Thinking about fiction - about British Columbia, Canada

Again this week I found myself with a few minutes in the Vancouver Public Library's Book'mark Store.

In the 'gently used' books, I found myself two - The Chief Factor's Daughter by Vanessa Winn and also Emily Carr's Attic, a children's book by Diane Carmel Léger and Michael Léger. Both had good reviews, for example, The Chief Factor's Daughter in January Magazine by Linda L. Richard and Emily Carr's Attic reviewed by Gwyneth Evans in Quille & Quire. Looking forward to reading and sharing these.

And I had a good time browsing in the rest of the store. Lots of ideas for presents for later!

In the Library, I picked up a new VPL pamphlet, "From Sea to Sky: A Recommended Reading List of B.C. Fiction". So disappointing, as this apparently lists fiction by BC authors, not fiction about British Columbia, Canada. (There is a 2008 Vancouver BC brochure - for fiction set in Vancouver - but all published 2006-8 )

But if it's BC fiction you're interested in, check out Crawford Kilian's recent article, "British Columbia's best neglected writers" in the Tyee. And read the very opinionated The Essentials: 150 Great BC Books & Authors by Alan Twigg. Here's a review of The Essentials by Howard White of the KnowBC blog.

Another project to put on my own 'to do' list, I guess - which authors who write or wrote about BC would I include in a list of my own favourites? Certainly Ethel Wilson, Sheila Watson, George Godwin and Kate Braid and Eden Robinson. Then there's Pauline Johnson and Emily Carr too. How many are really reading their books today?

As for mysteries I like that are set in BC, that could be a brochure in itself. I'd include Never Sleep with a Suspect on Gabriola Island by Sandy Frances Duncan & George Szanto (love the title!) and I like the Silas Seaweed series set around Victoria written by Stanley Evans. And there are so many more mystery authors, like Nora Kelly and Gwen Southin...to write about another day.

Living Books? Wordless Wednesday

H.H. Tammen postcard, Denver. Addressed to Miss Minnie Goninan, Rossland, BC, Canada. Postmarked at Spokane, Washington, USA and at Rossland. The year is partly obscured; dated August [1907?]

Almost Wordless Wednesday - The 1901 Canadian census listed a Minnie Goninan at Rossland, BC, Canada, aged 13. Mother Margaret, father William, a gold miner. Minnie and her siblings were shown as born in the USA; the parents in England. [Canadian Census, 1901; Census Place: Rossland City, Kootenay West, Polling SubDivision 7, District H Rossland Riding, Yale & Cariboo, British Columbia. Page 21, Dwelling/Household No. 190. Ancestry.com. 1901 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Accessed 20 October 2010. ]

And a bit about H. H. Tammen from the Colorado USA Archives: http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/tour/post.htm

Gurjinder Basran at Guildford Black Bond Books - Oct 23 2010

I was in one of those big bookstores today - looking for just one copy of a book I want. The website said it was there - in Bargain Books. Alas, the bargain books were all in a heap; no way could we find it. Perhaps a new marketing ploy...but I didn't pick any others out of the pile either.

I do like the people at the local chain bookstore, but independent bookstores are the very best!

My favourite in the Lower Mainland for new books is Black Bond Books and I just noticed that Gurjinder Basran, author of the new Everything Was Goodbye, winner of the 2010 Search for the Great BC Novel Contest, will be at the Guildford Mall Black Bond store on Saturday, October 23 at 1 pm. Worth a visit.

Vancouver BookCrossing Meetup Tonight - 7 pm at Rhizome Cafe

Everyone interested in reading is welcome at tonight's BookCrossing Meetup in Vancouver.

We're now 8 years old! Check out the link for future events too.

When:

Tonight, October 12th, 2010 7 pm.

Where:

Rhizome Cafe,

317 East Broadway
Vancouver, BC V5T 1W5 Canada

Come for coffee, dinner, free(d) books, and/or the great conversations!

eicuthbertson's First Book Blog Post!

Which books did I bring home in the last couple of weeks?


At the Burnaby/NewWest BookCrossing Meetup at Renaissance Books in New Westminster, we found ourselves in the Children's and Science Fiction/Fantasy sections. (Yes, there was a discussion about that sci fi or not 'division'.) Usually I find I need to be in a certain mood to choose or read either, but since I was there anyway, of course, I brought home a selection:



Marianne, the Madame, and the Momentary Gods by Sheri S. Teppler,

A Sorcerer and a Gentleman by Elizabeth Willey,

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler (a re-read),

Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions by Neil Gaiman,

Fair Peril by Nancy Springer. Starting reading this yesterday. Great read, and so funny I almost missed my train stop...again.




Then there was a visit to the Vancouver Public Library's Book'mark store (Facebook link) where I picked up these:


No Mortal Reason (an 1888 mystery featuring a Diana Spaulding) by Kathy Lynn Emerson,

Pictures at An Exhibition by Sara Houghtling,

The Devil's Companion by David Liss.

And from MacLeod's Books (My very favourite bookstore in Vancouver - here are some photos to partly show you why.):

Solibo Magnificent by Patrick Chamoiseau,

Ethel Wilson: A Critical Biography by David Stouck.



Oh, and from the friendly staff at the local Coles -


The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (recommended by a friend) which inspired me to dig into the TBR (To Be Read) pile so I could read another of this author's books, The House at Riverton, first.