I wrote two of these capsule reviews, which suggest books to give this holiday season. It’s a great list.
http://thetyee.ca/Books/2008/12/18/HolidayBooks/
For a poet who is also a painter, or anyone else seeking inspiration:
What if Red Ran Out by Katia Grubisic (Goose Lane Editions). A juicy collection of poetry from the very young Ontario-Montrealer Katia Grubisic, What if Red Ran Out draws up images of home, birds, ships in a bottle and a wall “about to wrap its arms around itself in consolation,” which is, of course, “well documented mural behaviour.” These are poems of the present, photographic in their immediate, stunning imagery. Grubisic explores her obsession with colour and shape with her words beautifully, without ever edging into pretentiousness. By painting with words, Grubisic might encourage that poet/artist in your life into wording with paints. (J.C. Peters)
For the reluctant new mother in your life:
Mother Superior by Saleema Nawaz (Freehand Books). “Joan won’t get an abortion. She says she is a slut but a slut for Jesus.” So begins Saleema Nawaz’s Mother Superior, a short story collection about young, disenfranchised women getting pregnant and ruining their lives, coming to terms with dead baby siblings, or fending off guilt for a daughter’s permanent burn scar. Each tale is fascinating, strange, and page-turningly readable without actually making you want a little bundle of joy all that much. (J.C. Peters)