The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

This book secured Steinbeck in my list of great authors (I was turned onto Steinbeck by East of Eden, which is now in my top 10 books "of all time"). I'm so glad I didn't have to read this for school, because I would have probably ended up hating it. Instead Wuthering Heights/Emily Bronte and Huck Finn/Mark Twain got served those odious fates.

CONSUMED: in my apartment, and on the trains of New York

book cover for The Mysteries of Pittsburgh

I'll admit it without shame. I judge books by their covers.

Because that's exactly how I ended up buying this edition of "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh," the first book written by my new favourite author Michael Chabon.

Now all I want to do, even before reading this book, is to buy its brethren (which are also designed by Milan Bozic).

CONSUMED: Chapters; Oakville (Ontario)

Emily Post's Etiquette

I thought that reading a book on etiquette would be cool and entertaining. Like guides on (writing) style. Instead, it's pages upon pages of useless drivel (place settings should only contain three of any utensil type), common sense (skiing can be dangerous!), or abhorrently conservative values (women's name cards should read "Mrs. [insert husband's name here]" — makes you want to wretch too, eh?).

I'm so glad most of us have parents to raise us right, and teasing from elementary school classmates when they don't.

CONSUMED: a Madmen-themed fondue party; Bed-Stuy (Brooklyn)

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

Reviewing this book is probably a foolish task. So I won't even try. All I will say is that this book renewed my faith in contemporary literature, reminded me about the joy of looking up a word in a dictionary, and held me so fast that I was loathe to finish it.

Please. Do yourself the hugest favour and read this book.

CONSUMED: in planes, bedrooms, hotel rooms, buses, subways, living rooms scattered around Canada and the US, over the course of 2 months

library book baskets

The Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library, located downtown at the corner of Georgia and Homer, is absolutely stunning. With the government office tower mirroring the arc of the coliseum-like edifice (it's the office tower that completes the building, in my opinion), you can't help but feel the centrifugal forces that make you want to sprint around the building, running your hands along the curved spine.

But it was not Moshe Safdie's building that impressed me the most upon my visit to the public library, but rather the simple black book baskets that welcomed me at the door. They just scream with subliminal suggestion: "you're gonna read SOOOO much that you'll need me to hold all of those books!"

CONSUMED: Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch; 350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver