Red Fern Book Review: Recent Episodes
Amy Mair
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This episode wraps up my series featuring the 2024 Canadian Book Club Award winners. I sit down with two children’s book authors, a YA author, and an anthology author for a wide-ranging conversation about cats, creativity, and the power of books to make us feel less alone. I also share the origin story of the Red Fern Book Review name and discover how early reading experiences sparked a lifelong love of storytelling in each of us.
Books discussed:
awfully hilarious: period pieces by Heather Hendrie
The Quiet Limit by Trista Lundquist
My S's Are Messes by Sherry McMillan
Secrets of the Under-Under World: Water by P.S. Whatever
About The Canadian Book Club Awards:
- Canada's largest reader's choice awards
- Open to all authors, regardless of publishing type (self published, hybrid, traditional)
- Readers just want good books!
- Submissions for the 2025 awards are open
- Sign up to be a verified reader and help select 2025 finalists books
Follow Heather:
Website: https://awfullyhilarious.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awfullyhilarious
Follow Trista:
Website: https://www.tristalundquist.ca/#/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/by.tristalundquist/
Follow Sherry:
Website: https://sherrymcmillan.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherry_mcmillan_writes/
Follow P.S. Whatever:
Website: https://www.underunderworld.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/underunderworldbooks/?hl=en
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
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I had the chance to talk with four of the 2024 Canadian Book Club Award Winner about the writing and publishing process. We talk titles, character development and backstory. Each of the authors has written in a different genre, which made for a compelling discussion. Our conversation was far-reaching—from sex parties and trips to Mars to roadkill and stately homes.
Books discussed:
Love Ad Lib by Evie Alexander
Fortune Favors the Dead by Susan Jane Wright
What the Living Do by Susan E. Wadds
Ares by Jayson Adams
About The Canadian Book Club Awards:
- Canada's largest reader's choice awards
- Open to all authors, regardless of publishing type (self published, hybrid, traditional)
- Readers just want good books!
- Submissions for the 2025 awards are open
- Sign up to be a verified reader and help select 2025 finalists books
Follow the Canadian Book Club Awards:
Instagram: @thecanadianbookclubawards
Website: canadianbookclubawards.ca
Follow the Authors:
Evie Alexander
Website: eviealexanderauthor.com
Instagram: @eviealexanderauthor
Susan Jane Wright
Website: susanjanewright.ca
Instagram: @susanjjwright
Susan E. Wadds
Website: writeyourwayin.ca
Jayson Adams
Website: jaysonadams.com
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
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I was thrilled to join The TallMikeWine Podcast for the third time to talk about two of my favourite things: reading and wine! We chatted about perfect summer reads, and I even got a mini wine education—turns out there's more to wine than just red and white. Ever heard of orange wine? Tune in for book recs, wine talk, and lots of laughs.
Wines discussed:
2024 Saintly, The Good Rose , British Columbia
2020 Tolaini Cabernet Sauvignon, "Legit", IGT Toscana
Books discussed:
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Table for Two by Amor Towles
Real Americans by Rachel Khong
Fortune Favors the Dead by Susan Jane Wright
Podcasts discussed:
Monica Lewinsky - Reclaiming
Fail Better with David Duchovny
Follow Mike Stone:
Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1435309
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tallmikewine/
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
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Oxford Professor of Law and AI Regulation Ignacio Cofone joins the podcast to talk about his book The Privacy Fallacy: Harm and Power in the Information Economy. Ignacio is a 2024 Canadian Book Club Awards Winner in the Non-Fiction/Education category. He talks about what we need to think about when we sign data consent forms and convinces me that computers are not overtaking the world anytime soon.
Books discussed:
The Privacy Fallacy: Harm and Power in the Information Economy
About The Canadian Book Club Awards:
- Canada's largest reader's choice awards
- Open to all authors, regardless of publishing type (self published, hybrid, traditional)
- Readers just want good books!
- Submissions for the 2025 awards are open
- Sign up to be a verified reader and help select 2025 finalists books
Follow the Canadian Book Club Awards:
Instagram: @thecanadianbookclubawards
Website: canadianbookclubawards.ca
Follow Ignacio:
ignaciocofone.com
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
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I had the opportunity to sit down with three recipients of The Canadian Book Club Awards and discuss vulnerability and accessibility in writing as well as explore what it means to be a Canadian author. This episode is part of a four part series on The 2024 Canadian Book Club Awards that will run throughout the summer.
Books discussed:
Output by Ben Sporer
Jane's Jam by Jane Enright
Still I Cannot Save You by Kelly S. Thompson
About The Canadian Book Club Awards:
- Canada's largest reader's choice awards
- Open to all authors, regardless of publishing type (self published, hybrid, traditional)
- Readers just want good books!
- Submissions for the 2025 awards are open
- Sign up to be a verified reader and help select 2025 finalists books
Follow the Canadian Book Club Awards:
Instagram: @thecanadianbookclubawards
Website: canadianbookclubawards.ca
Follow Ben:
Instagram: @outputbook
Follow Jane:
Instagram: @janeenright.author
Website: janeenrightauthor.com
Follow Kelly:
Instagram: @kellysthompsonwriter
Website: kellysthompson.com
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
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Friend and first time author Suzanne Scott Tomita joins the podcast to discuss her debut novel Until Even the Angels. Her book is the story of Mei Mei Goh, a domestic servant to the wealthy Hamilton family, and her unlikely friendship with her young mistress, Honour Hamilton, and the teenage gardner, Pashunath Roy. Set in 1950s Singapore and contemporary London, Until Even the Angels is part mystery, historical fiction, social commentary.
Suzanne has a PhD in Education from the University of British Columbia and completed The Writer's Studio Creative WRiting Certificate at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. She was born in Tunisia and raised in Venezuela, Germany, Indonesia, Canada and Australia. Her writing inclues personal essays on the topics of motherhood, mid-life and marriage, home and belonging.
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
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Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
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Fellow book nerd and special projects manager for Book Warehouse, Mary-Ann Yazedijan, joins the podcast to talk about her top reads for the holiday season. We discuss books new and old for holiday gift giving or your own TBR list.
Books discussed:
Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
The Life Impossible by Matt Haig
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife: A Novel by Anna Johnston
Follow Book Warehouse:
Instagram: @bookwarehousevancouver
Website: https://blackbondbooks.com/
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
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I drop by the recent Vancouver Writers Festival event and share insights on a panel discussion with three authors who specialize in writing about subterfuge and deceit. Ann Cleeves is a British mystery novelist known for perfecting the police procedural. Beverley McLachlin is the former chief justice of Canada who now pens legal thrillers and Nita Prose has is the master of the comedic, locked room mystery.
Book discussed:
The Long Call by Ann Cleeves
The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves
The Maid by Nita Prose
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose
Proof by Beverley McLachlin
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
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Book blogger Susan Matheson stops by the podcast to share her top picks for the fall season.
Books discussed:
Apeirogon by Colum McCann
The Trade Off by Samantha Green Woodruff
Absolution by Alice McDermott
Time of the Child by Niall Williams
The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen
Big in Sweden by Sally Franson
Follow Bedside Table Books:
Instagram: @bedside_table_books
Website: https://bedsidetablebooks.com/
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
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I discuss two hot memoirs of the fall season: Be Ready When Luck Happens: A Memoir by Ina Garten and Connie: A Memoir by Connie Chung. Both trace the trajectory of two strong, independent women who came of age during the 1960s and are leaders in their respective fields. Ina Garten is an American television cook author while Connie Chung is an American journalist who has been a news anchor and reporter for ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC.
