Ibis3’s Comments (group member since Sep 06, 2010)

Ibis3’s comments from the CanLit Challenge group.

Happy Canada Day everyone!

Buried In Print wrote: "Have yet to decide whether I should push straight through, or spread Ginger across several reading days...."

I'm spreading it out. It's my current "poolside" book, but yesterday my aunts were over so there was discussion rather than reading, and today it's cold, so no break by the pool. Maybe I'll read it this evening.

Though Ginger is a sexist jerk, Brian Moore's writing is pleasurable in itself, so that makes the reading quick and easy.

I'm a hundred pages in. I'm not sure if it was Moore's intention or whether Ginger is supposed to come off as somewhat sympathetic, but to me he's the embodiment of the covert (that's not quite the right word) misogyny in the culture of the 20th century version of the patriarchy (which of course we still haven't managed to completely slough off). I mean he literally tells his daughter to go make him a sammich. (view spoiler)[He calls his wife a whore and blames her for leaving him when he's lied to her about everything and, when he's not treating her like a child, treats her like a servant or even a sex slave. Once she's left he calls it "the height of freedom" to tell (imagined) women just begging for sex from him to go to hell. And then he dreams that another woman would get all teary-eyed and call him a saint because *he* gave up his wife and daughter when *they* left him... Blech. (hide spoiler)]

Kirsten wrote: "I admit it. I sold my soul and am happy Boston won."

I'm disappointed but didn't set any police cars on fire.

You ready? I started it today. So far (about a dozen pages in) we've got a man verging on 40 who's dragged his wife and daughter from Ireland to Canada & is now unemployed and out of money. I'm turning 40 this week. So am I going along with Ginger on his midlife crisis or am I going to empathise with his wife who has to put up with this loser and has fewer options than even he does since she's got the wrong body parts?

I'm finally on to The Luck of Ginger Coffey.

I've put the discussion of this book in this folder even though the dates of the poetry contained therein overlap on either side, since the bulk of them fall within this period.

I expect this book will take several months to read, so I'll be continuing on with other CanLit Challenge books to read alongside this one.

Okay, well that took quite a bit longer than a weekend, mixed in as it was with a bunch of other books I was trying to finish. In the end, I think that was just fine, since I think I would've gotten a bit tired of it had I tried to read it in one or two sittings.

Occasionally, Leacock is funny, but I think for the most part I'd characterise him as humourous instead.

Buried In Print wrote: "Have you already started it? It's on my list, and I'm nearing the end of my Orange Prize reading, but I'm not quite 'there' yet..."

I haven't quite got there yet either. I've still got about half of Literary Lapses left to read, but I should be starting on it in the next week or so.

Haven't read either of the Stevens books, but loved Through Black Spruce. TDR is sitting on my TBR shelf.

Rachelle wrote: "What are the titles/authors? I've never heard of this before but it sounds good!"

The Vinyl Cafe is a radio show on CBC by Stuart McLean. He travels across the country, doing most of the broadcasts from small towns. He tells anecdotes about the town, about people he's met, and reads letters that people send in about funny or moving things that have happened to them. And then he'll tell a story about a character named Dave and his family. He's collected these stories into books (Stories from the Vinyl Cafe, Vinyl Cafe Diaries, Extreme Vinyl Cafe etc.). The website is here if you want to check it out &/or listen to podcasts: http://www.cbc.ca/vinylcafe/home.php

I've never actually read any, only listened to the Vinyl Cafe on the radio. But I can imagine reading, since I'm always laughing up a storm whenever I hear one of the Dave stories. I'm chuckling now as I recall the Christmas turkey.

Rachelle wrote: "Who doesn't love Anne of Green Gables, right Ibis3? I heard that this was one of Kate (Windsor?)'s favourite childhood books, and that she's making it a point to visit Anne's house during hers and ..."

I'm not surprised that she should want to go there. Montgomery's descriptions of the landscape are so evocative and lovely. I've never been myself, but would love to visit some day.

Peter wrote: "I don't know how the hell this ever got published in Canada, but it gives me hope."

Sounds....interesting.

Rachelle wrote: "Hi Ibis3. When will you be reading Bonheur d'occasion? I just finished it this evening. Looking forward to sharing thoughts with you about it!"

How about in the fall (I have the next few books picked out...)? Would you still remember it well enough?

