Journal Entry 1 by gypsysmom from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Sunday, October 05, 2008

Back in July, just after the Canada Day challenge was finishing, I signed up to take part in the Alberta Arts Day release challenge put forward by celticoracle. The challenge was to wild release books by Alberta authors anywhere in Alberta. Since we were going to Kananaskis for part of our summer holidays I figured I could release a few books. I ended up releasing three and one of them was Since Daisy Creek by W. O. Mitchell. It deals with an English professor who was mauled by a grizzly and we actually saw grizzlies when we were in Kananaskis. So I released that book there and the Alberta Arts Day group decided it was the best themed release. I received a big box with this book and 4 others as well as 5 CDs and some cool pins as my prize. 

Journal Entry 2 by gypsysmom from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Saturday, February 20, 2010

I finally read this book and just in time because it has been chosen as one of the Canada Reads books for 2010. It will be defended by Simi Sara who I am not familiar with but she's been in radio and TV for 20 years so she should do a good job.

I really liked this book but I'm not sure it will win the contest. It is up against Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie Macdonald which I read years ago and thought was a great book. More recently I read Nikolski which may be quirky enough to take the title as well (thinking back to 2008 when King Leary by Paul Quarrington won.

Clara Purdy was living a quiet life in Saskatoon, working in an insurance office and living by herself in the home she grew up in. Then she ran her car into a Dodge Dart owned by a family that was moving to Fort MacMurray. They had been living in the car for a while as they had very little money. The family consisted of father (Clayton), mother (Lorraine), Clayton's mother Mrs.Pell, children Darlene, Trevor and Pearce. No one was badly hurt in the accident but while at the hospital it was noticed that Lorraine had some peculiar bruises, not caused by the crash. After some tests she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma which would require extensive treatment. Clara decided to open her house to the family so they would have a place to stay while Lorraine was receiving treatment. Little did she know what she was getting herself in for. After one night Clayton disappeared in Clara's mother's car. Mrs. Pell can not be trusted to look after the children while Clara goes out to visit Lorraine. It becomes clear to Clara that she has to take a leave of absence from work. Fortunately Clara (who is soon called Clary by the children and everyone else) has some assistance from her next door neighbour, Mrs. Zenko (everyone should have a next door neighbour like her) and her cousins who live just outside of Saskatoon. Clayton manages to get in touch with Lorraine's brother, Darwin, (by using Clara's phone calling card) and he comes to stay in Lorraine's room at night which removes some burden from Clara. And then there is the Anglican priest at Clara's church, Paul Tipett, who has personal problems of his own but manages to provide some support for Clara.

I really loved how all the characters grew throughout the book. Darlene discovers the solace that books can give and what book lover could resist that even though Darlene is also a sneak and a thief. Clara is not just a person who helps others, she is also using them to enrich her own life. Even Mrs. Pell, a disgrace to grandmotherhood, has some emotional depth.

I think this would be an excellent book for a book club. There is lots of room to discuss everyone's motives and the ending should provide lots of fodder for discussion too. I imagine one of the questions would be "What would you do in a situation like this?" I doubt if I, personally, would be able to step up like Clara did. I wouldn't want my comfortable life changed to the extent that hers was. I hope I would try to put the family in touch with agencies that could help them and I would check on them from time to time but I wouldn't take them into my home. But then I wouldn't have the kind of enriching experience that Clara had. 

Journal Entry 3 by gypsysmom from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Wednesday, February 24, 2010

I've talked mrsgaskell into reading this book (it wasn't too difficult) so I will mark it as reserved. 

Journal Entry 4 by gypsysmom at Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Thursday, March 18, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (3/16/2010 UTC) at Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Taking advantage of a day off I had a short visit with mrsgaskell. Nice to see you up and about and, of course, wonderful to share a cup of tea and some baking with you. Hope you enjoy this book when you get around to reading it. 

Journal Entry 5 by mrsgaskell from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Saturday, March 20, 2010

I'm embarrassed to realize that I've had this book in my possession since Tuesday, and here it is Saturday, and I haven't made a journal entry yet. Can I claim that surgery and a general anaesthetic affected my brain? ;) I'll feel better if I have an excuse! Thanks gypsysmom for sharing this book with me. I enjoyed your visit and your St. Patrick's Day cookies, too! 