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
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Debut novelist Scott Alexander Howard drops by the podcast to discuss his eerie literary work, The Other Valley. We discuss Ferrante, Atwood and the story behind the term speculative fiction.
The Other Valley tells the story of Odile, an awkward, quiet girl, vying for a coveted seat on the Conseil. If she earns a spot, she'll decide who may cross her town's heavily guarded border into the next valley over. There, it is the same valley and same town, but to the east, the town is 20 years ahead in time. To the west, its 20 years behind.
Scott holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of Toronto and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard where he studied the relationship between memory, emotion and literature.
Follow Scott Alexander Howard:
Website: scottalexanderhoward.com
Instagram: @scottalexanderhoward.com
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The New York Times has released their Top 100 Books of the 21st Century so far. I discuss.
Book discussed:
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishuguro
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
2666 by Roberto Bolano
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
The Known World by Edward P. Jones
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Warm of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Educated by Tara Westover
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
H is Hawk by Helen Macdonald
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
The Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen
Overstory by Richard Powers
There There by Tommy Orange
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Devil in the White by Erik Larson
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
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Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book blogger Susan Matheson is back with her picks for summer reading!
She has the perfect picks whether you are looking for quick summer read
Books discussed:
The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier
Sandwich by Catherine Newman
Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes
You Are Here by David Nicholls
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard
Follow Bedside Table Books:
Instagram: @bedside_table_books
Website: https://bedsidetablebooks.com/
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Hi Red Fern Listeners! I was recently lucky enough to be a return guest on The TallMikeWine Podcast and I wanted to share the episode with you. We discuss summer reading and red wine. Mike is a self-professed wine geek who creates fun, relatable conversations around wine. And did I mention that he is a former disc jockey?
Books discussed:
Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand
Long Island by Colm Toibin
The Women by Kristin Hannah
Wine discussed:
2021 Librandi "Segno" Cirò Rosso Classico
2015 Dovecote Syrah, Thompson Vineyard, Alisos Canyon, Santa Barbara
Follow Mike Stone
Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1435309
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tallmikewine/
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
I dive into two very long books that are also worth the investment. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray tells the story of a contemporary Irish family that has fallen on hard times and is full of secrets. Contemporary family saga Wellness by Nathan Hill is set in the suburbs of Chicago an explores the malaise of middle age marriage. It is also a send up on our preoccupation with the wellness industry. Both books have deep character backstories and are considered tragicomic novels.
Books and resources discussed:One Day (2024), Netflix
Millionaire Matchmaker, Netflix
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
Wellness by Nathan Hill
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Blogger and author Kerry Clare joins the podcast to discuss her new book Asking for a Friend. It is a novel about intense female friendship and how key relationships created in our youth endure or break apart. We also chat about her blog Pickle Me This and her role as editor of the book recommendation site 49th Shelf. We wrap up with five hot books perfect for all the people on your holiday gift giving list.
Follow Kerry:Instagram: @kerryreads
Blog: Pickle Me This
Book Recommendation Site: 49th Shelf
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
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Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Lifestyle Instagrammer and best selling author Anna Kloots joins the podcast to discuss her new memoir My Own Magic. She talks about new beginnings in the face of divorce, her love of pumpkin pie, and of course, how to make your own magic.
Follow Anna:
Instagram: @annakloots
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
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A discussion of Ann Patchett's latest novel Tom Lake as well her memoir Truth & Beauty about her deep friendship with writer Lucy Grealy. Elin Hilderbrand's latest novel, The Five-Star Weekend, is also discussed.
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Award-winning Young Adult fiction novelist Pam Withers stops by the podcast to discuss her latest book Mountain Runaways. This fast-paced novel tells the story of the three kids, Jon, Korka and Aron, who lose their parents in an avalanche and decide to run away into the mountains and fend for themselves until the oldest sibling, Jon, turns 18 and can become their legal guardian. They have to deal with illness, injury, wild animals and each other.
Pam talks about why YA fiction has such crossover appeal and how to get boys to read. She has created the website www.yadudebooks.caas a resource for young male readers and is the author of Jump Starting Boys: Help Your Reluctant Reader Find Success in School and Life.
Follow Pam:
Instagram: @pamwithersauthor
Website: www.yadudebooks.ca
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
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Book blogger Susan Matheson returns to the podcast with her line up of must have fall reads. We also discuss a book that we both disagreed upon: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang.
Susan's Top Picks for Fall 2023The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok
The Class by Ken Dryden
A New Season by Terry Fallis
The Golden Gate by Amy Chua
A Clouded Leopard in the Middle of the Road by Darryl Jones
Talking at Night by Claire Deverley
Follow Bedside Table Books:
Instagram: @bedside_table_books
Website: https://bedsidetablebooks.com/
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
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Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Award-winning mystery writer Iona Whishaw drops by the podcast to discuss the latest book in her Lane Winslow mystery series. To Track a Traitor spans both world wars and is a tale of sibling rivalry, infidelity and espionage. Iona's backstory is just as compelling as her writing. Her books are inspired by the British Columbia town of her childhood and her mother's experience as a World War II spy. She talks about her journey to becoming a novelist and how the question "Why Not Me?" gave her the conviction to pursue her dreams in her 60s.
Follow Iona Whishaw:
Website: https://ionawhishaw.ca
Instagram: @ionawhisawauthor
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Amy kicks off Season Four of the podcast with a discussion of the literary novel The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt and the memoir You Could Make This Place Beautiful by poet Maggie Smith. The Librarianist is the story of retired librarian Bob Comet. Hoping to fill a void in his life, he volunteers at a senior's centre. Amid a community of strange peers, Bob reflects on his past and his character is revealed. You Could Make This Place Beautiful is a firsthand account about the breakdown of a marriage and the rebirth of a person. Told through gorgeous prose, the memoir is sad, funny and hopeful. Amy also discusses the Netflix comedy Fisk and the podcast I've Had It.
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
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Hi Red Fern Listeners! I was recently a guest on a fabulous wine podcast called The TallMikeWine Podcast. Host Mike Stone and I talk about, what else, but books and wine. I offer up a mini summer reading list and Mike explains how he comes up with all those wine adjectives. Mike is a self-professed wine geek who creates fun, relatable conversations around wine. And did I mention that he is a former disc jockey? Enjoy, and I will be back in the fall with a new lineup.
Follow Mike Stone
Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1435309
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tallmikewine/
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Instagram: @redfernbookreview
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Book blogger Susan Matheson stops by the podcast to talk about her favourite reads for summer. Her selections range from a cozy mystery to a contemporary memoir.
Books and Resources discussed:
Go as a River by Shelley Read
The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bingley
Darling by India Knight
The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict
The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford
The House of Lincoln by Nancy Horan
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
March by Geraldine Brooks
The African Samurai by Craig Shreve
One Night in Mississippi by Craig Shreve
Follow Bedside Table Books:
Instagram: @bedside_table_books
Website: https://bedsidetablebooks.com/
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
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Amy and Geoff review the popular fiction novel Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson and literary fiction novel Ghost Music by An Yu. Pineapple Street is a bird's eye view into the moneyed Brooklyn Heights family The Stocktons. Sasha, a middle-class New England girl, marries into the family and tries to find her way. Set in Beijing, Ghost Music is a quiet book that examines the sad life of retired concert pianist Song Yan. A mysterious parcel of mushrooms begins arriving at her door each week and suddenly her life changes. Geoff also talks about his third failed attempt at reading Cormac McCarthy.
