Inferno, Dan Brown

Inferno
Dan Brown 

To mark today's release of Dan Brown's new novel Inferno, here's a Q&A with Brown, courtesy of Random House. 


Inferno refers to Dante Alighieri´s The Divine Comedy. What is Dante’s significance? What features of his work or life inspired you?

The Divine Comedy—like the Mona Lisa—is one of those rare artistic achievements that transcends its moment in history and becomes an enduring cultural touchstone. Like Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, The Divine Comedy speaks to us centuries after its creation and is considered an example of one of the finest works ever produced in its artistic field. For me, the most captivating quality of Dante Alighieri is his staggering influence on culture, religion, history, and the arts. In addition to codifying the early Christian vision of Hell, Dante’s work has inspired some of history’s greatest luminaries—Longfellow, Chaucer, Borges, Tchaikovsky, Liszt, Monteverdi, Michelangelo, Blake, Dalí—and even a few modern video game designers. Despite Dante’s enduring influence on the arts, however, most of us today have only a vague notion of what his work actually says—both literally and symbolically (which, of course, is of great interest to Robert Langdon). A few years ago, I became very excited about the prospect of writing a contemporary thriller that incorporated the philosophy, history, and text of Dante’s timeless descent into The Inferno.


When you start on a new book, do you begin with the writing or the research? Do you enjoy doing one more than the other? 

Research definitely drives everything I do. Before beginning the writing process, I spend a lot of time exploring worlds in which I intend to set the book. In Angels & Demons, those worlds included Vatican City, particle physics, and the ongoing battle between science and religion. In Inferno, the worlds include Florence, Venice, the writings of Dante Alighieri, as well as a frightening new science that I believe has the potential either to save humankind or to destroy it.

Where did do your research for Inferno? How long did you spend on it?

Researching Inferno began with six months of reading, including several translations of The Divine Comedy, various annotations by Dante scholars, historical texts about Dante’s life and philosophies, as well as a lot of background reading on Florence itself. At the same time, I was poring over all the new scientific information that I could find on a cutting edge technology that I had decided to incorporate into the novel. Once I had enough understanding of these topics to proceed, I traveled to Florence and Venice, where I was fortunate to meet with some wonderful art historians, librarians, and other scholars who helped me enormously.

Once this initial phase of research was complete, I began outlining and writing the novel. As is always the case, when a book begins to take shape, I am drawn in unexpected directions that require additional research. This was also the case with Inferno, which took about three years from conception to publication

With respect to the process, the success of these novels has been a bit of a Catch-22. On one hand, I now have wonderful access to specialists, authorities, and even secret archives from which to draw information and inspiration. On the other hand, because there is increased speculation about my works in progress, I need to be increasingly discreet about the places I go and the specialists with whom I speak. Even so, there is one aspect of my research that will never change—making personal visits to the locations about which I’m writing. When it comes to capturing the feel of a novel’s setting, I find there is no substitute for being there in the flesh...even if sometimes I need to do it incognito.

What kind of adventure will Robert Langdon face this time? Can you give us any sneak peak at the new novel?

Inferno is very much a Robert Langdon thriller. It’s filled with codes, symbols, art, and the exotic locations that my readers love to explore. In this novel, Dante Alighieri’s ancient literary masterpiece—The Divine Comedy—becomes a catalyst that inspires a macabre genius to unleash a scientific creation of enormous destructive potential. Robert Langdon must battle this dark adversary by deciphering a Dante-related riddle, which leads him to Florence, where he finds himself in a desperate race through a landscape of classical art, secret passageways, and futuristic technology.

What was the most exciting idea or story that you found in your research?

