Week of 10 February

Freezing Rain – Whiteout Blizzards – Sunny Cold Clear Days

We get it all in February – but we are also slowly slowly getting closer to summer each day!

I am busy planning for the summer to come, placing orders for new stock – lots of exciting new releases to come

A few already here –

The very prolific and always terrific Eric Walters has 2 new books – Voyageur is a suspenseful adventure story of a boy and his mom on a canoe trip in Northern Ontario – Trapped in Ice takes place in 1913 in the Canadian Arctic and find a couple of teens facing an extraordinarily treacherous challenge.

Carry Me by Peter Behrens, one of my favourite books published in 2016, is now out in paperback. Have a look on this website to read the review.

Runaway by Peter May has also just come out in paperback. This very popular Scottish writer always thrills with a mystery page turner every time.

The latest in the Maisie Dobbs series Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear is now in paperback. Maisie is dropped into Nazi Germany in an attempt to rescue a British man essential to the Secret Service.

New in hardcover is Racing the Devil – the 12th in the excellent Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery series by Charles Todd.

Week of 19 January 2017

In January and February we are closed on Sunday, Monday & Tuesday – a time for visits with family and friends.

From Wednesday – Saturday things are as usual with books arriving every day and customers shopping and placing & picking up special orders.

Some of the most recent, and more notable, new arrivals are –

The Naturalist by Alissa York is now in paperback. I loved this book about a trio both fearful and fearless exploring the Orinoco River in the 1860s. Wonderful writing and a terrific story.

Georgia by Dawn Tripp is historical fiction about the painter Georgia O’Keefe and a fascinating insight into her life and art.

A Family is a Family by Sara O’Leary should find itself in every classroom. A picture book about what makes a family – something different for everyone in the multi-cultural and diverse world we live in today. 

Also of note –

Birds Art Life by Kyo Maclear who embarked on a yearlong adventure chasing after birds, resulting in a luminous meditation on the nature of creativity and the quest for a good and meaningful life.

Fire by Night by Teresa Messineo is a Second World War story about American Army Nurses and their extraordinary heroism.

No Man’s Land by Simon Tolkien, the grandson of JRR, has written a novel inspired by his grandfather’s experiences in WW1.

Masters of Empire by Michael A. McDonnell, is subtitled Great Lakes Indians and the Making of America. This Australian academic highlights the tribes who lived around Lake Michigan and Huron and their relationship with each other and the French and British.

Joseph Boyden

What do you do when a friend is attacked? You jump in and try to help. Easy, right? Maybe not so easy when it is a verbal attack that becomes louder and louder each day with the voices of many who might have been considered friends of the person being attacked.  The situation becomes more confusing when it is completely unclear as to whether or not there is any reason for the attack in the first place.

You have probably already guessed what I am talking about. Joseph Boyden and the controversy about his ethnic heritage. Does he, or does he not, have any Native blood? I find it difficult to understand why it seems to matter so much to those who feel they must publically voice their opinion.

We all grow up with family stories – ancestors who came over on the Mayflower – ancestors who may or may not have been known for heroism or cowardice. Every family has their share – but no one asks us to prove it.

Joseph Boyden grew up with the knowledge that he had some Native ancestry. This became more and more important to him and he explored that heritage. He created Native characters in his novels – his works of fiction. His novels became bestsellers around the world. They were embraced by all readers – Native and Non-Native alike. They are great novels – no matter where this all ends – he is a brilliant writer. Maybe our best.

2005 Stockey Centre - Three Day Road

Joseph Boyden came to Parry Sound to launch Three Day Road in the spring of 2005. He was attractive and articulate, he charmed us all and his first novel was fantastically good. He deserved every bit of the praise he received. His career took off. When The Orenda was published Joseph again found support within the Native community and around the world. I felt that he wrote the most unbiased book possible about that time, and again a great novel. And, we must remember that these books are novels – fiction. They may be based on history but they are not non-fiction.

It appeared for the past 12 years that Joseph Boyden was not only accepted, but also celebrated, by the Native community. But, suddenly that has changed. I have attempted to understand why but I cannot. And, I understand why I cannot. I am not Native. But, I do accept the right of all people to hold their own beliefs – as long as no one else is being harmed. For me it is that simple. Can’t we all understand and identify with, and empathize with, the experiences of others.