Books and Resources discussed:
The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy
Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
Ghost Music by An Yu
Braised Pork by An Yu
Wiser than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, podcast
The Diplomat, Netflix
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website and to leave a voicemail: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
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Retired English Professor Dr. Mason Harris drops by the podcast to discuss one of his favourite books Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This book combines elements of Gothic, Horror and Romantic literature. Dr. Harris delves in to Shelley's scandalous background and draws parallels between the Romantics and 1960s radicalism.
Books and Resources discussed:
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
Listen to my episode on the Villa here: The Age of Vice and The Villa, Season 3, Episode 15.
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We review two of the buzziest books of early 2023: Fast-paced gangster novel set in India Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor and friendship travel story/thriller with Daisy Jones and the Six (by Taylor Jenkins Reid) vibes The Villa by Rachel Hawkins. Age of Vice is a contemporary novel set in India. It is equal parts thriller and family saga and centres around the Wadia crime family. The book is about gangsters, lovers, false friendships, forbidden romance and corruption. The Villa is a classic beach and escapist read. It is popular fiction with backstory and a bit of a bite.
Books and resources discussed:
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
Party Down, Crave
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
Shantaram, Apple Plus
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We review one of our favourite books of last year Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin as well as This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is the story of three friends Sadie, Sam and Marx and their foray into the video gaming industry. It is a campus novel as well as a look at video gaming as high art. This Time Tomorrow is a fun, nostalgic read with the main character, Alice, travelling back in time to the '90s. The book is a look at father/daughter relationships and a love letter to the '90s. It answers the question: Would you change the past if you could?
Books and Resources Discussed:
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Last of Us (Netflix)
Shrinking (Apple Plus)
Only Murders in the Buliding (Disney Plus)
Check out our episode on the Midnight Library here:
The Midnight Library, Klara and the Sun and Hamnet, Season 1, Episode 13
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Author Cedar Bowers joins the podcast to discuss her 2021 debut novel Astra. The book follows the life of a young woman who is born on a B.C. commune from the perspective of 10 different people. Cedar discusses life growing up in a remote community, the failed promise of the back-to-the land movement and if we can ever really know somebody.
Books and Resources discussed:
Astra by Cedar Bowers
A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt
The Island of Forgetting by Jasmine Sealy
We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies by Tsering Yangzom Lama
The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence
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I review two novels by current Canadian literary stars Emily St. John Mandel and Heather O'Neill. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel is a science fiction novel about art, time, travel, love and plague that takes readers from 1912 Vancouver Island to a dark colony of the moon 500 years later.The author also incorporates references to her earlier award-winning novels Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel.
When We Lost Our Heads by Heather O'Neill is a historical fiction, satirical novel about 19th-century Montreal. It takes readers into the brutality of factory life and the opulent lives of Montreal’s wealthy while exploring sex, desire and class. Books and Resources Discussed:
Significant Others, podcast
Borgen, Netflix
Dicte, Prime Video
Sea Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
When We Lost Our Heads by Heather O'Neill
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Station Eleven, HBO
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Heavenly Creatures, movie (1994)
The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay
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Vancouver author Jen Sookfong Lee joins the podcast to talk about her latest book Superfan. Jen uses her lifelong obsession with pop culture as a lens to explore family, grief, the power of female rage, Asian fetish, and what it costs to resist the trap of being a “good Chinese girl.” I pines over Andrew McCarthy and Jen muses over whether Kanye West will get a second chance in the court of public opinion.
Listen to a previous interview with Jen here:
The Shadow List, Season 2, Episode 8
Books and Resources discussed:
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
The White Lotus, HBO
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Superfan by Jen Sookfong Lee
The End of East by Jen Sookfong Lee
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Fantasy Fiction lover turned historian David Gates is back on the podcast to discuss two English history books: The White Ship by Princess Diana's brother Charles Spencer and The Splendid and the Vile by journalist Erik Larson. The White Ship is an examination of the 1120 shipwreck that threw the future of the crown into question. The Splendid and the Vile is a riveting account of Winston Churchill and his first year in office when he is trying to keep the Germans at bay and get the Americans in his back pocket. Larson uses primary source documents to construct a very readable non fiction story that reads like a thriller.
Books and Resources Discussed:
The White Ship by Charles Spencer
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Mcintyre
A Spy Among Friends by Ben Mcintyre
Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle by Ben Mcintyre
Check out a previous episode with David:
The Kingdoms, Season 2, Episode 7
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My dear friend Alison Schmelke joins the podcast, perhaps a bit reluctantly, and together we interview our idol author and blogger Catherine Newman. We reminisce about Catherine's column Ben & Birdy and how it got us through the early days of parenthood. Catherine discusses her poignant, hilarious and nostalgic novel, We All Want Impossible Things. It is the story about two best friends Edi and Ash and Edi's last days in hospice.
Follow Catherine Newman:
Instagram: @catherinewman
Website: catherinenewmanwriter
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Geoff and Amy's trip to Europe Part Two. They are back home and reflecting on their recent trip to Paris. They discuss four books set in the City of Light including one book that pushes the podcast's PG rating!
Books and Resources Discussed:Ticket to Paradise, movie 2022
Earful Tower https://theearfultower.com/
Marie Antoinette, movie 2006
Henry and June by Anaïs Nin
Murder in Clichy by Cara Black
Jacqueline in Paris: A Novel by Ann Mah
The Margot Affair (debut novel) by Sanaë Lemoine
Atonement by Ian McEwan
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Amy and Geoff discuss their trip to Amsterdam and review books and movies set in this gorgeous, progressive city. Tulip Fever is a historical novel set in 17th-century Amsterdam during the rise of tulip trade. The Dinner is a contemporary domestic thriller that takes place over the course of one meal at a high-end restaurant.
Books and Resources discussed:
Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach
Tulip Fever, movie 2017
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
The Dinner by Herman Koch
The Dinner, movie 2017
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Author Chelene Knight joins the podcast to discuss her debut novel Junie. The book is set in Hogan's Alley, the once thriving Black and immigrant community located in Vancouver's East End. Junie is a creative, observant child who moves to the alley with her mother Maddie who is an aspiring jazz singer and alcoholic. Chelene discusses Black Joy, Black stereotypes and how the quiet, introspective Junie is a stereotype busting character. Junie is part of the Red Fern Book Review's latest book subscription box with Book Warehouse.
Books and resources discussed:
Junie by Chelene Knight
Braided Skin by Chelene Knight
Dear Current Occupant by Chelene Knight
Hogan's Alley, Vancouver Historical Society
For more information on Chelene Knight:
Website: https://cheleneknight.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nourishing.word/
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Book Subscription Box: Holiday 2022 Junie Book Box
The summer may be over but British Columbia treasure Grant Lawrence visits the podcast to discuss his latest book Return to Solitude about life in Desolation Sound.
It's been over a decade since renowned broadcaster and indie rock musician Grant Lawrence launched his writing career with the award-winning Adventures in Solitude, yet some things never change - including the winding Sunshine Coast Highway, close calls at the BC Ferries ticket office and carsick children. But this time, Lawrence returns as a husband and father, not as the vomiting and nerdy kid dragged along by his athletic and unflappable parents.
Grant shares how to get Wi-Fi in Desolation Sound and what people from Savary Island actually think of him.
