what i'm reading: robertson davies

I finished Fifth Business, the first book in Robertson Davies's Deptford Trilogy, and am starting the second, The Manticore.

The first book was brilliant. It's very difficult to describe, as it weaves together so many themes - religion, myth, vengeance, the complexity of human motivations, love in all its many guises. It's also a mystery, in the sense that a novel can be full of surprises and reveal itself only to the patient reader. The device that joins the first and second novels is as elegant a bit of writing as I've ever seen.

I recommend these books to everyone who appreciates good writing and great novels. I'm thrilled to have finally discovered Davies, and will be devouring many of his works over the months and years ahead.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

11 things you should know about u.s. presidential elections

Image
Here are some facts about US elections. There are mountains of evidence to support each of these. If you have doubts, do some homework. This is merely a summary of facts. 1. The Electoral College. Up to 50% of votes in any state are wiped out. Canada has first-past-the-post voting based on ridings (Parliamentary seats), but imagine if all of Ontario was one riding -- 51% and winner take all. 2. Partisan oversight. Elections are governed on the state level, and the person in charge of them represents a political party. There is no equivalent of Elections Canada. Imagine, for example, if Jason Kenney's party ran elections in Alberta, and oversaw vote-counting and potential recounts. 3. Voter suppression. This takes place on a dozen different fronts. In many states, registration is complex and very limited. There are onerous ID requirements. Voters can be and are disqualified based on any number of arcane laws. Voter list are "purged" -- hundreds of thousands of voters dro...
Read more

"at your library" column in the north island eagle: two columns suddenly without relevance, part 2

This ran after the library was closed... and it's about a resource that can only be accessed in our branches! Ancestry Library: Your Library Can Help You Discover Your Roots Many Canadians are interested in learning about their family background. After all, unless you're an Indigenous person, your ancestors were once newcomers to this land. Where did they come from, and what was life like there? Why did they decide to leave their original country, travel to a strange place, often on the other side of the globe? And where did they all go? You probably know some of their stories, but you may have family in Canada or elsewhere that you've never even heard of. For some people, genealogy becomes an absorbing fascination, even an obsession. Folks travel around the world to see what remains of a family village, or learn a new language so they can read original letters. For others, just a dip into the information now and again is enough – interesting and fun. Whatever your level of...
Read more