Clara Callan!!!

Richard B. Wright's Clara Callan is an excellent book.
The story is told through diary entries and letters. We follow two sisters in 1930s mid-Ontario as they lead different lives. Just like those in Alice Munro's stories, these people are real and their society is one I have known forever, at least in part. I loved it!

Essays and such

I chose this book in the Paris airport, mostly because of the title. Who could resist Comment voyager avec un saumon?


Umberto Eco is a very talented writer and thinker, but I found only the middle third of the book suited my tastes.
The first part is a science-fiction-philosphoical satire. Those are always hard to read in French. (The book was written in Italian and the French translator worked closely with the author.) It was okay.

Most of the book is composed of essays written for newspapers and magazines. They are clever and often very funny.

The last part is philosophers' humour.... not mine.




For anyone who wants to read it in English, here is the cover.

Reading a book about BC in Paris....

I have enjoyed several of Jack Hodgins' books, and was impresed by the speech he gave at Kevin's graduation from UBC. The Honorary Patron, however, left me lukewarm. It is an early book (1987) and his skill has increased greatly with the years.

I left this book behind at the hotel in Paris when I finished it. Not special enough to carry it home, and I didn't think Neil would like it for the trip back.