Adventures in Solitude by Grant Lawrence
Return to Solitude by Grant Lawrence
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Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Summer/Fall Book Box
Follow Grant Lawrence:Instagram: @grantlawrencebc
Susan Matheson of Bedside Table Books discusses her top reads of the fall season. Amy and Susan talk about how to match books with your travels
Books and Resources Discussed
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach
Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
The Snow Goose: A Story of Dunkirk by Paul Gallico
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico
Eiffel, Movie Netflix
To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin
The Mutual Friend by Carter Bays
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
All The Lonely People by Mike Gayle
The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
We are the Light by Matthew Quick
Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman
Bittersweet by Susan Cain
Quiet by Susan Cain
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Follow Bedside Table Books:
Instagram: @bedside_table_books
Website: https://bedsidetablebooks.com/
Wildfire Lookout Trina Moyles joins the podcast to talk about her memoir Lookout: Love, Solitude and Searching for Wildfire in the Boreal Forest. She joins direct from her remote lookout tower in Northern Alberta. Lookout is a book about isolation, the environment, wildlife and love. The book has been compared the book to Wild by Cheryl Strayed.
Trina and Amy are interrupted by the weather report and Trina explains how sometimes you can feel more connected when you are alone.
Lookout is just out in paperback and Trina has been awarded the 2022 Alberta Literary Award for Best Memoir. Most importantly, it is part of the latest Red Fern Book Review Book Box with Book Warehouse.
Books and Resources Discussed:
Lookout: Love, Solitude and Searching for Wildfire in the Boreal Forest by Trina Moyles
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
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Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Summer/Fall Book Box
Follow Trina Moyles:Website: http://www.trinamoyles.com/Instagram: @trinariannemoyles
Friend and music teacher Cynthia Friesen returns to the podcast to discuss two books by French authors: Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin and Painting Time by Maylis de Kerangal. We discuss the art of translation and whether decorative art is an art or a science. Cynthia pulls up to the piano and plays a song.
Listen to my previous episode with CynthiaThe Prague Sonata, Season 1, Episode 14
Books and Resources Discussed
The Prague Sonata by Bradford Morrow
Duo Lingo app
Painting Time by Maylis de Kerangal
Mend the Living by Maylis de Kerangal
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin
Birth of a Bridge by Maylis de Kerangal
The Cook: A Novel by Maylis de Kerangal
Three by Valérie Perrin
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Summer/Fall Book Box
Season 3 of the Red Fern Book Review kicks off with a review of one of the biggest books of the year: The Candy House by Jennifer Egan. Geoff is back on the podcast with a new job title. Amy and Geoff decide whether or not The Candy House is sci fi and if it surpasses the book's precursor: A Visit from the Goon Squad.
Books and Resources Discussed:
The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
Dog (2022), Apple TV
Casual (2015), Netflix
Julia (2022) HBO
Julia (2022) CNN
My Life in France by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
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Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Summer/Fall Book Box
Book Blogger Susan Matheson is back to discuss her top picks to stuff in your beach bag this summer. Her selections range from frothy to serious. Amy and Susan discuss the power of book cover art.
Books and Resources Discussed:
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Evening by Susan Minot
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
You Had Me at Pet-Nat: A Natural Wine-Soaked Memoir by Rachel Signer
Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee
Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl
The Measure of My Powers: A Memoir of Food, Misery, and Paris by Jackie Kai Ellis
Letter to a Stranger: Essays to the Ones Who Haunt Us by Colleen Kinder
We Measure Earth with Our Bodies by Tsering Yangzom Lama
Carolina Built: A Novel by Kianna Alexander
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
March by Geraldine Brooks
Left on Tenth by Delia Ephron
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Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Follow Bedside Table Books:
Instagram: @bedside_table_books
Website: https://bedsidetablebooks.com/
Poet Samantha Reynolds is on the podcast to talk about her practice of writing one poem a day. And that isn't even her day job! We talk parenting, observation, what to share and not share. Sam even fits in a reading or two.
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Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Follow Sam:Website: https://bentlily.com/
Instagram: @bentlily
Bookstagrammer Danielle Peters joins the podcast to talk about her favourite genre: thrillers. Danielle reviews Rock Paper Scissors and Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney, reveals what she looks for in a suspense novel and how she incorporates reading into her everyday life.
Books and Resources Discussed:
The River at Night by Erica Ferencik
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Things We Do in the Dark Jennifer Hillier
The Arc: A Novel by Tory Henwood Hoen
Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson
Still Life by Sarah Winman
The Ballerinas: A Novel by Rachel Kapelke-Dale
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Follow Red Fern Book Review:
Website: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Follow Danielle Peters:
Instagram: @deebibliophilia
Affiliate LinksI participate in affiliate marketing programs where I receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on my website. Your cost remains unchanged. Thank you for supporting Red Fern Book Review by clicking on these links to make your purchases!
Photographer and friend Brian McConville is back on the podcast to talk about books and captivity. Amy and Brian discuss Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart. Set in the rolling hills of upstate New York, this satirical novel focuses on a group of friends who gather in a country house to wait out the pandemic. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is also discussed. This beloved, modern classic novel tells the story of a band of gun-wielding terrorists and a group of international guests who forge unexpected bonds. Amy helps Brian come up with a new book to break out of his reading rut.
Books and resources discussed:
Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Vivian Maier Developed: The Untold Story of the Photographer Nanny by Ann Marks
The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
The Storyteller: Tales of the Life and Music by Dave Grohl
Listen to a previous episode with Brian:
Season 1, Episode 2, Night Moves
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Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Follow Brian:
brianmcconville.photography.com
@mcconguy
Amy's resident artsy friend Myriam is back on the podcast. This time the topic is screenplays as literature. A screenplay is a cross between a book and a play. Unlike a favourite book, Myriam says that reading a screenplay is complement to watching a movie. Amy and Myriam both agree that reading about harder topics like fights and violence can be easier to read than watch on the Big Screen.
Books and Resources discussed:
Mend the Living (The Heart) by Maylis de Kerangal
Lost in Translation, movie (2003), written and directed by Sofia Coppola
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, movie (2019), written and directed by Quentin Tarantino
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, book by Quentin Tarantino
CODA, movie (2021), directed by Sian Heder
Fargo, movie (1996), written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
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Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Further recommendations from Myriam Beague:Collected Screenplays 1 by Ethan and Joel Coen
The Screen-writer's workbook by Syd Field
The Before Trilogy screenplays by Richard Linklater
Jules and Jim by Francois Truffaut
Day for Night by Roger Crittenden
Final Draft, Screenwriting Software
Best selling author Susan Juby is on the podcast to talk about her delightful murder mystery Mindful of Murder. The novel features Helen Thorpe as a smart, preternaturally calm and insightful butler who uses her sleuthing skills to unravel the mystery of the death of her former employer. Susan talks about the joys of owning her first Instant Pot and how her British Columbian upbringing informs her writing. Mindful of Murder is part of the Red Fern Book Review book subscription box.
Books and Resources Discussed:
Mindful of Murder by Susan Juby
The Woefield Poultry Collective (Home to Woefield) by Susan JubyAlice, I Think by Susan Juby
Nice Recovery by Susan Juby
Republic of Dirt: Return to Woefield by Susan Juby
Me Three by Susan Juby
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Follow Susan Juby:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanjuby
Website: https://susanjuby.com/
Amy interviews bestselling author Katherine Heiny about her hilarious, big-hearted novel Early Morning Riser. The book features a cast of lovable characters in a small town whose lives are forever changed after an accident. Katherine talks about literary influences from Anne Tyler and Stephen King and relives her 20s when she one day wore a bridesmaid dress to work.
