Lots of poetry, some lit crit, and a burnt lasange.

30. Rush, by bill bissett
(BookThug, 2012)

Reviewed for Broken Pencil.

31. Heroines, by Kate Zambreno
(Semiotext(e), 2012)

When I saw it in Book City, I couldn’t resist picking it up. Zambreno looks at the “mad” literary wives of famous authors as they’re popularly portrayed, with the men suffering their “difficulties,” when these same – or worse – resistances and reluctances in men, are seen as signs of their fastidious genius.

She writes from a very personal, very bloggy perspective, and it doesn’t come as a surprise that much of this text was cribbed from her blog, Francis Farmer is My Sister, which I hadn’t read previously, but now finds a place in my RSS feeds.

It’s an interesting book, personal biography intertwined with literary biography and feminist assessment. I hope to see more in this style. Continue reading »

So many books to read. So little time. I’m not going to go into detail with every book, just highlight a few of them.

1. How to Be a Woman, by Caitlin Moran
(Harper, 2012)

I had difficulty with this one. Moran’s clearly well read, yet this reads like a stream of consciousness monologue, only less eloquent. She’s fond of ALL CAPS to emphasize points, and likes to get ranty rather than examine issues in depth – which is infuriating, because I know she has the chops. I also have problems with her prescriptive feminism. It felt like her way or the highway. And her way definitely isn’t mine.

That said, I do feel we need more voices speaking publicly about what it’s like to be a woman, and the sexist bullshit we’re forced to deal with on a daily basis. I’m glad I read it.

2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 8: Last Gleaming, by Joss Whedon
(Dark Horse, 2011)

So glad this season is over. Not Whedon’s finest arc. Continue reading »

I have an absurd number of books on my to-read shelf. These are books that I’ve bought, and physically have on my shelves, waiting to be read.

I don’t know how I’m ever going to catch up, especially with all the neat books that have come out this fall, and the classics I have yet to read. Never mind the review stuff that isn’t even on that list.

How does anyone keep up?

127. Fables of Identity, by Northrop Frye
(Mariner Books, 1963)

Why doesn’t anyone name their kid Northrop any more? I’m not breeding, but I still think this name should make a come back. So c’mon breeders: next kid, choose Northrop!

This is a great collection of essays, dealing with everything from archetypes and mythology in general, to their presence and effects in specific texts.

I always feel under read. I learn so much every time I read a book of his, and I need to reread everything I’ve read before, because I’m sure I’d get more out of it now than when I first began reading literary criticism.

128. Zen Ghosts, by Jon J Muth
(Scholastic Press, 2010)

I originally picked this up for my little cousins as a Hallowe’en gift, but I love it too. It’s an unusual ghost story, more of a zen koan, told by Stillwater, a zen panda.

The costumes, colours, and illustration are gorgeous. The owl pirates on the flaps slay me. It’s such a beautiful book.

129. What Disturbs Our Blood, by James FitzGerald
(Vintage Canada, 2010)

I won a copy as a part of a CBC Twitter draw, which was pretty nifty. Slightly less nifty was the book itself. Continue reading »