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[a] crazed tale of justice for the literary world - but it's a very fun ride
TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF THE PRAIRIE WITH YOU ON VACATION
Ah, summer on the prairies—long hot days, picture-perfect sunsets, and the cold of next winter too far away to worry about. And what better way to spend a lazy day in the prairie sunshine than with a great book from a prairie author?
For everyone looking to be entertained in the summer sun—including moms and dads who want to steal a few moments of quiet while the kids are absorbed in a book—Planet S has compiled a list of prairie writers, with something for all ages. So sit back, get a cool drink, find a shady spot, and put your feet up with some of these literary delights.
A FEAST OF LONGING
SARAH KLASSEN
(COTEAU)
For those who want their summer reading in quick snippets rather than lengthy novels, Sarah Klassen offers A Feast of Longing, her second collection of short stories. Known for her work as not only a fiction writer but as a poet and editor as well, Klassen resides in Winnipeg, where she was born and raised.
Klassen takes readers into the grittier realms of society with Longing, shining a light in areas that, while perhaps not always pleasant, certainly resonate as true to life. If you’ve got a shorter attention span but are nonetheless still looking for a dose of reality smack in the face, Klassen serves up a thought-provoking collection.
IN SEARCH OF CADIZ
KIM MACSYMIC
(BREAKWATER)
Although she’s a girl from the prairies, it’s hard to believe Kim Macsymic isn’t a bona fide Maritimer. Aiming at the young adult audience, Macsymic’s latest novel, In Search of Cadiz, tells the story of a young Newfoundland boy dealing with grief and guilt over the deaths of two close family members. Impressively, Macsymic captures the beauty, language and culture of Newfoundland in an extremely authentic manner—not bad for a girl who was born and raised in Prince Albert and now resides in rural Saskatchewan.
This tale of survival isn’t for those weak in the stomach, as Cadiz’ story leads him into some vivid experiences in the wild. In her attempts to reach young males, Macsymic pulls no punches in her narrative, and while it’s a book that can be enjoyed by all, In Search of Cadiz should definitely fill a void in the literary world, attracting boys not easily enticed to read.
JURASSIC POOP
STEVE MACK AND JACOB BERKOWITZ
(KIDS CAN PRESS)
Steve Mack and Regina resident Jacob Berkowitz are bargaining that the natural fascination almost every child has with dinosaurs and—well, let’s face it, poop—will entice them to pick up and become entirely absorbed in this educational book on the science behind ancient animal Number Two.
Definitely, kids are sponges and many will absorb all that this catchy hardcover non-fiction pick has to offer. Geared for young readers, the descriptions and colourful, realistic pictures included in Jurassic Poop are perfect for a young and attention-challenged audience. The book will give kids and parents alike more information than they ever needed to know about Jurassic fecal matter—and in doing so, may provide parents with some welcome quiet time.
SHELF MONKEY
COREY REDEKOP
(ECW PRESS)
With what can only be described as something different—and I do mean different—comes Corey Redekop, and his debut novel Shelf Monkey. Redekop’s manic work examines the fine line that separates bibliophiles (lovers of books) from bibliomaniacs (people afflicted with a legitimate psychological disorder that creates an obsession with the obtaining and possession of books). Sure, it sounds goofy—but for those of you with a hate-on for manner in which modern book sales are driven more by media circus than by authentically good work by talented writers, Redekop has answered your prayers.
In terms of plot, Shelf Monkey offers a book lover’s uprising: the employees of mega-bookstore READ simply refuse to allow another hack writer, this one named Munroe Purvis, to be lauded as a genius in the press and perched forever more atop the bestseller’s list. Patched together with “media” accounts of Munroe’s rise to fame, written therapist notes, and a shelf monkey’s (bookstore worker) emails while on the lam, Redekop’s tale takes shape.
Born in Winnipeg, Redekop takes a leap of faith in his readers’ abilities to decipher the events here, all of which lead up to an extreme conclusion for the flaky Munroe in this crazed tale of justice for the literary world—but it’s a very fun ride.
LONG AFTER FATHERS
ROBERTA REES
(COTEAU)
Familial upset spanning decades serves as the base of Roberta Rees’ newest body of fiction, a collection of short stories titled Long After Fathers. An engaging—and quick—read, Long After Fathers takes readers into a set of linked stories, short but significant, centering on three women in Rees’ homeland, the Crowsnest Pass. Rees weaves her tales in an alternative, poetic pattern of writing that makes for a challenging, but worthwhile, mission for readers looking for something outside of Oprah’s book club.
Born in British Columbia but raised in the Crowsnest Pass, Rees has worked mainly as a teacher and creative writing instructor in Calgary since 1972. Her last novel, Beneath the Faceless Mountain, received the Alberta New Fiction Competition and the Writers Guild of Alberta Novel awards in the mid-90s.
MILK CHICKEN BOMB
ANDREW WEDDERBURN
(COACH HOUSE)
What do rock stars write about? Well, in this case, angst-filled youth and the ramblings of disgruntled adolescence—you know, the same things they sing about. Andrew Wedderburn, a member of Calgary rockers Hot Little Rocket, takes a strange journey back to puberty with his first novel, Milk Chicken Bomb.
Remember when you first realized as a kid that things were perhaps not as simple as they seemed to be? You started making inferences and reaching a little deeper into your perception of events. Wedderburn takes his readers through this process with an unconventional, and sometimes scattered, train of thought.
The tones of Wedderburn’s outcast and loner characters will reach many readers on a very familiar level, thanks to the popularity of oddities like Napoleon Dynamite and similar characters in recent years. In Milk Chicken Bomb, Wedderburn identifies what it’s like to live on that outer fringe in a small town when nothing you do seems to help you fit in—and he does it well.
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