Books and Resources discussed:
Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny
Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny
Single, Carefree, Mellow by Katherine Heiny
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
Strawberry Spring, podcast
Heartburn by Nora Ephron
Early Morning Riser, song by Deb Talan, Steve Tannen and The Wheepies
Misery by Stephen King
On Writing by Stephen King
Succession, HBO
Insecure, HBO
Murder in Illinois, podcast
Brood by Jackie Polzin
Tig and Cheryl: True Story, podcast
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Website: https://www.redfernbookreview.com
Instagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Affiliate LinksI participate in affiliate marketing programs where I receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on my website. Your cost remains unchanged. Thank you for supporting Red Fern Book Review by clicking on these links to make your purchases!
Geoff is in the house to discuss one of his favourite authors, Mr. Difficult himself, Jonathan Franzen. Franzen's latest book, Crossroads, is discussed. Set in the 1970s, this book is the story of a Midwestern family at a pivotal moment of moral crisis. Amy and Geoff also discuss Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan. This poignant and at times fun book looks at a group of lifelong friends as they set out for the concert of their lives. It is story of male friendship and what it means to grow up.
Books and Resources discussed:
The Alpinist, Amazon Prime
Mr. Difficult, podcast
Mayflies by Andrew O’Hagan
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
Purity by Jonathan Franzen
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Affiliate Links
I participate in affiliate marketing programs where I receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on my website. Your cost remains unchanged. Thank you for supporting Red Fern Book Review by clicking on these links to make your purchases!
Three magical realism novels, The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki, Parakeet by Marie-Helene Bertino and Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, are reviewed.
Books and Resources Discussed:
Only Murders in the Building, Hulu and Disney+
Everything is Alive, podcast
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki
Parakeet by Marie-Helene Bertino
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
Follow Red Fern Book Review:
Website: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Affiliate Links
I participate in affiliate marketing programs where I receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on my website. Your cost remains unchanged. Thank you for supporting Red Fern Book Review by clicking on these links to make your purchases!
Fantasy Fiction aficionado and Instagram mixologist Jeanette Bruce joins Red Fern to discuss fantasy fiction and a classic thriller. The Starless Sea is a luminous fantasy novel heavy on imagery and lighter on world building. The Shadow of the Wind is a timeless, modern classic set in Barcelona about a young man who owns a copy of a rare book at his own peril. Jeanette and Amy discuss cocktails and tea, what constitutes a fantasy novel and the role of women in The Shadow of the Wind.
Books and Resources discussed:
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Greenwood by Michael Christie
Follow Red Fern Book Review:
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Newsletter: https://redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Follow Jeanette Bruce:
Instagram: @liljables
To read Jeanette's book reviews: Armchair Books
Info on the next Whistler Community Book Club, April 25 at 7 p.m.: Greenwood
To hear another Red Fern podcast episode with Jeanette click here:
Short Stories and Fantasy Fiction
Affiliate Links
I participate in affiliate marketing programs where I receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on my website. Your cost remains unchanged. Thank you for supporting Red Fern Book Review by clicking on these links to make your purchases!
Historical novel The Mystery of Mrs. Christieby Marie Benedict delves into the mysterious, real-life disappearance of Agatha Christie. I compare this novel to Christie’s first book The Mysterious Affair at Styles. It's been over 100 years since the mystery queen penned her first book but it is a page turner.
Books and Resources discussed:
The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
Mindful of Murder by Susan Juby
CODA (2021), movie
Mystic Pizza (1988), movie
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Curtain by Agatha Christie
Agatha (1979), movie
The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://www.redfernbookreview.com/newsletter
Book Subscription Box: The Red Fern Book Review Spring Book Box
Affiliate LinksI participate in affiliate marketing programs where I receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on my website. Your cost remains unchanged. Thank you for supporting Red Fern Book Review by clicking on these links to make your purchases!
Women and Literature expert Reema Faris is back to look at contemporary romance fiction and adaptations. Reema and Amy discuss the continued proliferation of romance fiction and if there is such a thing as one true love.
Books and Resources discussed:
Bridgerton, Netlix
The Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn
Dune (2021), movie
The Wheel of Time, Amazon Prime
The Bennett Women by Eden Appiah-Kubi
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
The Soul of a Woman by Isabel Allende
Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb
Love Between the Covers (2015), Documentary
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Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Follow Reema Faris:Website:Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, Simon Fraser University
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SFU.GSWS/
Women and literature academic Reema Faris joins Red Fern to discuss the enduring popularity of romance fiction. In this first of a two-parts series, the history of romance novels is examined. Amy makes an argument for Hallmark Christmas movies.
Books and resources discussed:
A Natural History of the Romance Novel by Pamela Regis
Pamela by Samuel Richardson
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer
The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
Something Wonderful by Judith McNaught
Possession: A Romance by A.S. Byatt
Bridgerton, Netflix
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website: https://www.redfernbookreview.comInstagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Follow Reema Faris:Website:Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, Simon Fraser University
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SFU.GSWS/
Writer and academic Suzanne Scott drops by the podcast to discuss two books that inspire her as a writer. The Friend is an experimental book that Suzanne describes as a jazz piece riffing and improvising on the themes of suicide, writing and dogs. The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue is a gripping historical novel set during the Spanish Flu at a Dublin maternity hospital. Suzanne reveals how The Chair accurately captures an academic environment and The Secret Life of Writers podcast is a source of inspiration.
Books and Resources:
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donaghue
Room by Emma Donaghue
The Chair, Netflix
Country Girls by Edna O’Brien
Station Eleven by Emily St. John
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
The Secret Life of Writers, Podcast
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Herself: Reflections on a Writing Life by Madeleine L’Engle
The Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
A Bright Ray of Darkness by Ethan Hawke
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website: https://www.redfernbookreview.comInstagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Read Suzanne Scott's Writing:First Person, The Globe and Mail, February 12, 2018
How to Love and Support Your Alpha Wife
Facts & Arguments, The Globe and Mail, April 12, 2016As My Newly minted teen gazed over New York, I could only gaze on him
First Person, The Globe and Mail, October 6, 2021
What Does it Mean to Be a Middle-Aged Woman Today?
English teacher Liz Kelsey is back in the house to discuss David Copperfield. The most autobiographical of all of Dickens' works, David Copperfield is a blend of truth and fiction. The novel offers up an early example of the found or unconventional family as well as an array of eccentric characters who are very supportive and happy. There is also a clash in the representation of nasty predators and hyper caregivers that keeps the plot moving along.
Books and Resources discussed:
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Hard Times by Charles Dickens
Mol Flanders by Daniel Defoe
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defore
1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die by Peter Boxall
Native Son by Richard Wright
The Personal History of David Copperfield, Amazon Prime
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Friend and academic Liz Kelsey joins Amy in a two part episode on the classics. In the first episode Liz explores Jane Austen's lesser known work Lady Susan. The novella was was written when Jane was a teen and published after her death. It centres around the life of beautiful, racy widow Lady Susan Vernon who is often described as the most accomplished coquette in England. Liz explores why Jane Austen is so popular today and discusses modern print and movie adaptations that have contributed to the author's endurance in the literary canon. Next week, Liz and Amy will explore David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Lady Susan by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Sense & Sensibility by Joanna Trollope
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
Longbourn by Jo Baker
Love and Friendship, Amazon Prime
Clarissa by Samuel Richardson
Follow Red Fern Book Review:Website: https://www.redfernbookreview.comInstagram: @redfernbookreview
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/
Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Amy reviews two books focused on 20th-century women who broke barriers in their careers and personal lives. Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead is a historical novel centred around the lives of famed aviator Marian Graves. The Barbizon: The Hotel that Set Women Free by Paulina Bren is a social history of the world's most famous women's hotel. Located in Manhattan, the hotel has been the home to starlets, writers, models and secretaries.
