My Most Anticipated Reads For Spring & Summer (And Brief Hiatus Announcement)

Photo: Aude Van Ryn

First, a quick explanation about my planned hiatus: Some health issues will have me in hospital and out of commission for a time. So, I won’t be able to share any reviews or news for a little while. In my absence, I hope you will tell me all about the books you are reading and enjoying. I always love to hear great recommendations from fellow book lovers and given I will have some extensive downtime – your suggestions will be particularly welcomed right now.

So — please leave a comment and share some reading suggestions with me or tell me about the books you are most anticipating this spring and summer!! (I truly would love to hear from you.)

Before taking my break, I thought I would share with you some titles I am really looking forward to this spring and summer. (One resource I love and look forward to each year is The Millions: Most Anticipated. This is a giant list of books and there are always a large number of titles that hold appeal for me.)

Anyway…onto my hotly anticipated books:

* And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini – Hosseini’s wonderful novel The Kite Runner was an amazing and emotional reading experience for me several summers ago.

* Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – with each of her novels, I become more and more intrigued with this writer. This could be a huge book for her.

* Transatlantic by Colum McCann – McCann is another writer I respect and I am quite curious about this new one.

* Night Film by Marisha Pessl – only her second novel, it’s been delayed a couple of times and is being much-hyped. I didn’t love her first book, Special Topics in Calamity Physics, though I did like it and was impressed by her potential.

* The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin – Grandin is a bit of a hero in this house so I am keen to read her new book which was released today!

* Paris by Edward Rutherfurd – Rutherfurd is always great for an immersive and escapist reading experience. This 832 page tome should be a wonderful summer read!

* Gioconda from Lucille Turner – a debut that is getting me quite excited: a) I love literary fiction debuts; b) historical fiction!!

* The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion – okay, the word ‘screwball’ in the description is appealing. And, if I am being shallow – i love the cover design. So yes! Sometimes I judge a book by its cover.

New Canadian Books Making Me Drooly:

* In Calamity’s Wake by Natalee Caple – this is silly but the word ‘calamity’ has always been one of my favourites and I have long been taken with the legend of Calamity Jane. So…this book really is a must read for me.

* The Hungry Ghosts by Shyam Selvadurai – this book sounds amazing!

* Bone & Bread by Saleema Nawaz – sounds fascinating and possibly has the potential to be a novel that can crossover to mature YA readers.

* The Family Took Shape by Shashi Bhat – a debut novel that has really captured my attention! (In case you didn’t note earlier in the post: I am such a huge fan of literary debuts. It’s like a genre unto itself for me!)

* Caught by Lisa Moore – Moore is such a compelling storyteller. Any novel she writes is going to be worth reading!

* Maxine by debut novelist Claire Wilkshire – As we have already established…I love a debut novel. A debut novel from Newfoundland-based writer makes me very excited!

* Miracles of Ordinary Men by Amanda Leduc – I have heard such great things about this book!

* Studio Saint-Ex by Ania Szado – I actually received an advanced copy of the novel from Penguin Canada (thank you!!) and devoured it. Szado’s well researched imaginings are immersive and transportive. I really loved this book and have been working on a proper review for the novel.

* River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay – I think this is going to be a great read. Kay is a lovely man and cares deeply about the research he puts into each of his historical fiction novels.

If you are looking for more reading suggestions, Publishers Weekly has also posted a fairly comprehensive list of books – there’s sure to be something for every reader here.

So – tell me what you are most looking forward to reading over the next couple of months?? I really would love to hear about all the great reading you have planned.

 

 

News of the Day

A roundup of  newsy items being talked about today in the publishing world:

 

Things We’ve Taken From Literature

* this is a kinda cool bit from The Millions: they asked some of their editors to write about music, food, poetry and lifestyle suggestions they’ve taken from literature.

“What works of art have you been introduced to by other works of art? The books, music, and films we love can be like trusted friends, recommending new authors or introducing us to kimchi. We all know that art changes lives in major ways, but how has it changed your life in minor ways?”

 

Cannes, 2013

* while the bookish likely know that Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby (here, see star carey mulligan as she appears in the newest vogue) will open the 2013 festival, today, the full line-up was revealed. James Franco’s adaptation of As I Lay Dying will also run.

 

 

Superman!

* this year, the Man of Steel turns 75.  the new republic has an interesting piece on how his biography is our history.

 

Making Me Laugh Today

* gary shteyngart! haha. he has, apparently, read all 800 pages of middlemarch.

 

Spring Books

* the globe and mail has posted a list of some of the most anticipated books of spring.  i think there’s a bit of something for everyone. i am most keen for the new lionel shriver…though after her last book, the new republic, i’m not sure i can handle her disappointing me again. heh.

 

 

thanks for stopping by and reading today’s post!

