Voting Time and Barrie Reads Evergreen

The Barrie Reads Evergreen evening on September 24th was wonderful - truly a success. Everyone in attendance was delighted at the outstanding job each and every one of our celebrities did in championing their book. Some presentations were serious yet heartfelt, and others made us laugh out loud. Robert Rotenberg, author of Old City Hall attended (secretly until Chief Mark Neelin presented his book) our event. He remarked afterwards that he wished he could have recorded the Chief's presentation because it was so humourous and inspiring. I'm sure everyone in attendance will be reading Old City Hall as soon as they can get their hands on a copy, if they haven't already. So, please everyone, cast your vote for a great Canadian book.

Voting is now open for your favourite 2010 Evergreen Award nominees.

Click on the link below to cast your vote online.

http://www.library.barrie.on.ca/programmes/adults/prog/evergreen_2010.htm

There will also be a ballot box in the library at the adult information desk where you can cast your vote.

Take a moment to vote for a great Canadian book!!

It's Happening Friday September 24th!

Well, everything is set to go for our first ever Barrie Reads Evergreen evening. It's taking place this coming Friday, September 24th at 7 pm in the Angus Ross Room at Barrie Public Library. Our luminaries have all read their Evergreen Award nominees and are now preparing their presentations to convince you to vote for ...their book to win the 2010 Evergreen Award. Come out and join us. Besides lively literary discussion, there will be refreshments and door prizes.

Page and Turners

Page and Turners Bookstore on Dunlop Street in downtown Barrie has confirmed they'll be in attendance at Barrie Reads Evergreen on Friday September 24th. This would be a great opportunity to pick up a copy of your favourite nominated Evergreen title. It's going to be a great evening. I can't wait.

Page and Turners on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=113146685376960&ref=mf#!/group.php?gid=113146685376960

Everyone's reading the Evergreen nominees!

I'm ready to ready another Evergreen title but unfortunately, all of the nominees are presently checked out. I suppose that's a good thing though. I'm glad to know our patrons are reading the books. That must mean we're going to have a good turnout for the Barrie Reads Evergreen event on September 24th, right?

In the News!

The Barrie Advance wrote an excellent article about the upcoming Barrie Reads Evergreen event on September 24th at Barrie Public Library. Check it out using the link I've included. I love the picture of Dr. Julie Deroo from Ferris Lane Animal Hospital!

http://www.simcoe.com/community/barrieinnisfil/article/862681

Old City Hall

I'm almost done reading this excellent legal thriller by Robert Rotenberg. The familiar setting of 'Old City Hall' - Toronto - really helps you to see the story unfold in your mind in great detail. I think the main characters in the story are well fleshed out and Detectives Ari Greene and Daniel Kennicott (formerly a lawyer, ) are extremely likeable. I love the brisk pace of this book. The concept of the accused not saying a word is different but intriguing. I hope the reasoning behind this action is revealed before the end of the novel. I understand the Robert Rotenberg is writing another novel which includes a librarian! I will definitely be sure to pick it up.

Burmese Lessons: A Love Story

I recently spoke with Marge Bruineman, Burmese Lesson's champion, and she indicated to me that she really enjoyed this book. She also hinted that there's definitely a romantic element to it. Burmese Lessons is the longest book on the the list of Evergreen Award nominees. Up until talking with Marge, I wasn't sure if I would be able to get through it before the big event on September 24th. Now that I know it's a super read, I'm going to have to make the time to read it. I hope Marge will weigh in here with more specific comments about Karen Connelly's book.

Man Booker Honours and Small Beneath the Sky

Good morning. I've got good news. One of this year's Evergreen Award nominees is in the running for another prestigious literary prize. February by Lisa Moore has been longlisted for the Man Booker prize, the annual contemporary fiction award to writers from the British Commonwealth and Ireland. Way to go Lisa. I'm not surprised in the least!
http://www.themanbookerprize.com/

Last night something happened to me that has never happened to me before. I was reading along through Small Beneath the Sky by Lorna Crozier when I read a passage that caused me to pause and say to myself, "What a beautiful beautiful thought!" The author is writing about the sky and says, "Under its blue glaze, you mark the smallest thing: a lichen scab on stone, thin legs of a crab spider on the petal of a rose, a snowdrift on the beak of a chickadee." I have been totally loving this book, a memoir by poet Lorna Crozier about growing up in Swift Current Saskatchewan. Although I grew up in Niagara Falls, I still find myself relating to many of her stories. I definitely recommend this book. You won't want to put it down.