For me, one of the most exciting themes of Dante’s Inferno is the portrayal of pride as the most serious of the seven deadly sins—a transgression punished in the deepest ring of hell. The notion of pride as the ultimate sin dovetails perfectly with Greek mythology, in which hubris is responsible for the downfall of the archetypal hero. In mythology, no man was more prideful than the man who considers himself above the problems of the world…for example, he who ignores injustice because it does not affect him directly. This notion is reflected in a famous paraphrasing of Dante’s text: THE DARKEST PLACES IN HELL ARE RESERVED FOR THOSE WHO MAINTAIN THEIR NEUTRALITY IN TIMES OF MORAL CRISIS. This is a recurring theme of the novel.


What made Florence the ideal location for Inferno?

No city on earth is more closely tied to Dante Alighieri. Dante grew up in Florence, fell in love in Florence, and began writing in Florence. Later in life, when he was exiled for political reasons, the longing he felt for his beloved Florence became a catalyst for The Divine Comedy. Through his enduring poem, Dante enjoyed the “last word” over his political enemies, banishing them to various rings of the Inferno where they suffered terrible tortures.


Do you have a favorite place to visit in Florence, like a library or a museum?  

Every visit to Florence should include a trip to the popular highlights—The David, The Uffizi Gallery, The Boboli Gardens, and Il Duomo. In addition, there are a number of other locations that I find particularly inspiring. The Laurentian Library contains a breathtaking staircase by Michelangelo as well as archives of ancient manuscripts that are literally chained to their shelves. Palazzo Vecchio’s spectacular Salone dei Cinquecento is home to one of the great unsolved mysteries in art history, which remains an enigma to this day. And the Battistero di San Giovanni boasts a dazzling mosaic cieling that is said to have terrified the young Dante Alighieri and later inspired his enduring vision of hell. All of these locations make an appearence in the new novel.

The great detective in your novels, Robert Langdon, shares your birth date as well as your place of birth. What else do the two of you have in common?

Langdon and I both share a fascination with history, symbols, and codes, but this is where the similarities end. Langdon is far more daring and exciting than I am. He is, in many ways, the hero I wish I could be.

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1001 Books: Cloud Atlas, The Elementary Particles, The Island of Dr. Moreau

Have you ever read a book so fascinating that, even though you're still not really sure what it was about, you would still recommend it? For me, David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas is just such a book. I remember that when I reached Cloud Atlas on The List I was pregnant with my first son, and thus in the perfect headspace to explore new, complicated worlds and to oscillate frequently between many different narrative voices. I still can't tell you exactly what the "storyline" was, but I can tell you that Cloud Atlas certainly draws you into its universe--and that you won't want to leave.

From David Mitchell's masterpiece The List catapulted me into the completely pointless world of Michel Houellebecq's The Elementary Particles. Needless to say, cynicism has never really been my bag, but some books with this perspective can still manage to be important or even entertaining, intent as they are on challenging our notions of meaningfulness and goodness. I get that. It wasn't the book's intentions that rubbed me the wrong way. The problem was in the execution: Houellebecq's special brand of nihilist crap was so dull in spite of all its attempts to shock me via rampant ugliness and amorality. Imagine Chuck Palahniuk minus the dark humour. Yawn. Also, did I mention that The Elementary Particles doesn't really deserve to be on any Best Books list? Hmmm, maybe that was implied.

Fortunately, my soul was soon soothed by The Island of Dr. Moreau. Heck, next time you read a crummy book, immediately follow it up with anything by H. G. Wells and I assure you that your day will get immediately sunnier. Moreau is a genuinely terrifying tale of genetic modification gone horribly awry. Two words: MUTANT ANIMALS. Feel free to stop reading this blog and just start reading Wells now. I'm serious.

For those of you still with me, you should know that I tried to read Tristram Shandy, but it didn't work out. Sometimes reading through the 1001 Books list feels like letting strangers set you up on blind dates....

- Steph 

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Three Sisters Back to the Beginning: Timeless Greek Recipes Made Simple

"Food is Love": The Bakopoulos Sisters' Second Cookbook

During my early twenties I had the opportunity to live in Greece. It is a country of islands, olive groves, mountains, and gorgeous azure water. Greeks are a passionate bunch, and place a lot of value on food and family.

