It’s not a bad thing if libraries provide extra reading programs, internet access, conference spaces for educational talks, etc... But should they be expected to be the equivalent of a community centre, including daycares, outreaches, youth activity centres and the like in order to validate their continued spatial existence?
Author: Fictitiously Yours, Gail
The Wrong Words
The wrong words. They were true a hundred times over, yet they sounded like a lie. Hadn’t he always known it? Words were useless. At times they might sound wonderful, but they let you down the moment you really needed them. You could never find the right words, never, and where would you look for… Continue reading The Wrong Words
Don’t Sleep on Raymond Chandler: The Big Sleep Book Review
The Big Sleep by Raymond ChandlerMy rating: 4 of 5 starsEver since I saw the murky, black-and-white film noir (a dizzying merry-go-round of murders and mayhem with a new character and a new accusation every five minutes that was Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in a classic gumshoe and siren routine), I've been wanting to… Continue reading Don’t Sleep on Raymond Chandler: The Big Sleep Book Review
‘Nature or chance or your own choice’
Besides, you are bound to bear yourself as agreeably as you can toward those whom nature or chance or your own choice has made the companions of your life. Utopia by Sir Thomas More The world’s still not utopian, and neither are the people within it perfect—including myself. Others put up with me as much… Continue reading ‘Nature or chance or your own choice’
‘The air we breathe’
Little is left to us but the air we breathe, and that appears to have been reserved with much hesitation. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott I won’t pretend to equate current pandemic restrictions with the condition of serfs under feudalism, but the sentiment is surprisingly relevant nonetheless. Here’s to the (slow) lifting of the embargo… Continue reading ‘The air we breathe’
Finding Blog Direction
2021--there's something aesthetically pleasing about the combination of numbers that symbolize this calendar year. Perhaps it's just because it's not 2020. Entirely possible. Regardless, I like the look of it. And I also want to like the look of this blog. It's been kind of depressing, sporadic, and feeling low-reward for a while. And I… Continue reading Finding Blog Direction
Varicoloured Impressions: Red Rising Book Review
Red Rising by Pierce BrownMy rating: 4 of 5 stars4 stars evenI have mixed feelings about Red Rising, but because the predominant ones ended up being really positive, it gets a high rating. But I have to still address the dissenting impressions I had throughout: the main reason being that I felt like I was… Continue reading Varicoloured Impressions: Red Rising Book Review
Fishing for Red Herrings: Moriarty Book Review
Moriarty by Anthony HorowitzMy rating: 3 of 5 stars2.5 stars.I really liked this book the first time I read it. I liked the ending—I appreciated how unapologetically villainous Moriarty was. It was a breath of fresh air—“and [I] shot him in the head.” Very in keeping with the pragmatism of a man calculating enough to… Continue reading Fishing for Red Herrings: Moriarty Book Review
Fallen Favourites: when a book you loved becomes a book that’s “meh”
As a book person, I have created various iterations of “my favourite books” lists over the years. A favourite book had to be somehow incredible: it had to make me actually cry, or laugh out loud consistently, or wow me with its whole tone and writing, in addition to being a good story with some… Continue reading Fallen Favourites: when a book you loved becomes a book that’s “meh”
The Nutcracker Book Tag
Because I’m in the middle of work and life stuff and don’t have other posts ready, I’m going to take the opportunity to do this fun new book tag by Becca @ Words and Other Malarky. I love me some Barbie and the Nutcracker. And it brings back fond memories of the magical night in… Continue reading The Nutcracker Book Tag









