Save One of the Few Remaining Feminist Bookstores

The Toronto Women’s Bookstore is in trouble and may have to close. I’m a huge fan and in fact can’t think of a more woman-friendly, progressive, well-stocked bookstore. Please donate if you can. Details from the website below.

 

Canada Reads – Getting Hipper, or am I Just Getting Older?

It seems the book world has been a bit stressed out lately- with the Kindle sweeping the nation off its feet, a few awards happening with unpredictable results, Margaret Atwood singing us speculative fiction hymns and Alice Monroe popping out of retirement. I mean, had I a fan I would be fanning myself. Exciting stuff!

But the problem is the Giller and the other standard Can Lit awards have become somewhat predictable. Pleasingly academic, we all nod along at the choices of the demure-looking jury, buy the winning book for our bookish friend, and then forgot about it. While the Giller winners are always amazing books, they somehow are never quite on the pulse of Canadian culture, a little closer to the elbow than the wrist.

So just in time for the Xmas shopping frenzy comes Canada Reads, a program created in 2001 by CBC to remind us that were supposed to enjoy reading, and not just wait for someone to buy us whoever wins the Booker and/or Giller this year. And to be honest, at first it had a bit of a Can Lit 101 feel to it- like if you haven’t had enough books structured around nature metaphors, HERE’S SOME MORE!

But I was too quick to judge what the Globe and Mail coined hyperbolically “The Great Canadian Book Brawl.”  For it seems this year Canada Reads has grown up.

I mean, look at this line up- we have a brazen youngster choosing Coupland’s Generation X, when we’re, like, so past that and onto Generation Twitter or something. I’m feeling something close to nostalgia for this book, can a younger generation relate to all that yuppie angst?

Good to a Fault was also a surprise, being discussed at length last year when nominated for a Giller. It had lots of book club appeal but the critics didn’t like it.  My mother, however, is still talking about it. Time for an establishment vs. real people throw down?

And I have to say, Fall on Your Knees is one of my favourite books ever and is NOT for the weak of heart. If you’re planning to buy a Canada Reads book for your relatives, go with the Endicott. But I think it bears mentioning, CBC, that everyone in Canada who is going to read this has already read it.  This is not exactly a hidden gem. But I will probably read it again, so touché CBC, touché.

The Jade Peony might be my first pick to go searching for- Wayson Choy is an enigmatic character and the book has done its time in the industry.  He’s had several popular books out but remains largely unknown- has his day come?

And Nikolski- well I don’t know anything about this one, which probably means it will win.  But look at the author’s photo! He’s adorable!

If none of that has sold you, check out this jury line up. If I were in the habit of making a wish list of people I want for best friends, which I’m totally not, they would all be on it. The ugly truth is if you compare this jury to the Giller trio we might have a better idea of why Canada Reads is becoming the hippest Can Lit book award in the nature-metaphor ghetto.

 

Hallowe’en, a day to express your most whimsical, extreme persona…

…uh, unless you’re a girl.

I have to admit I was hoping this patronizing “sexy” costume trend would fade out, but it appears to be going strong.  I hope there are some little superhero and zombie girls out there tomorrow night to wear down my cynicism.

Image via Sociological Images

*UPDATE* Bitch Magazine is on it. Click this link, if only to see the most adorable Wonder Woman ever.

 

TBTN Photos: You Saw Them Here First

Oh blog, I’ve missed you! Let’s catch up! As you might have guessed by my last post, I’ve spent the last few months helping to organize Take Back the Night here in Calgary, and then the following weeks trying to recover and also move apartments. Phew!

But I’m happy to report the event went well- it was a lower attendance than the last few years, but considering it was pulled together by a grassroots group with no organizational backing what-so-ever, not too shabby! I thought I’d share some photographic evidence of the event.

On the next page: a rare glimpse of Jane Doe in real life, interacting with her habitat.

 

Take Back the Night in Calgary!