News of the Day

Tidbits from the publishing world, making the rounds today:

 

The Game of the Women’s Memoir

* Quite a keruffle has been going on this past week on the issue of being a female writer in the memoir field. Michelle Dean has a thoughtful take over at The Cut. It’s a bit of a long read, but worth your time, I think, as it expands the focus of challenges faced by women in the publishing industry.

 

Fairy Tales

 * HuffPo Books has an interesting piece on fairy tales today:

“Fairy tales have survived for generations, not just because of their symbolic nature, but because they are flexible. We can shift point-of-view, draw different conclusions, and even change the events of the tale to make them more meaningful to our current social, political, and moral points-of-view. Here are nine tales that were changed for just those purposes.“

 

London Book Fair 2013

* Apparently the trend at the Fair this year is young, debut authors and their fat advances! Reading about novels pulled from slush piles gives me a smidgen of hope!

 

Words for Nerds

* are you a word nerd, like me? then you might be interested in reading this piece from the Guardian: the 10 best words the internet has given English. i’m pretty sure all of these words make me want to yank out my hair in fistfuls,but those damn ‘cupertinos’ sure can make me laugh!

 

Charlotte Brontë Poem

* a poem composed by 13-year old Brontë recently sold for approximately $141,000. or, as many have liked to point out, about $47,000 and inch.

 

Willa Cather

* a new book sharing the letters of Willa Cather was recently released. garnering the most attention? the only surviving letter to cather’s partner, edith lewis. cather is one of my favourite authors. but i always have a hesitancy when it comes to books publishing the letters of a person of note. were these really written for public consumption?

 

thanks for stopping by and reading!

 

 

News of the Day

A roundup of items being talked about today from the publishing world.

Tragedy & Words

* After the horrible events in Boston yesterday, the amazing Roxane Gay writes about being stunned into silence.

“I turned to words because in the wake of something terrible, my gratitude for reading and writing only amplifies, sharpens. Yesterday, today, for some time to come, I am many things. Mostly, I am grateful.”

 

Award News

* The 2013 Pulitzer Prize winners have been announced. Taking home honours in fiction, after no award was given in this category last year: Adam Johnson for The Orphan Master’s Son.

* The Women’s Prize for Fiction (formerly the Orange Prize) revealed their short list today. It’s a mighty group of talented women.

 

London Book Fair 2013

* Popular author Neil Gaiman delivered the keynote address at the 5th annual Digital Minds Conference. He urged publishers to “make mistakes in an uncertain era.”

 

20 Under 40

* Granta has announced their 20 best young British novelists. NPR offers an interesting assessment.

 

For the Love of Reading

* 12 Canadian novelists will Bare it for Books in a 2014 calendar. The proceeds will be donated to PEN Canada. Comedian Trent McClellan and actor, Gordon Pinsent recently promoted the campaign. If you can support the fundraising efforts of Bare it for Books, visit their Indiegogo page to make a contribution. There are only 4 days left in this campaign.

 

A Poem for Boston

Dan Chiasson, writing for The New Yorker pays tribute to the city of Boston.

 

 

Perdita by Hilary Scharper – Blog Tour

On April 16, 2013, Simon & Schuster Canada will be launching this wonderful debut novel from Hilary Scharper – Perdita. In support of the launch, I am happy to host Scharper on the first stop of her Blog Tour. Before we get into the interview, I would like to share a bit of background on the novel and some information about Scharper.

From the book’s description:

“After a love affair that ends in tragedy, Garth Hellyer throws himself into his work for the Longevity Project, interviewing the oldest living people on the planet. But nothing has prepared him for Marged Brice, who claims to be a stunningly youthful 134. Marged says she wants to die, but can’t, held back by the presence of someone she calls Perdita.

Garth, despite his skepticism, is intrigued by Marged’s story, and agrees to read “her” journals of life in the late 1890s. Soon he’s enthralled by Marged’s story of love, loss, and myth in the tempestuous wilderness of the Bruce Peninsula. He enlists the help of his childhood friend Clare to help him make sense of the mystery.

As Garth and Clare unravel the truth of Marged and Perdita, they discover together just what love can mean when it never dies.”

Early reviews have compared this novel to some literary heavyweights: Jane Eyre, Rebecca and Possession, in particular. I am a great fan of these works so was quite excited to read Perdita.

This novel very skilfully weaves together the themes of love and loss while bringing to life the strength, beauty and power of our natural world. Scharper has coined the term “eco-gothic”, an emerging literary form, to describe the style of her writing. In our Q & A session (see below) Scharper happily addressed my questions about this genre.

Hilary Scharper spent her summers as a young girl on the shores of Georgian Bay where she developed a deep love of its natural beauty. Later on, she studied anthropology at Yale University and eventually became interested in peoples’ stories about their relationships with the natural world. An anthropology professor at the University of Toronto, Scharper teaches wilderness and cultural approaches to nature.