Another Canadian book I'd never heard of, but apparently it got made into a popular movie. Anyone else read it or planning to read it with me?
Brian Moore

I’d been looking forward to reading this for a long while. Until I started my CanLit Challenge, I’d never even heard of Rosanna Leprohon, though she was one of the most popular Canadian novelists of the nineteenth century and is still much admired in translation in Quebec. In fact, she is very well known for being one of the first Canadians to advocate a homegrown literature:

Although the literary treasures of ‘the old world’ are ever open to us, and our American neighbors should continue to inundate the country with reading-matter, intended to meet all wants and suit all tastes and sympathies, at prices which enable every one to partake of this never-failing and ever-varying feast; yet Canadians should not be discouraged from endeavoring to form and foster a literature of their own.

I was very keen to find out how she compared to other female novelists of the time with which I am much more familiar, such as Elizabeth Gaskell and George Eliot. I was also interested to see how much of a relationship I might see between Leprohon and those Canadian female contemporaries who were writing non-fiction, especially Susanna Moodie.

Funnily enough, when I read it, it seemed like Leprohon was rather a throwback to the century previous, the tone reminding me more of Emily Montague or Vicar of Wakefield than anything post-Austen. But perhaps that was some intentional anachronism since the story itself took place in the eighteenth century. Like a typical eighteenth century novel, this one was full of melodrama and secrets (though in this case the reader is in on it) and featured a pathetic, virtuous heroine in Antoinette. The other characters are also well-drawn (though it’s a little hard sometimes to figure out exactly why the villain is so cruel—other than mere sociopathy). I particularly enjoyed the distinctly Canadian touches (French/English tensions, wintery sleigh rides, and nice descriptions of the weather & seasons).

I’m very much looking forward to reading more from Ms. Leprohon.

They Shall Inherit the Earth is a kind of Passion play: the protagonist, Michael Aikenhead, commits a sin, suffers, and is finally redeemed (not through God, religion, or political utopianism but through the love of a good woman). As an echo of this main plot, Michael’s father, Andrew, also has a similar experience (his redemption comes from reconciliation with his son which is set in motion by the aforementioned woman, Anna).

Much of the narration is really description of the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters (especially but not limited to those of Michael). However, Callaghan's sparse style (Hemingway-like) and artificial dialogue creates a sense of distance between the reader and the characters.

The Shall Inherit the Earth presents us with a convincing snapshot of Depression-era northeastern North America (we’re invited to suppose this is Toronto, but it really could be any of the cities in the area). The oppressive weight of widespread un- and under-employment with its wandering, aimless men, impoverished and subjugated women, and the false hope promised by both religion and political ideologies fills the book.

I ended up liking this book in the end (probably because it ended on such an optimistic note), though I found it frustrating and slow at first. The only characters I really liked were Ross and Anna, but neither of them were developed all that much.

One scene that really blew my mind is one in which while Anna is giving birth, Michael is in the waiting room talking to a nun. Instead of asking her if she wants a priest and what religion she is, the nun asks him and when he says he doesn’t know, she gets permission from him to baptise her! Crazy! Talk about infantalization of women. When I told my mum about that part, she said, Now imagine what women had to fight through to get as far as they have. That stuff wasn’t in the law, it wasn’t like they could challenge a law and have it changed. That attitude was just accepted everywhere.

First off, I have to say that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Roughing It in the Bush. Susanna Moodie spent far less time observing people, places, and customs and a lot more time talking about (the Christian) God. When she did describe life in Canada it was interesting as usual and some parts were fascinating (her observations of the “Lunatic Asylum” for example). There are a couple of essays that were interesting too, especially looking back on things from a century and a half later, like the one about wearing mourning. I don’t know if she would be happy or horrified to see how far those customs have been abandoned. I was particularly intrigued by the story of Grace Marks because I know that Margaret Atwood based her book Alias Grace upon this account.

I wish I had read this around the same time as I read St. Urbain's Horseman because the memory of the figure of Duddy Kravitz from that book is a little fuzzy. A very interesting book with a misogynist, greedy protagonist that you can’t help but root for, even as he destroys everyone around him. In real life I’d be signing petitions against development of the lake and I’d think Duddy deserves to go to jail for something, he’s just so inconsiderate and immoral. And yet, and yet, he still has a kernel of conscience and sensitivity (although it may be completely egocentric). Not as full a book as Horseman, but excellent none the less. Mordecai Richler