Last month we held a book launch for the Sisters Bakopoulos (Betty, Eleni, and Samantha), who were launching their new cookbook, Three Sisters Back To The Beginning: Timeless Greek Recipes Made Simple. It was an evening of good folks, good food, good drink, and some fantastic biodynamic olive oil from Acropolis Organics.

The sisters' first cookbook, Three Sisters Around The Greek Table, received international acclaim by winning the Gourmand Award for best foreign cookbook in Canada in 2009, first place at the New York Book Festival, and fourth place at the Best in the World competition in Paris, France.

 
We tasted a number of canapes throughout the evening, including grilled halloumi cheese, warmed citrus olives, shrimp saganaki, shrimp and orzo salad, red lentil soup, and lamb burgers. All of them were delicious, but halloumi cheese is my new favourite appetizer. Try this recipe—it will become a staple in your household!

Grilled Halloumi

A tasty, salty, and squeaky cheese made in Cyprus. It is made from sheep’s and goat’s milk, and can withstand very high temperatures, making it an ideal cheese for grilling or frying. Try it on vegetarian skewers for added protein.

Serves 4

Vegetarian
Gluten-free

4 halloumi cheese slices, ¼-inch (6 mm) thick
Olive oil for greasing
 
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
 
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 fresh red chili pepper, deseeded, minced
2 Kalamata olives, sliced

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Brush both sides of the halloumi cheese with olive oil and place in the hot skillet. Cook cheese on both sides until cheese has a golden-brown colour, about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer grilled cheese to a serving platter.
 
In a separate small bowl whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together and drizzle over the cheese. Serve warm.

Alternatively: Halloumi can also be grilled on a barbecue.


If you like this recipe, there are dozens more Mediterranean delicacies in the Bakopoulos sisters' new cookbook. Do your taste buds and your stomach a favour and pick up your copy at The Bookshelf.

Thanks for throwing a fantastic party ladies!


 
- Ben

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40 Years. 40 Books. One Shelf: A List and Contest

For The Bookshelf's fortieth birthday, we've put together a list of forty key books we've sold that have been published over the last forty years (see below). This isn't so much a "best of" list as a list of books that have been consistent bookseller or customer favourites over the years or that have been publishing firsts. In a sense, the books on this list embody what the Bookshelf has been about these last four decades.

Now that we've given our choices, we're interested in hearing about yours! Email us the titles of one or two of your own favourite books that have been published over the last forty years, aside from the ones on our list, and we'll enter your name in a draw to win all forty of the books below. Our address for suggestions is 40years@bookshelf.ca. And if you add a brief explanation of why a book touched you, we'll enter your name for other prizes. We look forward to hearing from you!

We'll post (anonymously) your suggestions. To check out the customer suggestions that have already been submitted, click here.

And now our own 40 Years, 40 Books, One Shelf picks: 

