meaning to do this for awhile now
This new group are from The Penguin Book of Canadian Short Stories that I have referenced before.
103. "The Wedding" -Dennis Bock.
A boy's grandparents renew their vows. It is a story written by a man that knows how to describe discomfort, be it in the heating caused by formal attire in the summer sun or the awaited dread of the already undeniable truth.
104. "Last Rites" - M.J. Vassanji.
Another writer who has a book on my shelf but I have yet to read it. A man dies and as he was in life he is again in death. How does Karim manage to get his last request?
105. " Simple Recipes"- Madeleine Thien. Remember this writer from on of the collections I have already read on this epic 365 journey? This is a story of discipline.
106. " Four Stations in His Circle"- Austin Clarke. Much like the stations of the cross. A man pays for his dreams and then you realize he pays for the appearance of the realization of his dreams. My friend recently brought me a signed copy of Austin's The Polished Hoe . How cool is that? Now if I could get my copy of God of Small Things by A. Roy, I would have signed copies of my top three books.
107. "The Cave"- W. D. Valgardson. Nothing much to say about this. Landscape writing a very Canadian thing that our writers do.
The following are from a stellar short story collection of an emerging Canadian talent by the name of Chris Boyko.
The book in question is Blackouts: Stories , McClelland & Stewart, Toronto, 2008.
108. "Assistance" - It ends the way you think it does but not before it starts to end in a way that you are not expecting. This writer's mind goes places others fear to tread. He takes us their and on the ride we can't believe our luck at the brilliance of his skill. This story is all about escaping life while it still drones on all the same.
109. "The Problem of Pleasure" - The nerd and the aspiring actress. When we drag our previous relationships into the heart of current relationships.
110. "OZY"- Back when video machines were in the corner store and only cost a quarter to bring to life. Teen boys in the '80's were never written so well. I really like the diversity of Boyko's work. And can really see it, feel it and taste it in just three short stories. He reminds me a great deal of A. A. Arriun's Crooked Tales but minus the sci-fi inventions. So bloody enjoyable to read.
111. "Holes"- " Because I was invisible. He wasn't there." A family dealing with a taking of the sight of the father and how he helps a college friend when the college friend is on board to help him. We all have wide open wounds. Often it is just to hard to see them oozing our pain because we have turned a blind eye to them and are silently poking the holes of others. So beautifully written. I kept thinking of the short story "Cathedral" Raymond Carver.
103. "The Wedding" -Dennis Bock.
A boy's grandparents renew their vows. It is a story written by a man that knows how to describe discomfort, be it in the heating caused by formal attire in the summer sun or the awaited dread of the already undeniable truth.
104. "Last Rites" - M.J. Vassanji.
Another writer who has a book on my shelf but I have yet to read it. A man dies and as he was in life he is again in death. How does Karim manage to get his last request?
105. " Simple Recipes"- Madeleine Thien. Remember this writer from on of the collections I have already read on this epic 365 journey? This is a story of discipline.
106. " Four Stations in His Circle"- Austin Clarke. Much like the stations of the cross. A man pays for his dreams and then you realize he pays for the appearance of the realization of his dreams. My friend recently brought me a signed copy of Austin's The Polished Hoe . How cool is that? Now if I could get my copy of God of Small Things by A. Roy, I would have signed copies of my top three books.
107. "The Cave"- W. D. Valgardson. Nothing much to say about this. Landscape writing a very Canadian thing that our writers do.
The following are from a stellar short story collection of an emerging Canadian talent by the name of Chris Boyko.
The book in question is Blackouts: Stories , McClelland & Stewart, Toronto, 2008.
108. "Assistance" - It ends the way you think it does but not before it starts to end in a way that you are not expecting. This writer's mind goes places others fear to tread. He takes us their and on the ride we can't believe our luck at the brilliance of his skill. This story is all about escaping life while it still drones on all the same.
109. "The Problem of Pleasure" - The nerd and the aspiring actress. When we drag our previous relationships into the heart of current relationships.
110. "OZY"- Back when video machines were in the corner store and only cost a quarter to bring to life. Teen boys in the '80's were never written so well. I really like the diversity of Boyko's work. And can really see it, feel it and taste it in just three short stories. He reminds me a great deal of A. A. Arriun's Crooked Tales but minus the sci-fi inventions. So bloody enjoyable to read.
111. "Holes"- " Because I was invisible. He wasn't there." A family dealing with a taking of the sight of the father and how he helps a college friend when the college friend is on board to help him. We all have wide open wounds. Often it is just to hard to see them oozing our pain because we have turned a blind eye to them and are silently poking the holes of others. So beautifully written. I kept thinking of the short story "Cathedral" Raymond Carver.