Books Read - Fall 2016

17. Christmas Jars by Jason Wright
16. One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

15. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (audio book)
14. The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo

13. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

12. The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom

11. The Joy of Me: The Art of Being Selfish by Shaelyn Pham

10. Emotional Vampires: Dealing with People Who Drain You Dry by Albert Bernstein

9. The Dust That Falls From Dreams by Louis de Bernieres

8. Selections from One Thousand Gifts: Finding Joy in What Really Matters by Ann Voskamp

7. Tempest Tost by Robertson Davies

6. An Apple a Day: The Myths, Misconceptions and Truths About the Foods We Eat by Joe Schwarcz
5. The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory (audio book)
4. Vinyl Cafe Turns the Page by Stuart McLean
3. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
2. The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory (audio book)
1. The Big, Bad Book of Botany by Michael Largo

Books Read - Summer 2016

20. Terms of Endearment by Larry McMurtry

19. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

18. The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon

17. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

16. That Sugar Book by Damon Gameau

15. H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

14. Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle (audio book)

13. Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin (audio book)

12. Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber

11. Speaking in Bones by Kathy Reichs

10. The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann

9. How Your House Works by Charlie Wing

8. The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce

7. Surfacing by Margaret Atwood
6. I Let You Go by Clare MacIntosh
5. The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood
4. Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton

3. A Case of Need by Michael Crichton

2. Going Rouge: Sarah Palin, An American Nightmare ed. by Richard Kim and Betsy Reed

1. Free Range Knitter by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Books Read - Spring 2016

28. The Imposter Bride by Nandy Richler

27. The Willows and Beyond by William Horwood

26. Who Is Francis Rain? by Margaret Buffie

25. Cages by Peg Kehret

24. The Best Alberta Stories by Tony Cashman

23. Why Me? by Deborah Kent

22. Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

21. Don't Cry Now by Joy Fielding

20. Agaton Sax and the Diamond Thieves by Nils-Olof Franzen

19. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel (audio book) (#1)

18. Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Carbonnet

17. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

16. Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie

15. The Messenger by Daniel Silva

14. Birds of Alberta by Robin Bovey

13. Spa Bliss by Jo Glanvillr-Blackburn

12. Bones Never Lie by Kathy Reichs

11. Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs

10. 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs

9. Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs

8. Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs

7. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

6. Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas

5. The Road to Jerusalem by Jan Guillou (#1)

4. The Illuminator by Brenda Rickman Vantrease

3. The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason

2. Along Came a Spider by James Patterson (#1)

1. Summer's Child by Luanne Rice

I Heart Book Sale

I told myself that this year, since I will be moving soon (and am in purging mode and I'll have to pack and move everything that I buy), that maybe I would buy fewer books at the book sale than usual. I didn't want to deny myself anything that I wanted; I just expected that I would want fewer things.
Didn't work, hahaha. In fact, I think I bought more than ever before.

Fiction

Canadian:
Arcadian Adventures of the Idle Rich by Stephen Leacock (NCL, upgrade)
Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town by Stephen Leacock (NCL)
Swamp Angel by Ethel Wilson (NCL)
Who Has Seen the Wind by W.O. Mitchell (NCL, new edition)
Fifth Business by Robertson Davies (upgrade)
The Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies
The Lyre of Orpheus by Robertson Davies

Michael Connelly:
The Reversal - Lincoln Lawyer #3
The Black Echo - Harry Bosch #1 (read audiobook 02/2017)
The Black Ice - Harry Bosch #2 (read audiobook 03/2017)

Robert Ludlum (Jason Bourne):
The Bourne Identity #1
The Bourne Supremacy #2
The Bourne Ultimatum #3

James Patterson (Alex Cross):
Jack & Jill #3
Pop Goes the Weasel #5
Roses are Red #6
Violets are Blue #7

Iris Johansen (Eve Duncan):
The Killing Game #2 (read 02/2017)
The Search #3 (read 02/2017)
Body of Lies #4 (read 02/2017)
Blind Alley #5 (read 02/2017)
Eve #12

Philippa Gregory:
The Constant Princess
The Boleyn Inheritance
The Queens Fool
The White Queen

Jean Auel (Earth's Children):
The Plains of Passage #4
The Shelters of Stone #5

Light in August by William Faulkner

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Non-Fiction

Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies (read 12/2020)

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Paul Rival

The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Friedman

Chi Running by Danny Dreyer (read 02/2018)

Chinese System of Food Cures by Henry Lu

That Sugar Book by Damon Gameau (read 08/2016)

Low GI Gluten-Free Eating Made Easy: The Essential Guide to the Glycemic Index and Gluten-Free Living by Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller

Cook's Illustrated The Best Italian Classics

Life Time Foods of the World The Cooking of China

Gifts

For Mom: Unquenchable by Natalie MacLean

For Dad: The Best Alberta Stories by Tony Cashman (read before giving 06/2016)

For Dad: Birds of Alberta by Robin Bovey (read before giving 05/2016)

For Oma: Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet (read before giving 05/2016)

For Christine: Spa Bliss: Heavenly Ideas For Chilling Out by Jo Glanville-Blackburn (read before giving 05/2016)