Streaming show Why Women Kill on Amazon and novel Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown is also discussed.
Books and Resources discussed:
Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
Barbizon Hotel: The Hotel that Set Women Free by Paulina
Why Women Kill, Amazon Prime
Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Circling the Sun Paula McLain
The Bride’s Reference Book by the editors of Bride’s Magazine, 1956
West with the Night by Beryl Markham
Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead
Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead
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Happy New Year and welcome back to the Red Fern Book Review! Amy reviews two of the biggest books of 2021: Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews and Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty. Both are bestselling mysteries that are executed very differently. Who is Maud Dixon? is a clever thrill ride that combines an edgy whodunit reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith with the fun and accessibility of Sophie Kinsella. Apples Never Fall is the much anticipated novel by the author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers. The novel focuses on missing matriarch Joy Delaney, her four adult children, husband, and a mysterious houseguest.
Books and media discussed:
River Cafe Table 4, podcast
Tig and Cheryl: True Story, podcast
Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
Strangers on the Train by Patricia Highsmith
Strangers on the Train, movie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Casablanca, movie, directed by Michael Curitz
Remember Me? Sophie Kinsella
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Amy reviewed The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz in Season 2, Episode 3. To Listen to that episode click here: The Plot and When The Stars Go Dark
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Amy looks at two short story collections by well-known essayists and humourists Anne Lamott and David Sedaris. In Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage, Anne Lamott examines how to get joy and hope back in this crazy world. Her answer is a dash of spirituality and a lot of humour. The Best of Me is a greatest hits by quirky, impulsive, awkward and loveable writer David Sedaris. Also discussed, the political documentary Boys State and radio show/podcast This American Life.
Books and Resources Discussed:
Boys State, Apple TV
This American Life, Episode 165: Americans in Paris
Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage by Anne Lamott
Operating Instruction by Anne Lamott
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
The Best of Me by David Sedaris
At Home with Amy Sedaris
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
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Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Fellow bibliophile Lorraine Weir joins the podcast to talk about Vancouver Writers Festival event The Spectacular Complexity of Womanhood with authors Mona Awad, Zoe Whittall and Rachel Yoder. All three authors have written fresh, new novels borne out of their own life struggles. The books are also all anchored by strong female protagonists who also happen to be artists. Lorraine and Amy talk knitting, travel and book recommendations.
Books and resources discussed:
Into the Abyss by Carol Shaben
Ru by Kim Thuy
The Spectacular by Zoe Whittall
The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall
Schitt's Creek, Netflix
Bunny by Mona Awad
13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad
All's Well by Mona Awad
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
draft: the journal of process
The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Have you Seen Luis Velez? by Catherine Ryan Hyde
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Amy reviews two memoirs by childhood idols Billie Jean King and Andrew McCarthy. One person surpasses her expectations and the other does not. All In by Billie Jean King charts the iconic tennis player's rise from her working class roots to No. 1 tennis player and groundbreaking feminist.
Brat: An '80s story outlines the meteoric rise and fall of teen idol Andrew McCarthy. A bit of an unlikely hero, he struggled with his fame. He dishes about his co-stars, but perhaps not enough. Amy learns through it all that her teenage crush is in fact a mere mortal.
books and resources discussed:
Fresh Air by NPR, podcast
Atomic Marriage by Curtis Sittenfeld, Audible Originals
All In by Billie Jean King
Brat: An '80s Story
Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
Open by Andre Agassi
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Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Writer and poet Jen Sookfong Lee joins the podcast to discuss her debut poetry collection The Shadow List. Messy, raw and passionate Jen looks closely at women and desire. She reveals how poetry enables her to incorporate more of her true self into her writing and discusses her love of pop culture. She is a regular on CBC Radio One, a moderator for the Vancouver Writers Festival and has her own literary podcast Can't Lit.
Books and Resources discussed:
A Bright Ray of Darkness by Ethan Hawke
The Shadow List by Jen Sookfong Lee
The Conjoined by Jen Sookfong Lee
Superfan by Jen Sookfong Lee (to be released in fall of 2022)
By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept by Elizabeth Smart
A Dream of a Woman by Casey Plett
The Most Precious Substance on Earth by Sashi Bhat
Gutter Child by Jael Richardson
Probably Ruby by Lisa Bird-Wilson
Brat: An 80's Story by Andrew McCarthy
The White Lotus, HBO
Amy reviewed A Bright Ray of Darkness in Season 1, Episode 11. To listen to the review click here: A Bright Ray of Darkness
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Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Follow Jen Sookfong Lee:
Website: sookfong.com
Podcast: Can't Lit
Fantasy Fiction enthusiast David Gates joins Amy in a discussion about Natasha Pulley's The Kingdoms. This is the story of Joe Tournier who arrives in the city of Londres in the French Colony of England in 1898 with no memory of who he is and how he got there. When Joe steps off a train he has a postcard in his pocket written in forbidden English, with a postmark dated 1805 though it inexplicably bears the image of a recently-constructed lighthouse.
Joe’s search for his identity leads him to the Outer Hebrides and back and forth through stone portals that take him on a dangerous quest to reunite with his family without changing the course of history—or erasing his own existence. Amy and Dave discuss the pros and cons of audio books and when it is ok to throw in the towel on a book.
Books and Resources discussed:
The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley
The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Munro's Books Store, Victoria, B.C.
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
N.K. Jeminsin, author
Succession, HBO
Schumacher, Netflix
LuLaRich, Amazon
Amy interviewed David's wife Jill Schmelke in Season 1, episode 4. To hear that interview click here: A Light in the Dark
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Geoff is back living out his lifetime loves of surfing and music through fiction. The first book discussed is Paul Theroux's Under the Wave at Waimea. Set in Hawaii, this epic novel follows the life of aging surfer Joe Sharkey as he grapples with a fatal accident that forces him to face down his past. The second book, The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton, is a rock novel set in the 1970s. Cleverly written as an oral history, this book by first-time author Walton examines gender inequality, race and pop culture through the lens of the music industry. The audio version of this book features several voice actors and makes for a compelling listening experience that blurs the line between fiction and reality.
Book and resources discussed:
100 Foot Wave, HBO
Under the Wave at Waimea by Paul Theroux
The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux
The Mosquito Coast, Apple TV
The Great Railway Bizarre by Paul Theroux
Daisy and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
Great Circle: A Novel by Maggie Shipstead
The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
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Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Join Amy in her discussion with bestselling thriller writer Robyn Harding. Robyn's latest novel, The Perfect Family, is a twisty, addictively page-turning suspense novel about a perfect family's perfect facade. Robyn shares her favourites books, shows and podcasts and explains how miscommunication can make for a great story.
