Je lis beaucoup selon certains (à peine suffisamment selon moi). Il est donc facile d'accumuler les livres, de se laisser tenter par les suggestions de la bibliothèque, d'acheter le dernier roman de tel ou telle auteur. Cette année, j'ai décidé de ne lire QUE des livres de ma bibliothèque personnelle ou des livres qui me sont donnés en cadeau. Ça me paraît un défi quasi-impossible, mais il aura l'avantage de désengorger un peu mes étagères et de me faire découvrir ces titres qui me sourient, certains depuis des années. Je metterai à jour cette page selon mes lectures.
As of this writing on January 4, 2021, I've already finished three books from my shelves. Like a true book nerd, I catalogue, critique and discuss my books on LibraryThing where you'll find more. Also I give away most of my books through Bookcrossing; a great way to say goodbye to the old to make room for the new.
Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella Kinsella is one of my favourite authors for humour. I got this book for Christmas 2020. It will not have stayed on my shelf for long!
The Balad of the Sad Café and Other Stories by Carson McCullers This was one of those impulsive buys from November 2020. I don't regret it!
Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala I've had this book since March 2012. It seems wholly implausible that I've had it for this long and rediscovering treasures on my bookshelf is the main impetus for seeing this challenge through.
Nuit sombre et sacrée par Michael Connelly Mon père et moi avons une tradition de lire Connelly pendant nos voyages. Cette fois, c'est lui qui a fait la traversée transatlantique et qui m'a passé sa copie. J'aime bien les traditions qui perdurent, surtout les plus simples.
Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes I've had this book since 2007! It's bizarre reading about travelling in pandemic times; it feels curiously indulgent. Still, although there were lengthy bits, it was a delight to dream again of the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of Italy.
God's Spies: Stories in Defiance of Oppression edited by Alberto Manguel On my reading list since 2018, this collection really hit home after 2020's political instability. Manguel is an amazing anthologist and he does not disappoint with this gripping selection.
Thirteen at Dinner by Agatha Christie I've had a long love affair with Christie whom I started reading when I was 12. I've read over 60 of her books and was thrilled to discover two of her novels which I have not read, this being one. The book must have been sneaked in by my daughter because it's an old 1960's copy with a bold 45c price tag; surely it belonged at one time to my late mother-in-law.
The Girl Who Made Them Pay (Abducted) by Tikiri Herath Tikiri and I worked together for several years and I've been mesmerized by her success as a writer. She puts in a great deal of work and passion into her novels and it shows: fast-paced with clear, crisp style, this book is a real page-turner.
Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi I've noticed I'm more drawn to memoirs and biographies than I used to, probably because I have more of my personal experience to compare and contrast. This is a fiery and fast-paced story of someone willing to live life the fullest! Definitely inspiring.
Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan This book made me discover a side of World War II I had no idea about: treatment of German blacks (of which there were about 4000) and Senegalese soldiers who had been brought in to defend the Maginot line. The writing is marvellous and the story unique. It's a haunting book that definitely leaves its mark.
Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie This is the second of my mystery finds, and alas! not as fun, witty and clever as the first. Christie keeps the reader too much in the dark, uncovering clues at the last minute. This is definitely not her finest work, and likely why I'd never heard of it before.
Normal People by Sally Rooney This was a book club pick. I found it dull and lopsided but I think there were some generational and cultural elements that made it less attractive to me. I would say we were equally divided when we discussed it: half loved it; half didn't. Those always make the best conversations!
The Language of Flowers edited by Jane Holloway This is a lovely collection of poems, divided by seasons. Although I tend to consider myself a classicist, I generally prefered the more modern poems.
Katiba par Jean-Christophe Rufin Je ne m'y attendais pas, mais c'est un véritable roman d'espionnage comme ceux que j'adore! J'ai beaucoup aimé la complexité du personnage principal qui montre que personne n'est unidimensionnel dans ses décisions.
Les roses fauves par Carole Martinez Ça faisait depuis longtemps que je voulais lire Martinez et j'ai son Les cœurs cousus quelque part dans ma bibliothèque. Ça m'a donné le goût d'aller le chercher!
Les élucubrations d'un homme soudain frappé par la grâce par Édouard Bauer Une chouette pièce de théâtre offerte en cadeau d'anniversaire.
In the Company of Secrets by Judith Miller I found this book in my favourite movie theatre - that makes a better story than the book.