• Alligator Pie is one of the sweetest and most fun kids’ books ever published.
• Beloved, which won the Pulitzer Prize, is one of my personal favourites. I was completely stunned by both the story and the richness of the language.
• A Brief History of Time turned many on to the world of science writing and, of course, to Stephen Hawking.
• Autobiography of Red, by the Genius Award winner Anne Carson, changed my notion of poetry beyond metre and rhyme.
• Birds of America, a bookseller pick, will show you how much punch and poignancy a short story carries.
• Breakfast of Champions (really a stand-in for Cat’s Cradle) is a great example of the satire and affection shown by one of our bestselling backlist authors.
• The Cinnamon Peeler, by Michael Ondaatje, is another great illustration of how a few words on a page can express as much as a novel.
• Cloud Atlas, another bookseller pick, introduces you to the wild and lovely mind of David Mitchell.
• A Complicated Kindness, a Canada Reads and G.G. winner, turns you on to the wonderful voice of protagonist Nomi Nickel.
• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a personal favourite of many booksellers, who loved getting to know Oscar, a boy whose father died in the 9/11 attacks.
• Famous Last Words is a literary mystery by one of The Bookshelf’s most beloved writers.
• A Fine Balance is another perennial favourite of Bookshelf staff and customers.
• The Golden Spruce, winner of the G.G. award, is an amazing amalgam of biography, science, and politics.
• Guns, Germs, and Steel, another Pulitzer Prize winner, asks why Europe conquered America. The answer is surprising.
• Half of a Yellow Sun, another bookseller pick, narrates the tragic story of the abortive independence struggle in Igbo land (Biafra), Nigeria.
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone  Enough said.
• A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius is wunderkind Dave Eggers’s breakout memoir.
• If on a winter’s night a traveler will introduce you to a superb piece of postmodern writing.
• Into the Wild is another great work of speculative journalism.
• Love in the Time of Cholera is a precious story about love from the Nobel Prize-winning magic realist Marquez.
• Love You Forever, from our own Bob Munsch, is one of the bestselling kids’ books ever.
• Manufacturing Consent is Chomsky’s most famous work of speaking truth to power.
• Maus was the first graphic novel to take on the Holocaust.
• Me Talk Pretty One Day combines gay writing with wicked humour.
• The New Moosewood Cookbook was the first cookbook to alert people to things other than meat and potatoes.
• No Logo was the political bible of Gen X.
• Oryx and Crake is Atwood’s prescient dystopian novel of climate change and genetic mutation.
• Our Bodies Ourselves told women they didn’t have to listen to the male medical hierarchy.
• Persepolis is a graphic novel arising out of the Iranian revolution.
• Pilgrim at Tinker Creek showed us how good nature writing can actually be.
• A Prayer for Owen Meany is a favourite of all booksellers.
• The Satanic Verses led to the fatwa that changed Rushdie’s life.
• Sexing the Cherry is another startling work of magic realism.
• Small is Beautiful is the ur-text of sustainable economics.
• The Stone Diaries shows us why we must never forget Carol Shields.
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is from the master of Cold War espionage.
• The Wayfinders is a Massey Lecture about how we should pay attention to reverse innovation.
• When Things Fall Apart gives Buddhist insights into surviving the modern world.
• Who Do You Think You Are is a masterpiece by our very own world-renowned short-story guru, Alice Munro.
• Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance presents the counterculture’s investigation of philosophy and madness.

Wouldn't you love to win them all!

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40 Years. 40 Books. One Shelf: Customer Favorites

Here, in order of submission, are the titles Bookshelf customers have submitted for our 40 Years, 40 Books, One Shelf contest. Everyone who submits favourites for this list to 40years@bookshelf.ca gets his or her name entered in a draw to win all forty of the books on the Bookshelf's own 40 Years, 40 Book, One Shelf list. See our previous blog for more information on the booksellers' picks and on the contest.

This list is constantly growing, so check back frequently--the latest suggestions are at the top!

Customer Picks 

Pope Joan, by Donna Woolfolk Cross
This is the dramatic story of a woman whose courage makes her a heroine. Pope Joan was erased from history, yet the author brings her existence to life in the pages of this amazing read. Joan is a strong, bold woman, and whether real or mythical, the story of Pope Joan will not disappoint.  

The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery
A delightfully original and somewhat melancholy treasure of a book. The author tells the story through the eyes and feelings of three central characters: Renee, Paloma, and Mr. Ozu. We get to share and experience their conversations and interactions throughout their meeting in an elegant apartment building. From reading this book, I learned the value of friendships and intimacies and that you never know when fate may take a turn or life may change in an instant.

Barney's Version, by Mordecai Richler
I have read this one-of-a-kind novel twice and look forward to reading it many more times, as it makes me laugh and I feel that I am a part of Barney's world and his search for the key to unsolving the mystery that he finds himself involved in. The wonderful writing style of Richler and his sarcastic and funny humour keep this a favourite on my bookshelf.  

