book review

Book Review: “Between Rothko and 3 Windows” by Corrado Paina

By James / September 28, 2017

One of the greatest joys in reviewing books is the unexpected pleasure of discovering an excellent story when you least expect it. Such was the case with Between Rothko and 3 Windows (2016, Quattro Books).

The post Book Review: “Between Rothko and 3 Windows” by Corrado Paina appeared first on Giver on the River.

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Book Review: “Bearing Witness: Journalists, Record Keepers and the 1917 Halifax Explosion” by Michael Dupuis

By James / August 18, 2017

December 6, 2017, signals the 100th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion, Canada’s worst Maritime tragedy to date. In mere seconds, a large portion of Halifax’s North End and waterfront were obliterated when the damaged munitions ship Mont Blanc exploded, killing 2,000 people and injuring thousands more.

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Book Review: “Down Inside: Thirty Years in Canada’s Prison Service” by Robert Clark

By James / August 1, 2017

Down Inside is the memoir of Robert Clark whose entire working career was spent with the Canadian Correction Service (CSC). When he retired in 2009, he was serving as a deputy warden and a few years later sat down to write about his experiences in the hope of inciting change in the current system.

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Book Review: “Promises to Keep” by Genevieve Graham

By James / July 4, 2017

Set during the time of the Acadian expulsion in 1755 from what is now Nova Scotia. “Promises to Keep” contains a stronger, deeper story than its romantic cover art might suggest.

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Book Review: “Waiting for Still Water” by Susan White

By Giv'er Miramichi / May 15, 2017

Award-winning New Brunswick author Susan White’s newest young adult/middle-grader novel is Waiting for Still Water, a book centred around an extended family composed of foster children, past and present, who have been under the care of the redoubtable Amelia Walton, who owns a farm on Walton Lake on the Kingston Peninsula.

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Book Review: “The Glory Wind” & “Rain Shadow” by Valerie Sherrard

By James / December 4, 2016

Miramichi’s resident Young Adult (YA) author Valerie Sherrard has had many of her books shortlisted and awarded in various categories, and these two novels are no exception.

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Book Review: “In the Country” by Wayne Curtis

By James / October 11, 2016

New Brunswick author Wayne Curtis has released his latest title, In the Country (2016, Pottersfield Press) a collection of short stories, twelve in all, that will resonate with anyone familiar with the Miramichi River area where the author was born some 73 years ago. It will especially appeal to readers who lived here over the decades of the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.

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Book Review: “Boss Gibson: Lumber King of New Brunswick” by David Sullivan

By James / October 2, 2016

One cannot read a history of New Brunswick without coming across the name Alexander Gibson, or “Boss” as he was affectionately called by his family, friends and employees. So it was that after reading several different books on New Brunswick, I decided to see if anyone had published a book about the man.

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Book Review: “The Call of the Ocean” by Jim Wellman

By James / September 4, 2016

Flanker Press recently released an invaluable book penned by Jim Wellman of twenty-eight fascinating profiles of people who are (or were) involved with the modern ocean fishery industry in one way or another. There are stories of lives lived on the sea, lives lost at sea, lives saved at sea, boat builders, both young and old, women who fish & more.

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Book Review: “Aftershock” by Janet Maybee

By James / June 14, 2016

Aftershock, a 2015 book published by Nimbus is an essential read for those interested in the Halifax Explosion of December 6th, 1917. It was on this date that one of the biggest explosions up to that time in North America occurred in Halifax harbour killing thousands and leaving many more injured and scarred for life.

The post Book Review: “Aftershock” by Janet Maybee appeared first on Giver on the River.

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Book Review: “The Memory Chair” by Susan White

By James / June 9, 2016

New Brunswick author Susan White’s “The Memory Chair” (2015, Acorn Press) was recently chosen by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre as one of their Best Books for Kids and Teens. It is the story of Betony, a thirteen-year-old girl who is often dragged along by her father when he visits Gram, Betony’s great-grandmother.

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Book Review: “Finding Woods” by Matt Mott

By James / January 9, 2016

It has been quite some time since I have read any ‘modern’ horror novels. Back in my younger years I was quite a fan of Stephen King, but as I got older my reading tastes changed to literature and history with the occasional novel or book of short stories thrown in for variety. Recently I was alerted to the fact that a Miramichi resident (who has since moved to Saint John) has written a book that I should take a look at. I was able to get a review copy of Finding Woods by Matt Mott (2014, Montag Press) from the author himself.

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