Going Wrong by Ruth Rendell I love this Grande Dame of crime! As far as I'm concerned she's way up there with Agatha Christie and PD James.
Le pays des autres par Leïla Slimani La plume de Slimani ne laisse pas indifférent. Un merveilleux roman qui montre la complexité de la relation entre les pays colonisés et leurs colonisateurs.
Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer It's easy to have a reductionist approach to meat-eating through the sole lens of health. Safran Foer doesn't hesitate to tackle ethics, taboos, cultural norms, societal imperatives and much more. I found it an engrossing read.
Grown Ups by Marian Keyes I seem to stumble on Irish fiction. This is another near miss. I managed to see it through but it took me a while to really get comfortable with it. I'm definitely not grasping something about the culture: there seems to be such a disconnect between the pithiness of the writing and the deep malaise of the characters... maybe I should just go visit and experience it first hand!
Sweetland by Michael Crummey I found it a bit dark for the pandemic. After a full year of uncertainty, I simply wasn't in the mood for dreariness. This said, it's a beautiful piece of writing which evokes the isolated regions of Newfoundland.
N'oublier jamais par Michel Bussi Depuis Nymphéas noirs, je recherche la même subtilité de Bussi sans jamais la retrouver. C'est un bon suspens néanmoins.
I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella It's my second one this year by this author and my guilty pleasure...
Les oiseaux vont au Pérou pour mourir par Romain Gary C'est dommage que les nouvelles ne soient plus à la mode. Gary nous rappelle à quel point une nouvelle bien structurée peut faire réfléchir.
Un peu de soleil dans l'eau froide par Françoise Sagan J'avais oublié que je l'avais lu! Comme quoi, moi qui ai pour principe de ne pas lire deux fois le même lire pour faire place au neuf, je me rends compte que ma mémoire peut me faire cruellement défaut et qu'il peut être fort utile de relire des livres quitte à en sortir de nouvelles impressions.
Nous, les dieux par Bernard Werber J'aime beaucoup l'approche de Werber pour comprendre le monde, un mélange rafraîchissant de philosophie, mythologie, sociologie et anthropologie qui permet de voir le monde autrement.
F-Bomb by Lauren McKeon I liked the Canadian angle to a topic (feminism) which I've usually read about through an American or French lens. Her old-school approach is a little dated, however.
One Summer by David Baldacci It was my first time reading this best-selling author and boy, was I disappointed! There were so many clichés, I predicted the entire plot.
Ottawa Rewind 2 by Andrew King I picked up this book to support a small local bookstore thinking it would sit in my library for years. Happily, I found it was full of little gems on a city which I now call home.
Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs My sister introduced me to Reichs and I haven't looked back. This is the third that I've read by her and most likely not the last.
The Stud by Jackie Collins After the Baldacci fiasco, I thought this would be another dud... instead I had a rollicking good time!
The Rough Guide to Classic Novels by Simon Mason Let's face it, I'll never read all the books and some I'll never even want to read. This little guide is perfect for a) general knowledge; b) finding next reads. It's fairly balanced in its international selection (although still anglo-centric) and says just enough about the book to encourage the reader to pick it up. There are also movie options were applicable which is better than Coles notes.
Crapoussin et Niguedouille par Laure de Chantal et Xavier Mauduit En général, c'est le genre d'ouvrage que j'adore, mais j'ai été déçue : les auteurs essaient d'être trop ludiques en accumulant les mots étranges. C'est un livre mélodieux, curieux et espiègle, mais qui n'a pas su retenir mon attention.
I, The Jury by Mickey Spillane I like the old fashioned gritty thrillers and this one is a classic. It's also interesting to see how mentalities have evolved. This book definitely gives good insight into the misogyny and homophobia of the day.
The Surrender Experiment by Michael A. Singer This was an easy-to-read biography about a meditation guru turned millionaire. He gives great insight about how he achieved his success.
The Orenda by Joseph Boyden I chose this book in the wake of the terrible residential school findings, as a way to have insight into Canadian history. What I enjoyed most about it was the complexity of the characters and relationship between Indigenous peoples themselves and with the settlers who had newly arrived. It's a tough but rewarding read.
The Comforters by Muriel Spark Impish and curious, this books asks the very pertinent question: are we masters of our destiny or are we the puppets of another master?