The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
To this day I consider Atwood's book to be one of the scariest things I have ever read.  I see society today and there are glimmers of the future that Atwood presented to us.  Every now and then I have to re-read this book, and every time it never fails to give me those same shivers.  The Handmaid's Tale began my love affair with Atwood--a love affair that has since extended to many of our fine Canadian authors.

The Walking Drum, by Louis L'Amour.
I first read this book when I was a young teen of about 13 because my grandmother and I used to frequent the public library and she encouraged me to read the book after her when I marveled at how she could possibly enjoy a book of 500 pages! The story Louis L'Amour tells is a tale of romance, adventure, and, most amazingly to my taste, history. I never much enjoyed history but this book somehow intrigued me and I couldn't stop reading. 

Le Petit Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
While perhaps perceived as simplistic and short, this is a book that I love to read each year around Thanksgiving and/or Christmas.  I first read this book in grade school as an assignment in French literature.  Having read it in both in English and in French, I love the story in both languages. I think it is absolutely a must-read. Says the fox in the book, " Here is my secret.  It is very simple.  It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela

Man with a Blue Scarf: On Sitting for a Portrait by Lucian Freud, Martin Gayford

Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer

Fifteen Days, by Christie Blatchford
Fifteen Days was so evocative that it felt as if it was the kid next door who was Afghanistan.  A few years after I read it, I met a couple whose daughter was there. She had an especially dangerous job.  This book helped me understand the level of risk that she had committed to.
 
Martha Stewart’s Quick-Cook Menus, by Martha Stewart
I always remember about half-way through a Martha recipe that she just shows up for the photo shoot. But when I serve a Martha dish, I sense an awe in the room that makes it all worthwhile. This was one of her first books.

Griffin and Sabine, by Nick Bantock
Kids have pop-up books with big figures and primary colours.  Nick Bantock gave adults a book that required a little more manual dexterity and included art that intrigued patrons and philatelists. It drove librarians nuts.

Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, by Lynne Truss

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, by Mark Hadley

The Game, by Ken Dryden

Late Nights on Air, by Elizabeth Hay
 
The Madonnas of Leningrad, by Debra Dean
I have a coffee table book of paintings in The Hermitage and looked at each one as Dean referred to it. The feeling of completeness was extraordinary.

Columbine, by Dave Cullen

Open, by Andre Agassi

Methodist Hatchet, by Ken Babstock

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven Covey

Dark Age Ahead, by Jane Jacobs

Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, by Piers Paul Read

Away, by Jane Urquhart

Diana, Her True Story in Her Own Words, by Andrew Morton
Someone higher than the servants blabbed and couldn’t be fired. In the final installment, the Queen suddenly remembered that the butler did it. The cliché is true: you can’t make this up.

Ossuaries, by Dionne Brand
The presentation is so good that I was able to ignore an intellectual reaction on the first read and just go with the emotions.  A book to read forever.
 
Shake Hands With the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda, by Romeo Dallaire

Clyde Fans, Book 1, by Seth
Seth is not only a talented artist, he is insightful about the human condition and can communicate his understanding. I passed the book on to much younger relatives.  What a great way to relate across generations.

Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, by Douglas Coupland

Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell

The Downing Street Years, by Margaret Thatcher
Despite the perfectionism that she displayed in public, Margaret Thatcher is impressively open in this book. She includes notes to colleagues that show her ruthless and relentless side. She writes about doubts that she had when she was publicly holding her ground. And she talks about the wardrobe designs that hid her weight.

Nothing to Envy, Ordinary Lives in North Korea, by Barbara Demick      

Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides

My Life, by Bill Clinton
When finished, I speculated on what percentage was true. Such an unfortunate reaction to a biography.

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith
McCall Smith’s pace, cadence, and issues remind me of other south Saharan countries I have visited.  This series is a wonderful way to get people started reading about Africa.

