Life Lessons from Michelle Obama’s “Becoming”
African / American / Book Reviews / nonfiction / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest

Life Lessons from Michelle Obama’s “Becoming”


Michelle Obama’s memoir is a bestseller for all the right reasons. Regardless of your political affiliations and opinions, this book reflects a new era in politics. The lines between politicians and the contemporary notions of celebrities are becoming more and more blurred. The way that we consume, critique, and engage with politics and celebrities is … Continue reading

A Review of J.M. Monaco’s “How We Remember”
American / Book Reviews / nonfiction / The Latest

A Review of J.M. Monaco’s “How We Remember”


CONTENT WARNING: discussions of sexual assault, cancer, death by suicide, and drug/alcohol abuse. As a passionate researcher in memory studies I am always drawn to books, both fiction and nonfiction, that draw on and play with the way we remember collectively and individually. J.M. Monaco’s novel is an exquisitely painful exploration of collective remembering within … Continue reading

Escapism in Ottessa Moshfegh’s “My Year of Rest and Relaxation”
American / Book Reviews / The Latest

Escapism in Ottessa Moshfegh’s “My Year of Rest and Relaxation”


Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. Clicking through for additional information or to make a purchase may result in a small commission. “Who hasn’t—sometime—wanted to escape? But from what? To where? And once we have arrived at the good place, is this the end of the desire to move? Or does it stir again, … Continue reading

A Review of “Tiny Hot Dogs”: recipes for life and food
American / Book Reviews / nonfiction / The Latest

A Review of “Tiny Hot Dogs”: recipes for life and food


Mary Giuliani’s memoir Tiny Hot Dogs: A Memoir in Small Bites intrigued me because I love talking about food as much as I love reading. Just yesterday I had a friend over for coffee and when she left my husband remarked, “You spoke about food for two hours straight…” Giuliani owns a catering/events business that … Continue reading

Goodreads Winners Are In: Who were my favourites for 2018?
American / Book Reviews / British / comedy / crime / fantasy / nonfiction / Opinion Pieces / poetry / The Latest / YA

Goodreads Winners Are In: Who were my favourites for 2018?


The wait is over! Goodreads has announced its winners for 2018, which also marks the ten-year anniversary of the book awards. Readers get the chance to vote for their favourite books based on different popular categories like fiction, sci-fi, and Romance. It is basically the Oscars for books. This year, Goodreads recorded over five million … Continue reading

“The Embalmer”: an exploration of our complicated relationship with death
Book Reviews / Canadian / The Latest / translation

“The Embalmer”: an exploration of our complicated relationship with death


Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. Clicking through for additional information or to make a purchase may result in a small commission. The Embalmer by Anne-Renee Caille is an uneasy survey of death, our relationship with it, and the people who work with death on a regular basis. The novel is written in poetic … Continue reading