I’ve been reading some great CanCon that is worth adding to your Christmas shopping or reading lists.
‘The Dame Was Trouble’ is a collection of ‘the best female crime writers in Canada.’ This is a fun, culturally diverse collection, that spans genres: noir, supernatural, interplanetary & hard-core crime – edited for an excellent flow of styles & lengths. Some read like perfect 30’s noir movies & some deserve to become star of their own novels; Kelly Armstrong’s Indispensable Ivy for one, & M.H. Callway’s hard-driving Grace is another.
Rosemary McCracken’s ‘Uncharted Waters’ continues the saga of Pat Tierney: Financial Planner. Much like Jessica Fletcher, murder & deceit follow Pat wherever she goes 🙂 This time she is opening her business in Toronto’s Annex & is confronted with … well, you’ll have to read the book to find out. Nicely plotted, it moves quickly with some humour & lots of Toronto.
Peter Unwin’s ‘Written on Stone’ is also humorous, Parkdale is one of its Toronto location but the bulk of it happens in buses out of the city & in the wilds of Northern Ontario. One element of the plot is the nature of ‘authentic voice’ as perceptions are spun by various characters to support their view point. The language is richly imagistic, the characters tend to blend into each other & events flow in a non-linear way. Unlike ‘Unchartered Waters’ this is not a murder mystery and leaves the reader with unanswered questions.
I’d be remiss not to mention Heather Babcock’s “Dirty Sugar.’ Read all about it here: Dames – Wiggles and Bates https://topoet.ca/2020/09/13/dames—wiggles-and-bates/ . All of these can be found on Amazon.
Finally a non-book recommendation. The song ‘Toronto’ by Bloodstone surfaced in my Tumblr feed. From the 60s it was well-produced with a semi- Chicago sound. I did a bit of a search & found it & the flip side on band camp. Apparently this was the only release by the band lead by Dee Long. The lp is a sweet collection of his song, some are polished, some are demo. If you treasure Canadian pop history you’ll love this set. https://deelong.bandcamp.com/album/1235
Do You Breathe
do you hear what I hear
even when I’m not listening
when I walk unawares
through the streets
through the crowds
through the malls
do you hear the infinite variations
of footsteps clothing rustle whispers
cellphone chatter
do you hear something in that burble
people being people
something that gives you reassurance
life is worth while
<>
or do you hear
dispirited distracted unfocused clatter
people looking for a way out of
something they don’t fully understand
yet feel they have no other option
than consuming depleting the bounty of the planet
<>
bounty of the planet!
who do I think I am
drivelling out such a tired reflection
do I hear myself
when I say such things
do I find it profound silly
I’m not expecting to change any minds here
another shopping opportunity
another listening experience
where I’m not fully attuned to anything
except the sounds of
cars slipping through slush dogs barking
glass breaking doors opening closing
coffee being poured
masks lifted for a smoke
<>
do you see what I see
when I look around
dimly aware there are people around
the focus is on not bumping one another
but avoiding at the right distance
finding a safe place to look
that isn’t already an advertising nook
wrapped in earbuds mask
magazine on the subway
fearful someone might think
that casual glance at their shoes
is a violation of their person
stick to what is safe see nothing hear nothing
except what one can control
<>
if you hear what I hear
see what I see
you are too close
I don’t want to breathe
what you breathe
TOpoet 