Category Archives: Nonfiction

Phraseology by Barbara Ann Kipfer (Review)

Released October 2008 (Sourcebooks) * 320 pages * ISBN 13: 9781402212871
Phraseology: Thousands of Bizarre Origins, Unexpected Connections, and Fascinating Facts About English’s Best Expressions by Barbara Ann Kipfer is a collection of information about English phrases where entries vary from explanations of idioms to usage notes to interesting trivia.
The entries cover the range from curious [...]

Also posted in Book Review, Language & Writing | 1 Comment

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris (Review)

Updated Edition October 2008 (Little Brown and Company) * 176 pages* ISBN 13: 9780316035903
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris is not for everyone. Specifically, it’s not for anyone who thinks holidays are magical events or anyone who has normal people as relatives. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your view), that’s a pretty small group of [...]

Also posted in Book Review, Humour | 8 Comments

Stalin’s Children by Owen Matthews (Review)

Owen Matthews has done a remarkable job of investigating and telling his family’s story in Stalin’s Children: Three Generations of Love, War, and Survival. The three generations are the author’s, his parents, and his grandparents.
Matthews’ maternal grandfather was executed during Stalin’s purges and his maternal grandmother was jailed, leaving their daughters Lenina and Lyudmila wards [...]

Also posted in Book Review, Memoir | 9 Comments

Garner’s Modern American Usage by Bryan A. Garner (Review … of a sort)

I have been tempted, in the last few weeks, to send copies of Garner’s Modern American Usage to a number of television news anchors and reporters both here in Canada and in the US. I have taken to yelling at the television set (and yes, I know they can’t hear me) every time some reporter [...]

Also posted in Book Review, Language & Writing | 2 Comments

Where Am I Wearing by Kelsey Timmerman (Review)

Released November 2008 (John Wiley & Sons) * 272 pages * ISBN 13: 9780470376546
Where Am I Wearing: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People that Make Our Clothes by Kelsey Timmerman grew from one of those random ideas that people have everyday, but few people actually follow through on. Standing around in his [...]

Also posted in Book Review | 3 Comments
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