Books and Resources discussedThe Perfect Family by Robyn Harding
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Lisa Jewell, author
Jennifer Hillier, author
Liz Nugent, author
Chevy Stevens, author
The Hunted by Roz Nay
Girl in Ice by Erica Ferencik
The River at Night by Erica Ferencik
The Dropout: Elizabeth Holmes on Trial, podcast
Succession, HBO
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Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Follow Robyn Harding:
Instagram: @rhardingwriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRobynHarding/
Susan Matheson is in the house to discuss the best books of the season! This fall many big name authors, from Colson Whitehead to Amor Towles, have new books on offer. Susan goes a bit deeper and selects books that might not be on your radar. Amy has also launched a monthly newsletter! Subscribe and ask questions, learn about extra titles, get a sneak peek at future episodes and participate in reader giveaways. To subscribe: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Books and Resources discussed:
Lincoln Highway: A Novel by Amor Towles
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
These Precious Days by Ann Patchett
Going There by Katie Couric
Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci
When I Ran Away: A Novel by Ilona Bannister
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, movie
Brothers on Three by Abe Streep
Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi
Island Queen by Vanessa Riley
Red Island House: A Novel by Andrea Lee
Freckles by Cecilia Ahern
P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern
P.S. I Love You, movie
My Biggest Mistake by Terry O'Reilly
Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly, podcast
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Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter
Follow Bedside Table Books:
Instagram: @bedside_table_books
Website: https://bedsidetablebooks.com/
Amy explores two darker novels that are not exactly thrillers or are they? The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz is the story of a washed up academic who steals a student's story. One of the most hyped books of this past summer, this novel takes plenty of twists and turns and explores the question of who owns a story. When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain follows troubled missing person's detective Anna Hart as she reckons with her past and tries to solve the case of several missing girls in Northern California. Paula, best known for the historical novel The Paris Wife, draws upon her own history to create this moody and atmospheric book.
Books and Resources Discussed:
Hacks, HBO
The Moth, podcast
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
Bel Canto, Ann Patchett
State of Wonder, Ann Patchett
The Dutch House, Ann Patchett
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Bestselling author Eileen Garvin drops by the podcast to discuss her debut novel The Music of Bees. The bookexplores how three lost people unexpectedly come together through their love of honey bees. We discuss the natural world, character development and how Eileen's love of beekeeping and the small town of Hood River, Oregon, served as an inspiration. Eileen also shares a slew of books and podcasts, old and new.
Books and resources discussed:
The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin
Brood: a Novel by Jackie Polzin
Where Angel Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster
The Bedside Book of Birds by Graeme Gibson
Watership Down by Richard Adams
The Writer's Library by Nancy Pearl
Sugar Calling, Cheryl Strayed, The New York Times, podcast
Poetry Unbound, podcast
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Follow Eileen Garvin:
Instagram: @eileengarvin
The summer is over and The Red Fern Book Review is back! In the first episode of Season 2, Amy explores two memoirs, both by feisty, young, creative women. The first memoir, Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad , explores a woman's journey through illness, recovery and re-entry into everyday life. Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch by Erin French follows a young chef as she battles through numerous obstacles to create one of the most sought after restaurants in the world. Also reviewed: HBO's The White Lotus and the historical comedy podcast Edith!Books and Resources discussed:
Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad
Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch by Erin French
The White Lotus, HBO
Edith!, podcast
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For the season finale, I am joined by best selling author and ER physician Daniel Kalla to talk about his new release Lost Immunity. This edge-of-your-seat medical thriller looks at an outbreak of bacterial meningitis that is sweeping the city of Seattle. The city's Chief Public Health Officer Lisa Dyer is out to save the day with an experimental vaccine that could save the community ... until the vaccine is tampered with. We talk about dialogue, side characters and learn about his upcoming book set in Alaska with Nordic noir vibes.
Books discussed:
Lost Immunity
The Far Side of the Sky
Book blogger Susan Matheson is back with a curated list of summer reads just for Red Fern listeners. The books are all transportive but also imbued with social commentary that is fitting for our time. Find out which of us is willing to abandon a book without finishing and find out about a docuseries perfect for family trips. Be sure to check out Susan's companion blog for even more titles!
Books and resources discussed:
Wind of Change, podcast, Cooked Media
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
Silas Marner by George Eliot
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Slumdog Millionaire, movie
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
Dijnn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anaparra
Finding Freedom by Erin French
The Lost Kitchen: Recipes and a Good Life Found in Freedom, Maine: A Cookbook by Erin French
From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke
Hot Stew by Fiona Mozley
The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin
Under the Wave at Waimea by Paul Theroux
The Mosquito Coast, limited series, Amazon Prime
Follow Bedside Table Books:
Instagram: @bedside_table_books
Website: https://bedsidetablebooks.com/
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Amy's old reporter buddy Myriam stops by the podcast to share her loves of languages and books. Amy and Myriam discuss part medical, part psychological novel Mend the Living by Maylis de Kerangal. Translator Jessica Moore has received accolades for her translation of this taught, luminous novel and Myriam explains why. Myriam also reviews the sci fi novel Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan. While she loved this book, it ended up dividing her book club! The podcast The Play's The Thing, a love note to all things Shakespeare, and Netflix docuseries Abstract: The Art of Design are also discussed.
Books and resources discussed:
Mend the Living by Maylis de Kerangal
Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan
The Play's The Thing podcast
Abstract: The Art of Design, Netflix docuseries
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Music teacher and facilitator Cynthia Friesen drops by the podcast to chat about music, memory and healing. The phone rings, the doorbell chimes, but Amy's dogs are eerily silent this episode. Cynthia and Amy remember Bevelry Cleary and Cynthia recommends an app for calm and focus.
Books and Resources discussed:
Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
VIBE: Calm, Focus, Sleep (App)
The Prague Sonata by Bradford Morrow
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Possession by A.S. Byatt
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz
The Undoing, HBO
Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Admission, movie
Awesome Music Project: Songs of Hope and Happiness by Robert Carli and Terry Stuart
Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
Bach: The Goldberg Variations album by Glenn Gould
Mend The Living by Maylis de Kerangal, translated by Jessica Moore
Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan
Bedside Table Books blog
Lost Immunity by Daniel Kalla
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Join host Amy Mair as she explores three novels by English authors: The Midnight Library, Klara and the Sun and Hamnet. The Midnight Library is reminiscent of childhood classics A Wrinkle in Time and The Phantom Tollbooth. Klara and the Sun is a sci-fi exploration of memory, machines and loneliness while Hamnet explores the connection between the death of Shakespeare's son and the making of Hamlet. Amy also investigates book matching making service Page 1 Books.
Books and Resources:
Page 1 Books
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Munro Books, Victoria, B.C.
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
I am, I am, I am by Maggie O'Farrell
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
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Whistler Public Library Program Coordinator Jeanette Bruce is in the virtual house to discuss two favourite reading genres: short fiction and fantasy. Short stories keep us engaged and fantasy takes us away from the here and now. Sign me up! My mom calls with an update on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist and I learn about a brand new pasta shape from a podcast for serious cooks.
Books and resources discussed:
This is a Robbery, Netflix
Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Radio
Moccasin Square Gardens by Richard Van Camp
How long 'til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
The Swan Suit by Kathrine Fawcett
The Little Washer of Sorrows by Katherine Fawcett
The Crooked Thing by Mary MacDonald
Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indiqueer Speculative Fiction, edited by Joshua Whitehead
Johnny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead
Chop Suey Nation: The Legion Cafe and Other Stories from Canada's Chinese Restaurants by Ann Hui
Armchair Books, Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler Public Library
Follow Jeanette Bruce:Instagram: @liljables
To read Jeanette's book reviews: Armchair Books
Info on the next Whistler Community Book Club, May 26 at 7 p.m.: Chop Suey Nation
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Amy's husband Geoff drops by the podcast to discuss two contemporary novels or should we call them memoirs? You be the judge. The Topeka School by Ben Lerner is a literary novel based on the author's own experience growing up in Topeka, Kansas. This complex and satisfying story jumps time periods, tenses and narrators to look at the importance of language and what it means to a white, American male growing up in the late 1990s. A Bright Ray of Darkness by Ethan Hawke is a page turner that examines the cult of celebrity and the inner workings of the theatre. Amy professes her love for the musical ensemble Brooklyn Duo and NPR meets true crime podcast Criminal.