For Danaya: Olivier Twist (Fr) d'apres Charles Dickens

For Danaya: Les Aventuriers de L'Outaouais (Fr) by the National Capital Commission

Books Read - Winter 2016

27. The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket (#4)

26. The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket (#3)

25. The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket (#2)

24. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (#1)

23. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

22. The World According to Garp by John Irving

21. Pewter Angels by Henry Ripplinger

20: All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood by Jennifer Senior (audio book)

19. Little Copper Pennies: Celebrating the Life of the Canadian One-Cent Piece (1858-2013) by Susan Harris

18. Hardy Boys: Mystery of the Whale Tattoo by Franklin Dixon

17. Hardy Boys: The Secret of the Old Mill by Franklin Dixon

16. The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World by Sophia Dembling (audio book)

15. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

14. The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory (audio book)

13. Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen

12. Grand Avenue by Joy Fielding

11. The Husband by Dean Koontz

10. Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs (#2)

9. Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs (#1)

8. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

7. Space by James Michener

6. A Recipe For Bees by Gail Anderson-Dargatz

5. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (abridged audio book)

4. The Box Garden by Carol Shields

3. Little Children by Tom Perrotta
2. Great Civilizations ed. by Brenda Ralph Lewis

1. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

Books Read: Fall 2015

14. The Spare Room by Helen Garner

13. New Finnish Grammar by Diego Marani

12. Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

11. By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept by Elizabeth Smart

10. Eldest by Christopher Paolini

9. Six Years by Harlan Coben (abridged audio book)

8. Eragon by Christopher Paolini

7. Stay Close by Harlan Coben (abridged audio book)

6. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

5. Introducing Chomsky: A Graphic Guide by John Maher and Judy Groves

4. Blood Game by Iris Johansen (audio book)

3. Vinyl Cafe: Coast to Coast Service by Stuart McLean (audio book)

2. The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen

1. The Tin Flute by Gabrielle Roy

Books Read: Summer 2015

25. Ottawa: The Unknown City by Rob McLennan
24. Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind From the Afflictions of Civilization by John Ratey and Richard Manning (audio book)
23. Secret Montreal: An Unusual Guide by Philippe Renault
22. Exploring Old Montreal by Alan Hustak

21. Top 115 Unusual Things to See in Ontario by Ron Brown

20. Food Lovers' Guide to Montreal by Patricia Harris and David Lyon

19. Blink by Malcolm Gladwell (audio book)

18. Butter Off Dead by Leslie Budewitz

17. Crime Rib by Leslie Budewitz

16. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (audio book)

15. Death Al Dente by Leslie Budewitz

14. David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell (audio book)

13. Claudius the God by Robert Graves

12. Vinyl Cafe: New Stories by Stuart McLean (audio book)

11. A Sudden Light by Garth Stein (audio book)

10. A Place Called Hope by Philip Gulley (audio book)

9. Porch Talk by Philip Gulley

8. The Woman Who Stole My Life by Marian Keyes

7. Architecture by Jonathan Glancey (DK Eyewitness Companions)

6. The 100: Day 21 by Kass Morgan (audio book)

5. The 100 by Kass Morgan (audio book)

4. The Face of Deception by Iris Johansen (audio book; Eve Duncan #1)

3. Seizure by Kathy Reichs (audio book; Virals #2)

2. I, Claudius by Robert Graves

1. Virals by Kathy Reichs (audio book)

Books Read: Spring 2015

16. Dressing Up for the Carnival by Carol Sheilds

15. An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage (audio book)

14. MoneySense's Guide to Retiring Wealthy

13. The Litigators by John Grisham (audio book)

12. The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew #5)

11. Rumpole of the Bailey by John Mortimer (audio book)

10. The New Millennium Collection: Malta

9. Culture Shock: Britain (A Guide to Customs and Etiquette) by Terry Tan

8. The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht

7. Cloisters of Europe: Gardens of Prayer by Daniel Faure & Veronique Rouchon Mouilleron

6. The Republic of Love by Carol Shields (Cdn)

5. Incontinent on the Continent: My Mother, Her Walker, and Our Grand Tour of Italy by Jane Christmas (Cdn)

4. Mary Poppins Comes Back by P.L. Travers

3. Thomas Cook's Traveller Guides: Beijing & Northern China

2. My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead (audio book)

1. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly

Book Sale!

Book sale! Book sale! Book sale!
I didn't show much restraint...