Perdita will appeal to many readers and I feel it is a wonderful crossover book – a novel that will be a great treat for both mature YA readers and adult readers alike. The story moves back and forth in time and will hold appeal for those who enjoy historical fiction. As well, Scharper includes some very interesting mythology in her storytelling – I found this aspect of the novel fascinating. While I live in Ontario and have a good familiarity with the Bruce Penninsula, and really enjoyed being able to relate so well to the settings in Perdita, I feel readers who may not know as much about the area will gain a beautiful appreciation for this special place.

You can read the first chapter on Scribd.

So, without further ado, the Q & A session:

Literal Life: Your new novel, Perdita, may be an introduction for many readers to the concept of ‘eco-gothic’ as a literary form. Can you explain what this term means to you?

Hilary Scharper: Through the eco-gothic, I’ve tried to blend my love of the Gothic genre with my love of wild nature. As result, I do not treat nature as merely a backdrop or setting, but rather as an active and indeed central player in the narrative. I also like to think that the eco-gothic recognizes and engages with the fact that “we” are indeed at a moment of great ecological change and transition, and that some of our biggest challenges are in the area of human relationships with nature. Our imaginations are going to be key in this endeavor, and novels such as Perdita pick up on the challenge of getting us to explore those aspects of ourselves that seek out a deep interconnectedness with the natural world.

LL: For you, how do ‘eco-gothic’ and magical realism differ as genres?

HS: The novel has elements of both genres and these feed off one another throughout the story. In some respects, Garth Hellyer as the “modern” historian experiences magical realism, while Marged Brice (and the mystery surrounding her age as well as the figure of Perdita) conjures up the gothic. The wildness of Georgian Bay, however, and the moody unpredictable, natural landscapes of the novel are distinctly gothic—they do not represent an intrusion of magical elements into a convincing reality, but reflect something much more metaphysically complex and (for me) vibrant. The gothic doesn’t just “play” with our sense of reality—it lays claim to it in distinctive and often haunting kind of way. I wrote on this topic recently for The National Post.

LL: I know the Bruce Peninsula region of Ontario holds a special place in your heart and it made for a wonderful setting for Perdita. Are there other settings you can think of that would work well for future eco-gothic novels? (Will you continue writing in this genre?)

HS: I think there are an almost infinite number of settings for the eco-gothic—since it is about a unique connection to nature, not about specific places. The Bruce Peninsula and Georgian Bay are my own eco-gothic settings, but it’s my hope that readers will recognize their own distinctive connections. These may include the light at a particular time of year, the sound of migrating birds, a walk along the waterfront, an early morning fog, or the first smell of snow in the backyard. In my next novel, I take the eco-gothic into Toronto’s “Cabbagetown” and explore how the library of a famous literary father and a mysterious linden tree in the backyard come together in the life of a young woman named Katherine Harris. In this next novel, I explore an urban eco-gothic and the various kinds of wild nature found in cities.

LL: You will be celebrating the launch of Perdita on April 25th at Massey College in Toronto. In honour of your novel, you have said you will be wearing ‘eco-gothic attire’ and have invited others to join you by doing the same. Can you tell me what you will be wearing?

HS: The actual wording on the book launch invitation states that I will be “venturing” eco-gothic attire. I chose “venture” deliberately because I want to share the spirit of adventure underlying this novel. The gothic isn’t primarily about rational thought categories and controlled settings—it’s also about going “off-leash,” so to speak, and having a bit of fun. That being said, I will be wearing a long, hunter green velvet dress—romantic gothic couture designed by Rose Mortem. I asked Rose to combine the sleeves of her “Aislinn gown” with her “Calista Hooded faierie gown.” She did a gorgeous job and lined the hood with black lace. I’m still looking for my shoes…

LL: As well as being a novelist, you work as an Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology at the University of Toronto. Does this work feed into your creative life and does it make historical fiction a natural fit for you as a writer?

HS: My work as a cultural anthropologist absolutely feeds into my writing—although I find writing fiction much more difficult than academic prose. I think the historical sensibility of the novel comes more from spending the last four decades of my life reading “classic literature.” To capture and convey a different historical time period is very much an act of imagination, but it also comes from steeping oneself in the language and cultural voices of a period. As an anthropologist, I’ve been very attuned to the different manners, customs and sensibilities conveyed in 19th century novels. As a result I’ve tried to situate my historical characters in a “natural” and convincing flow of settings and experiences.

I would like to thank Hilary Scharper for her time, and Loretta Eldridge, at Simon & Schuster Canada, for facilitating this interview.

Edited to add:

Continuing on the Blog Tour, in support of Perdita, Ms. Scharper visits the following blogs to talk a bit more about her debut novel:

April 15th: Historical Novel Review

April 16th: Browsing Bookshelves