world to discover in Motorcycles & Sweetgrass. This is a novel to savor. A complete delight!”— Richard Van Camp, author of The Moon of Letting Go and The Lesser Blessed
4. Ottawa author and winner of the Ottawa Book Award for 2009, Andrew Steinmetz and his book Eva's threepenny theater which tells the story of his great-aunt Eva who performed in the first workshop production of Bertolt Brecht’s masterpiece The Threepenny Opera, in 1928.
5. Tom Henighan's book due out in July 2010 entitled Nightshade.
Deadly nightshade - the poison plant par excellence … and in historic Quebec City at an important scientific conference concerning the genetic manipulation of trees it means murder!
Police, RCMP, and a mysterious FBI agent from Washington converge on the scene. But the sharpest eye belongs to Sam Montcalm, a despised "bedroom snooper" from Ottawa whose primary concern is to clear a First Nations activist of the crime. Sam is middle-aged, tough, and sophisticated, with a taste for classical music and serious art. Yet he's also a lone wolf who feels displaced nearly everywhere, and his relations with his colleagues, the police - and with women - are always complicated. "You're a psychic wound without a health card," a friend comments.
The story moves to its surprising climax as Montcalm follows the trail of murder back to Canada's capital and into the Gatineau Hills, his deep sense of cynicism about human nature confirmed as he closes in on the killer and struggles to come to terms with himself.
Tom Henighan is an Ottawa writer and editor. His fiction includes The Well of Time, shortlisted for the Seal Books First Novel Award; Mercury Man, shortlisted for the Red Maple Award; Viking Quest and Viking Terror, the latter shortlisted for the City of Ottawa Fiction Prize, and Doom Lake Holiday, a teen mystery set in Ontario's Rideau Lakes.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
I noticed that I had posted Chapter 18's questions before posting Chapters 15, 16 and 17. Therefore, I'm going to back up a bit. Here are the questions for Chapters 15 and 16, both talking about music:
Chapter 15 – Listen to “Hurt” by Johnny Cash at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go . Do you agree or disagree that it is “sooo mournful” and “let’s [listeners] release [their] grief in small, beautiful doses”? Do you think it is realistic that fans of Nine Inch Nails (who, incidentally, recorded “Hurt” before Cash) and Marilyn Manson could feel this way about a song recorded by Johnny Cash, mostly known for being a country and western singer?
Chapter 16 – Luke talks about dancing with his mother and says how “. . . the song . . . had somehow become her love for me.” What does this say about Luke’s relationship with his mother? Are you envious of Luke’s relationship with his mother?
Chapter 15 – Listen to “Hurt” by Johnny Cash at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go . Do you agree or disagree that it is “sooo mournful” and “let’s [listeners] release [their] grief in small, beautiful doses”? Do you think it is realistic that fans of Nine Inch Nails (who, incidentally, recorded “Hurt” before Cash) and Marilyn Manson could feel this way about a song recorded by Johnny Cash, mostly known for being a country and western singer?
Chapter 16 – Luke talks about dancing with his mother and says how “. . . the song . . . had somehow become her love for me.” What does this say about Luke’s relationship with his mother? Are you envious of Luke’s relationship with his mother?
Friday, January 15, 2010
Question for Chapter 18
This chapter's question is a two-part question:
1. Why do you think Luke purposely antagonized Mr. Tanner during their meeting?
2. What do you think of Mr. Tanner’s reaction to Luke’s behaviour in this meeting (have you ever had to deal with someone like Mr. Tanner)?
1. Why do you think Luke purposely antagonized Mr. Tanner during their meeting?
2. What do you think of Mr. Tanner’s reaction to Luke’s behaviour in this meeting (have you ever had to deal with someone like Mr. Tanner)?
Monday, January 4, 2010
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Chapter 14 Question
Clearly, Fang has had an unhappy childhood. Does this justify his experimenting with so many different drugs? Do you know anyone who has done this type of drug experimentation; if so, what were his/her results?
Chapter 12 Question
Have you ever been in a situation like Luke’s: in a closed-in space with someone you really like? If so, how did you handle it? If not, what do you think you would have done in Luke’s situation?
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