Shaena Lambert – Carla (maria) Lucchetta

I once heard Doug Coupland refer to book reviews as “homework,” and there is an element of drudgery to them. That is, unless you get assigned a great book that you would read even if you didn’t have to.

Oh, My Darling by Vancouver writer Shaena Lambert is one of those. If you appreciate finely crafted short fiction, this is well worth the read.

Here’s my Globe and Mail review: Shaena Lambert’s life in miniature

Every year for the past six I’ve written a fall books preview for the Ottawa Citizen. It’s labour intensive in the sense that I have to research all the fall offerings from the many large and small publisher catalogues (most are online now, which helps) then write a succinct few sentences on a variety of books ranging from fiction to non-fiction, lifestyle to memoir, biography, food, sports and Young Adult/Kids books. Since I’m writing largely from marketing copy with so few books actually finished or even in the advance reading copy stage, it takes awhile to come up with something new, fresh and lively to say. The task takes me awhile to research and a longer while to write.

Still, I love doing it because a) it introduces me to the new exciting list; b) I get boxes of books, the equivalent of Christmas morning to a book-lover; c) it’s become an annual assignment that I can count on.

So without further ado: Fall Book Season: Fact and Fiction

This year we added a side bar: What they’re reading this fall

My personal recommendations are:

Shaena Lambert, Oh My Darling

all stories take place in and around Vancouver; she has unusual ways of describing the most common of feelings

Joseph Boyden, The Orenda

it’s been too long since we’ve heard this important and interesting literary voice

Doug Coupland, Worst. Person. Ever.

Favourite. Author. Ever. / Most. Inspirational. Creative mind. Ever.

Stephanie Domet, Fallsy Downsies

another inspirational person and wonderful writer

Steve Paikin, Paikin and the Premiers: Personal Reflections on a Half Century of Ontario Leaders.