Journal Entry 6 by mrsgaskell from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Wednesday, April 14, 2010

I loved this book! And that’s in spite of the fact that one of the characters has cancer and, since I also have cancer, this wasn’t always easy reading for me. But this is the best kind of fiction, filled with truths about life and ordinary characters who seem like real people.
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On a hot summer afternoon Clara Purdy is on her way to the bank when she makes a left turn into another vehicle. The Gage family, Clayton and Lorraine, children Dolly, Trevor and baby Pearce, as well as Clayton’s difficult mother Mrs. Pell were on their way from Winnipeg to Fort McMurray. Although no one was seriously injured in the accident, routine examination at the hospital reveals that Lorraine has unusual bruising unrelated to the accident. She is diagnosed with cancer, late-stage lymphoma, and admitted.. The accident was Clara’s fault and, feeling guilty, she opens her home to the family who had been living in their car. Clara’s solitary, well organized existence is soon turned upside down. She even resigns from her job at the insurance company. Clayton skedaddled fairly quickly taking her deceased mother’s car and she is left with complete and financial responsibility for the three children and their useless grandmother. She also makes time to visit Lorraine regularly in the hospital as she undergoes treatment and all its ups and downs. But Clara adapts to the disruption and becomes attached to the children.Suddenly her life is very full. Soon she is making more connections, with her church minister, motherly neighbor Mrs. Zenko, and cousins Grace, Moreland and their daughter Fern also come to help. Lorraine’s brother Darwin shows up as and also moves in with Clara. This is a book that makes you think about life, death, connections, losses, and what it all means. It’s also one that makes you think about people’s motivations, and at what point doing good can become selfishness. Clara is resentful when Lorraine is discharged from the hospital and reclaims her children – she has a sense of superiority and views Clayton and Lorraine as trailer trash, thinking that she can better provide for the children.

‘Fear is always with us: that we are not good enough or strong enough, and so will fail; that we will be hurt. Fear that what we love will be taken from us. Fear of dying, even fear of God, or of no God. But God surprises us by giving us strength to bear what we must; by giving us joy when we think that nothing but sadness is possible.'

Thanks for this book,gypsysmom - I'm really glad I read it!
 

Journal Entry 7 by mrsgaskell from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Sunday, April 18, 2010

I'm reserving this for Nu-Knees. I won't send it out until the volcanic ash from Iceland settles and air traffic to Europe resumes. I don't want the book to end up stockpiled in some postal depot gathering dust and forgotten. 

Journal Entry 8 by mrsgaskell at by mail, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases on Monday, April 26, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (4/26/2010 UTC) at by mail, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Looks like the ash has settled and air traffic in Europe is back to normal so thought I'd get this book on its way now. The thing is, however, that since it was going to cost over $32 to send this by air I'm afraid I chose the slow boat option which was less than half the price. Rates must have gone up! I hope you will enjoy this book Nu-Knees when it finally reaches you, most likely in about two months. Well, like all good bookcrossers, your TBR pile is probably big enough to keep you busy while you wait for this one ;) 

Journal Entry 9 by Nu-Knees at Knaresborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 08, 2010

It's June, supposedly summer, but the skies are grey, it's pouring with rain, and I'm feeling decidedly under the weather with a cough and sore throat :-( Imagine my delight when the postman brought me a parcel with a lovely book inside, one that's been highly recommended by readers whose tastes gel with mine :-) Thank you very much, mrsgaskell - after its 6-week sea journey it's arrived at just the right time! And thank you, gypsymom, for making it available to book-loving BookCrossers in the first place! Of course, I can't promise when I'll get around to reading it, I have an embarrassing number of books waiting to be read, but it's already served a very good purpose in bringing a smile to my face. Thank you!
 

Journal Entry 10 by Nu-Knees at Knaresborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, July 30, 2010

Marina Endicott has a beautiful, lyrical writing style that I lapped up with great enthusiasm. Her words flowed and washed over, through and around me, in warm waves of delight - and I loved the many poetic quotations as well. Although I have vague reservations about the story, I can't fault the manner of its telling. Beautiful!
The characters are drawn with meticulous attention to detail and I feel I got to know them all as friends and neighbours; of course, I'd prefer some of them to live further away than others!
My problem lies with the initial premise. I find it hard to accept that Clara would do what she did, so through everything that happened subsequently, I was fighting my disbelief. If I can't imagine the starting point, then neither can I imagine how and why we get to where we're taken later. I loved it - but I don't believe it!
Thank you again, mrsgaskell, for a wonderful novel and thank you, gypsysmom, for sharing it in the first place. I'm not sure what I'll do with it next. I'm beginning to put some good books aside for the Unconvention in Swindon in October - this might be one of them! 

Journal Entry 11 by Nu-Knees at 2010 Swindon Unconvention, Jury's Inn Hotel in Swindon, Wiltshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (10/2/2010 UTC) at 2010 Swindon Unconvention, Jury's Inn Hotel in Swindon, Wiltshire United Kingdom

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

To be made available at the Unconvention and/or wild released on the release walk!