C. (Comment, never msg).’s Reviews > Once Upon a Tomb: Stories From Canadian Graveyards > Status Update

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND LITERATURE PEERS! MAY GOD BLESS US ALL AND ANSWER OUR PRAYERS. ESPECIALLY OUR DEAR CONAN CAT BEING SAFE AND GETTING HOME TO US SOON. HERE IS TO JOY COMING OUR WAY, EVERYONE! YOURS TRULY, CAROLYN.

I am fighting this poorly-timed and never-desired cold, during which I could not read for a week; nor hardly breathe or sleep. However, last night, though still hardly breathing or sleeping, a pill worked well enough that I could catch-up quite a few pages of reading this book. I don't want to drag it through the year. I want a few more finished, though that would demand additional reviews. I will do what I can.

I was furious Ron brought a cold home last week. We are careful and I often avoid them but I got this one. I haven't been well enough to sleep or read and don't become tired enough to fall asleep the next day either. I don't understand that. I have so much to do! I am determined to prepare my brother's late and quite intricate birthday parcel, with Christmas gifts for his family today: for Ron to mail tomorrow!

Very enjoyable while educational. We learn snippets of Canadian history, places, and who's who. It also means something to remember ordinary and better-known people who passed on. That is the purpose of grave markers, the more informative the better. It is wonderful that researcher Nancy Millar gives us a tour of many of them across Canada in this book and sparks the idea to be observant of local ones ourselves.

We are in Manitoba's chapter! I will revisit the part I peeked at, that made me laugh most. There is far more to even our founding culture than Louis Riel and Hudsons Bay company but I see they did not overlook the Neepawa cemetery, as the most beautiful and grand in our province. Margaret Laurence's resting place should be no-brainer directions to give anyone but if you visit, seek her maiden family name, Wemyss.

Nancy Millar, by whom I know I will read anything and hope she has other books, achieves intricate, clear history with humour. Anyone with half an interest would love her book. I keep laughing delightedly at her way with plain-speaking and witty words and I am not at Manitoba's part yet.

Observing this subject matter, you wouldn't imagine how funny Nancy Millar's presentation of her regional tour is. I would love her as a tour guide in person. Here I was, leaving my bookmark and peeking at the Manitoba chapter to ensure it is no shorter than any other province's. That is important to Manitobans! I caught a humorous phrase that had me laughing uncontrollably. I laughed at 2:30AM over such a book!

This is fantastic right away: another gem discovery from local thrift stores! It is personably, humorously, wryly-written (given the looks Nancy Millar got for touring cemeteries). It is compassionately-written, too. Feeling for some poignant occurrences she learned about, which got her niece interested in personal Canadian and family histories too; sparked this tour and idea for a book about less-known history.