Grendel, by John Gardner
It is hard to explain the many ways in which this great novel moved me. The idea of focusing on a character like Grendel and telling the great Beowulf tale from the monster's perspective with humour and sympathy and skill was eye-opening to me. I believe it was Gardner's masterful use of language and alliteration that found me cast in his spell and craving more of his work. Gardner seems to write with an eye for the critics and embellishes his writing with interesting twists like opening Grendel with the ram--the first sign of the horoscope--and introducing each astrological sign in sequence by chapter. It's done seamlessly and adds a unified strength to the novel. Every event seems to follow a natural path.

Disgrace, by J. M. Coetzee 
With ten children, my family adopted the tradition of drawing names at Christmas. My eldest brother, Phil, drew my name and left a credit card imprint at the bookstore which allowed me to buy any book I wanted each month for a full year. Disgrace was the first book I purchased. Just last year, my brother and I drove to State College, Pennsylvania together to see JM Coetzee collect his IAH award and we had the good fortune--as distant visitors--to be invited to the private reception after the awards, allowing me an opportunity to meet the author and have my book signed.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver 
This book was a life changer for me – really. What we eat and how we live changed dramatically after reading this memoir of a year long adventure with local and home-grown food. I’m so grateful this book exists! I re-read it once a year, and give copies away as gifts. Beautiful.

Small Wonder, by Barbara Kingsolver
Magical essays that tear my heart, feed my soul, and open my eyes.

My Mother Wears Combat Boots, by Jessica Mills
A Christmas present from my son, it was fun and interesting and a different sort of parenting book, but I was especially touched by the words my son wrote inside.

Idioglossia, by Eleanor Bailey
Sadly out of print, and I lent out my copy, but it is a haunting story of family and connection, mental illness and love.  I was touched each time I read it by the strength of love through all of the challenges of life.

Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov

The Book of Negroes, by Lawrence Hill
Such a powerful read!  The image of the baby being thrown off the boat will forever stay with me.

The Time Traveller's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
I'm not usually a sucker for love stories, but this one was so beautiful and so unique!  I loved it!

Three Day Road, by Joseph Boyden
I couldn't put this book down and I felt so sad for Elijah and Xavier and what the war had turned them into...this story will haunt me!

Bottle Rocket Hearts, by Zoe Whittall
I loved the angst of this story and felt connected to so many of the characters.  Made me want to write my own novel.

Clan of the Cave Bear, by Jean M. Auel
My first experience with historical fiction, what a joy to learn while indulging in a good book.  I have gone on to read Gabaldon, Follett, Gregory, Shaffer and Chevalier amongst others.

Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney
The first book I read to my unborn children.  They are 8 & 6 now and we still bring it out occasionally.

Breakfast of Champions, by Kurt Vonnegut
It was my first introduction to Kurt Vonnegut who became, and still is, my favourite author of all time.  I love his sarcastic and witty ways.  

Emma's War, by Deborah Scroggins
I was given this book by a friend who I met while in Kenya working in a refugee camp.  The book was so fascinating and changed my views on international development forever.  

The Name of Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith

Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace

Because every generation needs an interpreter, and he was ours.

Vernon God Little, by DBC Pierre

The modern novel sits squarely on the shoulders of subjective perspective, and no book in the last ten years obeys this intention as impressively. 

Rubicon, by John Holland
A historical account of the rise of Julius Caesar to power and the transition of the Roman republic into an empire. The book is so well written and sourced that it reads like a fictional story rather than history.

Guns, Germs, and Steel, by Jared Diamond
A clever account of how the distribution of power and cultural capital ended up as it did.

The Solitudes, by John Crowley
Epitomized for me writing as a form of enchantment--there was a core of mystery in that book which, reading it in high school as I did, began to convince me that literature and life itself could be infused with a sense of magic.

Embassytown, by China Mieville
A mind-bogglingly ambitious book, but what wins me over with Mieville is not his big ideas but his prose, which is sentence-by-sentence some of the best I've ever read.