Fiction

The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood

The Cunning Man by Robertson Davies

The Heart of a Peacock by Emily Carr (short stories)

The House of Blue Mangoes by David Davidar

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

The Coral Island by R M Ballantyne

World Without End by Ken Follett (sequel to The Pillars of the Earth)

The Illuminator by Brenda Rickman Vantrease (read 04/2016)

The Song of Troy by Colleen McCullough (about Helen and Paris, Odysseus, and Achilles)

Songs in Ordinary Time by Mary McGarry Morris (an Oprah Book Club book)

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Carol Shields:
Small Ceremonies
The Orange Fish (short stories)
A Celibate Season
The Stone Diaries

Kathy Reichs (Bones):
Death du Jour (#2) (read 02/2016)
Cross Bones (read 04/2016)
Spider Bones (read 05/2016)

James Patterson (Alex Cross series):
Along Came a Spider #1 (read 03/2016)
Kiss the Girls #2
Cat & Mouse #4

For Erin
12 Nancy Drew books

Non-Fiction

The Infernal World of Branwell Bronte by Daphne du Maurier (about the brother of Charlotte and Emily Bronte)

Sisters in the Wilderness: The Lives of Susanna Moodie and Catharine Parr Trail by Charlotte Gray

Little Copper Pennies: Celebrating the Life of the Canadian One-Cent Piece (1858-2013) by Susan Harris (read 02/2016)

An Apple a Day: The Myths, Misconceptions and Truths About the Foods We Eat by Joe Schwarcz (read 10/2016)

Odyssey Illustrated Guide to China by Charis Chan

Madame Benoit's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Microwave Cooking (with a thorough vegetable section, compatible with all the Tupperware I have in my cupboards)

Singer Sewing Books:
Sewing Essentials
101 Sewing Secrets
Timesaving Sewing
The Perfect Fit

Teach Yourself Machine Piecing & Quilting by Debra Wanger

For Dad
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht (read before giving 05/2015)
Culture Shock: Britain (A Guide to Customs and Etiquette) by Terry Tan (read before giving 05/2015)
30 Great Runs in London by Chris Downham
Ancestral Castles of Scotland by Hugh Cantlie and Sampson Lloyd
New Millennium Collection's Malta (read before giving 05/2015)

For Danaya
Dressing Up for the Carnival by Carol Shields (short stories) (read before giving 06/2015)
Cloisters of Europe: Gardens of Prayer by Daniel Faure and Veronique Rouchon Mouilleron (read before giving 05/2015)

Questions to Ask During an Interview

1. What is the wage? Benefits? Pension? Vacation time?

2. How many hours qualifies as FT? Is overtime common or expected?

3. How many employees do your payroll clerk(s) oversee? How much access do the employees have to the payroll clerk(s)? 

4. How many payroll clerks are there?  How is the job divided among them?

5. How would you describe the atmosphere or office culture?

6. How would you describe the manager in charge of payroll?

7. What would the payroll clerk(s) say is their greatest frustration?  Do the payroll clerks ever compain about not have the information necessary to do their jobs properly?

Books Read: Winter 2015

15. The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton

14. Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman

13. The Amateur Marriage by Anne Tyler

12. Middlemarch by George Eliot

11. The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy (audio book)

10. Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs (audio book)

9. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

8. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

7. The Knitting Way: A Guide to Spiritual Self-Discovery by Linda Skolnik and Janice MacDaniels

6. Taliesin by Stephen Lawhead

5. Virgil and Beatrice by Yann Martel (audio book)

4. King Arthur by Frank Thompson

3. Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong (audio book)

2. The Willows in Winter by William Horwood

1. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

I wish to see myself clearly.

Books Read: Fall 2014

17.  Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke

16. Larry's Party by Carol Sheilds

15. Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Drucker (audio book)

14. Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close (audio book)

13. Sphere by Michael Crichton

12. Congo by Michael Crichton

11. The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler (audio book)
10. 13 Things That Don't Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of Our Time by Michael Brooks (audio book)

9. Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs (Cdn)

8. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

7. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

5. The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent (audio book)

4. Insight Guides: Las Vegas

3. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris (audio book)
2. Stirring the Pot: My Recipe for Getting What You Want Out Of Life by Jenny McCarthy (audio book)

1. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood (audio book)

Greeting

When Mom left for South Africa, I asked her to say hi to a giraffe for me.  And she did!! There he is!!  A real live giraffe. She has also seen zebras, wildebeests, lions, rhinos, impalas, warthogs, elephants and buffalos!  Then after two more game drives, her next stop will be Victoria Falls, which is also pretty exciting.

I enjoy travelling vicariously through my Mom.  =)

Books Read: Summer 2014

18. Imperfect Birds by Anne Lamott

17. Insight Guides: South Africa

16. The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence (Cdn)

15. Next by Michael Crichton

14. The Valley of Horses by Jean Auel (audio book)

13. Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs (Cdn)

12. Benjamin Franklin by Edwin Gaustad

11. The Garden of Burning Sand by Corban Addison
10. Night Music by Jojo Moyes

9. Surviving the Toxic Workplace: Protect Yourself Against the Co-workers, Bosses, and Work Environments That Poison Your Day by Linnda Durre

8. Bones are Forever by Kathy Reichs (audio book) (Cdn)

7. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris (audio book)

6. Wicked by Gregory Maguire

5. The White Bone by Barbara Gowdy (Cdn)
4. The Emotional Life of Your Brain by Richard Davison (audio book)

3. Don't Look Behind You: A Safari Guide's Encounters with Ravenous Lions, Stampeding Elephants, and Lovesick Rhinos by Peter Allison

2. The Only Boy in the World: A Father Explores the Mysteries of Autism by Michael Blastland

1. Canadian Pie by Will Ferguson (Cdn)