It’s (hopefully) coming to the last wintery blows before the ice breaks; the spring will soon rush in and soon after we can cast our mittens aside for a season.
Enjoy the longer nights – while they last – by burying yourself in one (or all) of these books, based around the “Three R’s” of springtime: resilience, renewal and resurgence.
Etta and Otto and Russell and James, by Emma Hooper (2014)
It’s never too late to set new goals or make old ones come to life! Etta lives in the rolling prairies of Saskatchewan and she has never seen the sea. At 82 she sets out to change that, and walks thousands of kilometres to reach the land’s coastal edge.
On her present-day pilgrimage, Etta is starting to forget things, but we become acquainted with her past through flashbacks of memories and the stories from those that love her.
Medicine Walk, by Richard Wagamese (2014)
A beautiful, difficult journey of a father and son. As they delve into the British Columbia backcountry, they scour their histories together, discovering courage and friendship in each other, and the healing powers of the land. We recently lost this amazing author who contributed many amazing stories and indigenous insight to Canadians and our libraries.
De Niro’s Game, by Rawi Hage (2006)
Two friends and petty street thugs grow up in war-torn Beirut. This is a graphic story of the psychological undoing of war trauma, the struggle to survive and what comes after tragedy. With the current political landscape in mind, this novel offers perspective on the grim chaos many people flee from as they enter our country. Now based in Canada, Lebanon-born Rawi Hage’s striking first novel was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award and the Giller Prize.
Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Tall Timber, and Life With the Tree Planting Tribe, Charlotte Gill (2011)
An environmental story of renewal and renewable resources. Take a moment to appreciate the complex wealth of forest ecosystems in Eating Dirt, a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award and Winner of the BC National Award for Nonfiction. With 20 years experience as a tree planter, author Charlotte Gill gives an inside look into the science, economics and lifestyle of the forestry industry.
Son of a Trickster, by Eden Robinson (2017)
Meet Jared, the burnout kid. But with no one to depend on, Jared carries many heavy responsibilities for his 16 years. This story might renew your ideas to use outside appearances sparingly in judgment. With wry humour on dire circumstances, and moments of magical realism tied into modern pop culture, this new novel by Eden Robinson is to be the first in a promising trilogy.