Joseph Boyden is, perhaps, simply the victim of those who are jealous of his success, and they have attempted to discredit what he believes to be a part of his ethnic heritage. The more successful Joseph Boyden became the more he was celebrated. The more everyone has wanted his participation and involvement in their own particular projects – and he has given, and given, and given. He has been generous and gracious, and kind. Which makes this all so much nastier than it might be otherwise.

I realize I may be making matters worse for Joseph, and perhaps for myself, by writing this. But, it seems to me that it is just what many others should be doing. Where are Joseph Boyden’s celebrated friends in the literary and publishing community? I am surprised that there is no voice of unconditional support.

I have not spoken with Joseph about all of this, but I have certainly thought about him and his family. I am also aware that I may have used incorrect terminology, and if so I sincerely apologize. I have no wish to offend anyone. I am not sure if writing this is useful in any way – but I don’t feel that I should keep silent.

2005 Stockey Centre

A new year begins – maybe we should all think about kindness and inclusion – about finding a way to achieve our aims in this life without harming others.

Happy New Year – to all.

Charlotte Stein,

Parry Sound Books

Happy 2017!

The year has rolled over again – 2017. Hard to believe. My mother voiced many platitudes that I didn’t appreciate as I was growing up – “don’t wish the days away – the years will soon disappear” was one. Now I understand.

We are now closing on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday for the months of January and February. We are open 9 – 5:30 Wednesday through Saturday. Special orders will arrive as quickly as always and new books arrive every day.

Some of the most recent new arrivals worth mentioning are –

The Strays by Emily Bitto

A fabulous new novel set in Australia in the 1930s – 60s. A brilliant story of girlhood friendship – one of the best books you’ll read this year.

Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon

Now out in paperback this is terrific historical fiction about the ill fated Hindenburg and those who were affected by the tragedy.

The Five Roses Guide to Good Cooking has finally been re-printed! This classic cookbook is required on all kitchen bookshelves. We’ve been using it for at least four generations in my family – the pancake page is a mess.

Happy, Happy New Year to all of you from all of us at Parry Sound Books.

Christmas 2016 A flight of books for Christmas reading

THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 19-23 WE WILL BE OPEN 9 AM - 7 PM, CLOSING AT 5:30 CHRISTMAS EVE.

A flight of books for Christmas reading

We all think of books for children at Christmas time – but Christmas is also a time when a book makes the perfect gift for every age. It is wonderful to have the family gather for the holidays but it is also wonderful when they’ve headed home and you have a day to yourself.

There is nothing quite so perfect as a day during the holidays when you can snuggle up on the couch, put on a fire, a beverage of your choice on the coffee table with a plate of cookies, and a good book. A Christmas themed book is the perfect choice at this time – a mystery or something light hearted and humorous – and reading the same book as last year is just fine.

In our home every Christmas Eve we watch the original black and white film of A Christmas Carol, and it is certainly a book you can read in a day. The Penguin classic is my edition of choice – timeless. Of course A Christmas Carol is really the ultimate ghost story and part of a long tradition of reading a ghost story on Christmas Eve. Once as much a part of Christmas celebrations as turkey, eggnog, and fruitcake the tradition of the Christmas ghost story continues today with a series of beautifully illustrated and collectible little books by a number of authors. Perfect for the Christmas stocking!

On Christmas day, in the car or at home, we always listen to A Child’s Christmas in Wales, read by Dylan Thomas. It is still the best Christmas story for all ages – from six to sixty.

Holidays on Ice is a collection of Christmas stories by David Sedaris.  Very funny and very politically incorrect. Just picture David Sedaris as a Christmas Elf at Macy’s. Available in a book or on CD, these stories are perfect for the driving you might have to do over the holidays. Guaranteed that everyone in the car will be laughing.

Of course, some of the best stories on CD are those of Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Café. There is a new 4 CD volume of stories, Up & Away, as well as his beloved classic collection of Christmas stories including the essential Dave Cooks the Turkey.

M. C. Beaton offers A Highland Christmas featuring detective Hamish Macbeth, doing his bumbling best to make Christmas a happy time for the residents of Lochdubh. Hamish is constant in his appeal – and if you have a nap in the middle it won’t matter a bit.

Rumpole at Christmas by the late great John Mortimer is another perfect book for holiday reading. Humorous and so very clever, the irascible Rumpole is a great fellow with whom to spend a winter day.

I thought I was finished – then I opened the new Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook – and found a beautiful cornucopia of fabulous recipes not only perfect for Christmas but all winter long. Literally, the cherry on the literary Christmas pudding.

 Bon Appetit!