Books discussed:
The Topeka School by Ben Lerner
A Bright Ray of Darkness by Ethan Hawke
Other resources:
**Brooklyn Duo, musical ensemble
Criminal podcast with Phoebe Judge
favourite episodes:
Episode #15 He's Neutral
Episode #84 Masterpiece
Maudie, 2016 movie with Ethan Hawke available on Amazon Prime
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Host Amy Mair dives into the elegant and sometimes sordid world of fine art with My Rembrandt, a quirky and compelling documentary about a Dutch aristocrat and his race to find the first new Rembrandt in 40 years, An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt and The Art Forger by Barbara Shapiro. She concludes the episode with a national story about the debate over a Flemish still life and Nazi-looted art acquired by the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Books and Resources discussed:
My Rembrandt, Apple TV
An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin
Shopgirl by Steve Martin
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Art Forger by Barbara Shapiro
New York Times Magazine article on Jan Six XI (contains spoilers to My Rembrandt)
The Globe and Mail article on debate over Still Life with Flowers by Jan van Kessel
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Spring is here and with it a new season of books! Longtime book blogger Susan Matheson unpacks her top picks of the season. The much anticipated follow up novel by Imbole Mbue, a literary thriller by historical novelist Paula McLain and a memoir from 1980s Brat Packer Andrew McCarthy are topics of discussion. The rich period drama The Luminaries on Amazon Prime and Sibling Revelry, Kate and Oliver Hudson's fun podcast about family, are also discussed.
Top Spring Book Picks:
Dusk, Night, Dawn by Anne Lamott
When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain
Brat: An '80s Story by Andrew McCarthy
The Secret Keeper of Jaipur: A Novel by Alka Joshi
How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue
The Elephant of Belfast by S. Kirk Walsh
Other books/resources discussed:
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year by Anne Lamott
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Love and Ruin by Paula McLain
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
419: A Novel by Will Ferguson
Follow Bedside Table Books:
Instagram: @bedside_table_books
Website: https://bedsidetablebooks.com/
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Join host Amy Mair and Simon Fraser University professor Reema Faris as they explore cultural heritage, identity and memory through the memoir What the Ocean's Remember: Searching for Belonging and Home by Sonja Boon. Reema shares her research on women and reading and recommends a best selling historical novel involving books, World War II and Paris. Need we say more? Amy reviews a new podcast with Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue and digital newsletter The Sunday Paper by Maria Shriver.
The Sunday Paper, Maria Shriver
Double Date with Marlo Thomas & Phil Donahue, podcast
What the Oceans Remember: Searching for Belonging and Home by Sonja Boon
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
Reema Faris:Website:Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, Simon Fraser University
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SFU.GSWS/
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The Green Light (not to be confused with Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey!) is that mysterious light at the end of the dock in The Great Gatsby that represents Jay Gatsby's hope for the future. In this episode, host Amy Mair looks at two American novels and examines why, it seems, everyone is reading and writing about the classic Jazz Age tale. Spoiler alert: the copyright has expired!
Jenny Offill's Weather examines climate change and modern-day American life through the eyes of Brooklyn librarian, wife and mother Lizzie.
Nick, by Southern Gothic writer Michael Farris Smith, is the backstory to The Great Gatsby character and narrator Nick Carraway.
Amy also explores a fun video texting app that has gotten her through Covid and looks at the man of the hour: Stanley Tucci.
Books and resources discussed:
Marco Polo, video texting app
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, CNN
Weather by Jenny Offill
Nick by Michael Farris Smith
Jay the Great by Benjamin Frost
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Attending festivals and large events in person may be in our distant future, but one of the largest literary events in North America has found a way to pivot with new programming and a virtual lineup. Join me in my discussion with the Vancouver Writers Festival Artistic Director Leslie Hurtig and find out about what special events she has in store for this spring. Hello, Ethan Hawke fans! Learn about some new first-time authors and how Leslie finds the time to incorporate reading into her everyday routine. I also reveal a favourite crowdsourced photography site and share a memorable new essay by beloved author Ann Patchett.
Books and resources:
Instagram: @accidentallywesanderson
Accidentally Wes Anderson by Wally Koval
Vancouver Writers Festival
"These Precious Days" by Ann Patchett, Harper's Magazine
Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks
Libro.fm
Ru by Kim Thuy
The Return of the Trickster by Eden Robinson
A Bright Ray of Darkness by Ethan Hawke
Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
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A poisoned aristocrat. A fledgling reporter. A scandal to die for. Join host Amy Mair as she meets up with mystery writer Lisa Zumpano to discuss her historical mystery series. A self-professed Anglophile, Lisa reveals what it takes to be a self published author and how to get all the historical details just right. Righty-ho!
Books and resources discussed:
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Mark Dawson's Self Publishing Formula
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Miss Marple series by Agatha Christie
Follow Lisa:Instagram: @lisazumpanoauthor
website: lisazumpano.com
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Host Amy Mair joins with Jill Schmelke to discuss the critically acclaimed memoir Uncanny Valley by Anna Weiner as well as the historical novel Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. They discuss health, working out (or not) and how sometimes a heavy book can be just the thing to get through hard times.
Books and resources:
Uncanny Valley by Anna Weiner
Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Cobra Kai, Netflix
Followers: A Novel by Megan Angelo
The Healthy Brain by Aileen Burford-Mason
This is Your Brain on Food by Uma Naidoo
Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Follow Nourish Me
Instagram: @nourishmenutrition
website: https://nourishme.ca
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Host Amy Mair looks at two food memoirs: Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl and The Measure of My Powers: A Memoir of Food, Misery, and Paris by Jackie Kai Ellis. Both books are about strong, creative women who took risks and made big changes in their respective industries and in their lives.
Other books and resources:
SmartLess podcast with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (to be released September 2021)
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
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Amy interviews Vancouver night photographer Brian McConville who does his best work when most law abiding citizens are asleep. They discuss a couple of fine art books and Amy learns exactly what is a Rolleiflex camera.
Books discussed:
Night Stories: Fifteen Paintings and the Stories they Inspired, Linden Frederick
Vivan Maier: A Photographer Found, John Maloof
Other resources, items discussed:Beautiful World, Where Are You, Sally Rooney (to be released September 2021)Conversations with Friends, Sally Rooney
Normal People, Sally Rooney
Normal People, limited series available on Hulu/BBC Television/CBC Gem
The Daily - The New York Times, podcast
brianmcconville.photography.com
@mcconguy
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In this inaugural podcast, host Amy Mair shares an email from her Mom, selects her top new book release picks for January and February and selects two books that will cure your Pandemic blues.
Shows and books discussed:
New releases
All Creatures Great & Small (PBS Masterpiece and Amazon Prime)
Let Me Tell You What I Mean, Joan Didion (January 26)
Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food, From Sustainable to Suicidal, Mark Bittman (February 2)
My Year Abroad, Chang-Rae Lee (February 2)
Love is an Ex-Country, Randa Jarrar (February 2)
Pandemic ReadsThe Spy and the Traitor, Ben Macintyre
Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life, Christie Tate
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