Take note:

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT is an annual march and rally to protest violence against women and to mourn the victims involved in these terrible gender-biased crimes. Due to a new by-law making the annual march difficult, this year community organizers have planned a candle-light vigil in place of a march. The vigil will be held at Tomkins Park on 17th Avenue and 8th Street SW on Tuesday, September 22nd at 8pm. Come speak out, read poems, sing, cry, yell or be quietly mindful of the ever-important issue of ending violence against women and girls across the world. Contact Juliet at 403-667-4770 or check out the Facebook event group for more details.

Hope to see some of you there!

 

Naming the Nameless

Calgary doesn’t get too many Law and Order type homicides- typically murders in Calgary are straight-forward gang or drug related. Then there are the murders we don’t hear about, the nameless prostitutes or homeless women whose killers are often never found. Sex worker victims are more likely to be killed by someone who is related to their profession. Half of female victims in other professions are killed by “someone with whom they had had an intimate relationship”, namely boyfriends or husbands.*

For me, and likely for most of you, this statistics are horrifying and instill a visceral sort of fear. These nameless women who are killed by the people they trusted most are on the front lines of the battle against patriarchy and the way our culture treats their murders speaks volumes about the misogyny feminists are often told doesn’t exist.

I started thinking about this subject again with the death of Jasmine Fiore whose accused killer is minor Calgarian celebrity. Not familiar with her name? That’s because we only know her as “model”.

From CBC:
“Fugitive Calgarian charged in model’s killing”

The Globe and Mail:
“Search for model killer suspect shifts to Canada”

The National Post:
“Reality-TV star charged with U.S. model’s murder armed and in Canada: police”

Jasmine was married to her killer for a short period of time. Aside from that and the brutal details of her murder we don’t know much about her. Only after some digging did I find an article on the Examiner.com mentioning she was a singer in a band called “Machines of Joy.” Her Wikipedia entry briefly indicates she was making plans to open her own gym.

Did she have family? What was she passionate about? I suspect we’ll never know, because hearing from the mother of murder victim is not sexy or entertaining. However, judging by the Google results that come up under her name, digging out her old Playboy photos is. And if you’re too embarrassed to log on to playboy.com, the Ottawa Sun has helpfully put up a slide-show.

RIP Jasmine.

*Homicide stats from Statistics Canada

 

Oh Facebook ads

Judging by the picture, I’m going to have to go with “because he can’t figure out how to use his phone.” And the secret common mistake is… dating men who aren’t smart enough to use cell phones.

 

Finally I can start gossiping about the Booker again!

Oh man, sorry for the sporadic posting folks. It’s been a long month. I promise a real post is in the works!

For now, in case you haven’t heard, The Booker Long List:

• The Children’s Book by A.S. Byatt
• Summertime by J.M. Coetzee
• The Quickening Maze by Adam Foulds
• How to Paint a Dead Man by Sarah Hall
• The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey
• Me Cheeta by James Lever
• Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
• The Glass Room by Simon Mawer
• Not Untrue & Not Unkind by Ed O’Loughlin
• Heliopolis by James Scudamore
• Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
• Love and Summer by William Trevor
• The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Who’s up for a rousing game of “find the Canadian?” No, it’s not Margaret Atwood. The book doesn’t even have the word “wilderness” in the title! Trickier than you thought, eh?

Reading The Little Stranger was like the highlight of my year, so that’s who I’m rooting for.

Which book’s got your vote?

 

The Rom Com Post

So I’ve been meaning to write about Rom Coms for a while, but have been unsure how to approach it. While it’s tempting to be dismissive and patronizing about the whole genre, the problem is I really like a good romantic comedy. They’re my go-to feel-good movies. I watch them when the boyfriend is out of town while painting my toenails. Seriously. So can I justify my love of cheesy romantic movies with my desire to be a cynical feminist about anything the mainstream media produces? Let’s find out.

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Maybe we are just living in the Matrix…

;Whoa, Ani DiFranco sang “Wishin’ and Hopin’” in My Best Friend’s Wedding? I feel like the entire universe has been thrown into question.