February by Lisa Moore

I read a good piece of Lisa Moore's February yesterday and I can't wait to get back to it after I finish work today. Although the subject matter is serious, surprisingly, I don't feel sad or down while reading it. The interaction between John and his mother Helen during the birth of his baby sister is particularly poignant.

The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny

Catherine Virgo, our Board Chair here at Barrie Public Library, is reading this nominated title. I wonder if she'll like it as much as I did?

The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny

The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny is another fantastic nominee. This book is actually the 5th entry in Louise Penny's Three Pines Mystery series. Let me tell you that I absolutely love this series. I have read them all and am anxiously awaiting the 6th. Why is this one of my favourite series of books ever? Well, I love the Canadian setting, somewhere in the eastern townships of Quebec. Three Pines is a seemingly idyllic little village with a lot of interesting characters. As the series progresses, Louise Penny develops these characters and you really get to know them warts and all. In each entry, a murder occurs and Chief Inspector Armand Gamache from the Montreal is called in to investigate. The character of Armand Gamache is very very likeable. He's kind, insightful, intelligent, a great mentor, and well dressed. Clara, an artist who is finally on the verge of being recognized after years of struggling is another favourite character of mine. Louise Penny concentrates on a lot of character development and successfully brings each of the characters personal stories along with the murder investigation. I'm flushed just talking about this series. I highly recommend it.

Oonagh by Mary Tilberg

My goal this summer is to read as many of the 2010 Evergreen nominees as possible so I'll be ready for our first ever Barrie Reads Evergreen event on the 24th of September. Remember, library patrons from all across Ontario will be voting for their favourite nominee, so don't miss your chance to have your say. Pop into Barrie Public Library today and pick up a copy of one of these excellent books.
I recently finished reading Oonagh by Mary Tilberg. What a spellbinding smooth read! I loved the main setting of this tale - Coburg Ontario around 1832. You can't help admire Oonagh's fierce independence and Chauncey's wise and gentle nature. It's a beautiful love story between an young Irish woman and an escaped slave from America but, beware, prejudice and racism abound. Truly, a gripping story from the get-go!
Although Mary Tilberg's Oonagh is a work of fiction, I was reminded of the fact that although Canada is known today as a racially tolerant country, many Black Canadians 100 or more years ago, were made to feel unwelcome in our beloved country and faced extreme racial discrimination. For that, I feel embarassed and sad.

First Entry! Barrie Reads Evergreen 2010

Hello there everybody.


Barrie Reads Evergreen is following in the footsteps of CBC’s very successful Canada Reads. 10 local luminaries have been invited to champion the books that have been nominated for the Ontario Library Association’s prestigious Evergreen Award 2010, and they are already busy reading.

You can participate too! Start reading the nominated books now – then during October, along with other readers from across Ontario, vote for your favourite Evergreen nomination.
And make sure to join us on the evening of Friday, September 24 when local luminaries will champion their chosen Evergreen books.


OLA’s Evergreen Reading Award™ Programme
First introduced in 2005, the Evergreen Reading Award™ programme is an opportunity for Ontario librarians to showcase their favourite adult books. All of the nominated Evergreen titles are written by a living Canadian author, and may be fiction or non-fiction, biography, memoir, history, travel book, or graphic novel. In the fall, adult library patrons from across Ontario will be given the opportunity to vote for their favourite selection from the 2010 list.


Here's a list of the 2010 Evergreen Award Nominations and which local luminary is championing it.


The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny - Catherine Virgo Barrie Public Library Board Chair

Burmese Lesson: A Love Story by Karen Connelly - Marge Bruineman, Writer Barrie Examiner

Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant - Dr. Julie Deroo, Veterinarian Ferris Lane Animal Hospital

The Heart Specialist by Claire Holden Rothman - Dr. Sheila Nazerali

February by Lisa Moore - Deb James of 107.5 KOOL FM

The Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint - Sherry Lawson, Author

Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg - TBA

Oonagh by Mary Tilberg - Marshall Green, Lawyer Graham Partners LLP

Small Beneath the Sky by Lorna Crozier - Joe Anderson, Publish Barrie Advance

Underground by June Hutton - Jeff Lehman, Barrie Councillor