Room, by Emma Donoghue

Sex at Dawn, by Christoper Ryan & Cacilda Jethà
Sex at Dawn is a book discussing a very controversial topic--non-monogamy--from an evolutionary psychology perspective. The authors of Sex at Dawn not only normalize this phenomenon, but also ground it in evolutionary theory, rendering it clear and logical.

She's Come Undone, by Wally Lamb

The Art Of Racing In The Rain, by Garth Stein

Killing Yourself to Live, by Chuck Klosterman
His ability to relate everything in his life to music and pop culture is amazing. The only book I've read more than once, and I plan on reading again. Outstanding. Anyone who loves music should read it--oh, and anyone who has ever been in a relationship.

Oh, The Places You'll Go!, by Dr. Seuss
This book has helped me through some very difficult times.  Dr. Seuss helps me to remember that we all go through difficult times, and then those difficult times will get better.  What a touching read.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C. S. Lewis
I remember sitting in my grandpa's velvet wing-back chair, sniffing the pages of my new Puffin paperback, snow falling outside and my whole ten year old self wriggling in anticipation!

Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
This book brings history to life like no other. Mantel engaged all my senses from the first paragraph. I wish it was a ten book series and not just a trilogy!

Desert Solitaire, by Edward Abbey

The Windup Bird Chronicle, by Haruki Murakami

The Dharma Bums, by Jack Kerouac

The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Skimming over the obvious reasons like its beautiful imagery or relatable characters or the fun in reading about a society that seemed so different from ours, it was the book's message that has stuck with me. Sometimes a path seems so easy or so obvious and when we are faced with a new challenge, all we want is what was once so easy. But if we are given an opportunity to do something great, even if doing it is hard and forces us to leave a lot behind, there is no better path to take. Life is not simple. It's beautiful and mysterious but not always easy.

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
He writes characters brilliantly.

Fionavar Tapestry, Guy Gavriel Kay
Wonderful characters and plot, and penned by a Canadian to boot!

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon
This is a great work of fiction. A charming read, certainly!

High Fidelity, by Nick Hornby
Sometimes a book need not be a classic or a paragon of writing to be one’s favourite. Sometimes, it need only be read at the right time. High Fidelity is that book for me. I read it shortly after I turned twenty and the way it talked about being a grown-up – the privileges and the disappointments – really spoke to me.

Anne of Green Gables, by  L. M. Montgomery
I first read Anne at the age of 11, and have re-read it countless times.  I still have my original copy, dog eared, yellowed, and cracked spine.  

The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
I read this book once before I was a parent, and a couple of times since. Difficult reading each time, but Sebold's depiction of Heaven is one that gives me comfort and has stuck with me over the years.
 
We Need to Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver
Dark and disturbing, beautifully written, looks at the “nature vs. nurture” origin of evil.

Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn (Bookshelf Review available)
One of the more recent books on my list; a wonderfully written tale of suspense, obsession and betrayal.

A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hussein
The most beautiful imagery in the written word … transports you to another place.

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hussein
 Heartbreaking and uplifting.

Almost anything by Jodi Picoult
One of my favorite authors today; she is unafraid to take difficult, controversial topics and force the reader to consider them from all angles.
 
The Talisman, by Stephen King and Peter Straub
This book was, and still is, one of my favorites of all time

The Stand & It, by Stephen King
Stephen King books made up most of my library as a young-reader teenager in the 80s – he was one of the first authors I fell in “love” with. 

Secret Daughter, by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
A beautiful story of love and family.

Love Anthony, Lisa Genova
This story opened my eyes to the meaning of REAL unconditional love.
 
A Civil Action, by Jonathan Harr
 
The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan (Bookshelf Review available)

About This Country, by Peter Gzowski
In 1974 I was a stay-at-home mom with one beautiful baby girl, very little money or space at home. CBC radio kept me company and kept me informed. Peter Gzowski was like family. I read the book, recalled the interviews I had heard, and regretted not hearing the ones I had missed. I'm glad this copy has survived the donation pile for every house move I have made.

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