Friday Reads is a new weekly feature here on
Cityline.ca, where we give you a behind-the-scenes look at what
Cityline guest experts and staff members are reading. Each week we’ll
put the spotlight on the “Friday Reads” of two of our crew. This week,
we’re taking a peek at the bookshelves of Tracy Moore and Kathy Buckworth.
Tracy Moore, host:
I am in no position to be giving advice to Leo Tolstoy, author of Anna Karenina, but here I go anyway (who do I think I am?). Um, Mr. Tolstoy, with all due respect, if you could have just focused on Anna and Vronsky (her lover) and cut out all of the extraneous and superfluous side stories, I would have LOVED your book. Sadly, I could have told Anna Karenina’s story in half the time (the book is just under 1000 pages). I could have learned about the Russian class system, countryside and modern day mores through studying her journey, and her journey only. Curse you, Constantine Levin, Oblonsky and Dolly – I wish I never met you. Anna, wish I got to know you better. Sigh.
Also, brace yourself for the use of thousands of gratuitous exclamation marks. (!) For this, I don’t blame Tolstoy. Just the translator. (!)
Kathy Buckworth, lifestyle expert:
As parents, we’re often asking that time just “slow down”. That’s exactly what happens in Karen Thompson Walker’s The Age of Miracles (Random House), with horrifying results. The world starts spinning just a little bit slower, the days get longer and things start to go a little haywire. As daylight stretches to 44 hours at a time, humans go to a system of “Clock Time” in which they’re ignoring the sun and trying to keep things normal. While others set up cults to live in “Real Time”, crops die, birds drop out of the sky, and people start to go just a little bit crazy.
Scary and extremely well written book by Walker, told from the perspective of a young girl, and based on a very simple premise but with a great delving into what would happen should this unlikely event occur. Reminded me a bit of early (but not as graphic) Stephen King. Absolutely seems written to be made into a movie – and I think it would be a great one. Couldn’t put it down.
What are you reading this Friday? Tell us in the comments what books are currently residing on your bedside table!