I occasionally read biographies of people who fascinate me for one reason or another. I picked up this one because I heard an interview with the author on the radio and I thought it had an interesting angle. And of course, Johnny Cash was a… Read More
The 27th Street Book Box is stuffed full of books right now, including a copy of Hugh Garner’s excellent Cabbagetown, set in Depression-era Toronto. The Book Box is located on lower Twenty Seventh Street in front of our place at #15. You’re welcome to… Read More
There are some excellent titles in the 27th Street Book Box right now. There’s only one rule – respect others. You’re welcome to take any books you like home. If you happen to have any books at home you think others would enjoy, you can… Read More
I choose the books I read in a very disorganized fashion. Recently I felt like reading a spy novel and so I gobbled one up called Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews. I came across this book simply by doing a Google search for spy novels.… Read More
The Vegetarian is a highly unusual, psychologically complex and thoughtful novel which explores themes around identity, family, mental illness and questions about how we choose to live in this world. It’s set in Korea and written in Korean and translated to English. This book… Read More
I put a fresh coat of paint on the 27th Street Book Box this morning. I kept the original book box and books rock signs and painted the box green. Same great selection of free books.
Most of the time, the book box out in front of our place is self-sufficient. People take books. People drop books and it exists in a nice balance. Lately, it’s looking a little depleted. There are still some good titles in there, but as you… Read More
Agnes Ravatn’s 2013 novel, The Bird Tribunal, is driven by the psychological tension between the two protagonists. It isn’t so much about what happens in the novel as it is about what the narrator fears could happen. TV presenter Allis Hagtorn leaves her partner and… Read More
The Dying Detective was written in Swedish and published in 2010. It was translated into English in 2016. This page-turner is quality Nordic crime writing with some underlying character-driven humour. The protagonist is an out-of-shape retired ace-detective who suffers a stroke just before devouring a… Read More
I’ve just read a fascinating, eccentric, sometimes frustrating, and very passionate book called What Painting Is by James Elkins. Mr. Elkins is an art critic and historian based at the Art Institute of Chicago. The sub-title of What Painting Is is: How to Think about… Read More
27th Street 