I love looking at year-end critics lists and calculating which books have made it onto the most lists. Below are the results of my very unscientific search for the best cookbooks of 2019. Basically I make a spreadsheet and list the cookbooks that have been on a Best of 2019 list from food-related websites, magazines […]
Toronto Public Library is thrilled to launch our 2020 Reading Challenge. We hope everyone who participated in the 2019 challenge is rested and ready to get reading. This post considers what books to read for the category "a book that is older than you". My grandmother always said that it was rude to talk about […]
It's that time of year again. Traditionally in January people make resolutions and plan to improve themselves. We see it a lot in the library – a sudden interest in checking the Fun Guide for fitness programs and requests for self-help books. It all seems exhausting to me. While the rest of humankind evolved from […]
I love spotting trends in book titles. In the past few years, the word "party" was everywhere. You might think I have a very active social life from my 2019 reading list which included these books: The Party by Elizabeth Day All formats The Party by Robyn Harding All formats The Guilty Party by Mel […]
In 1944 members of The Vegetarian Society decided to establish a new group for people who did not consume any animal products and The Vegan Society was formed. World Vegan Day was first celebrated on November 1, 1994 and later evolved into World Vegan Week and finally World Vegan Month, which is celebrated in November. […]
It's October and as the air gets more chilly, some of us like to read books that give us chills – in a good way. You can find a lot of different themes in horror fiction. This blog post focuses on recent adult novels about witches. The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs by Katherine Howe All […]
August 26, 2019 is International Dog Day. Celebrate with your favourite good boy or good girl by going for a walk, playing catch or solving a murder. These mystery series feature crime-solving canines. Andy Carpenter Mysteries by David Rosenfelt Defense attorney Andy Carpenter solves crimes and rights judicial wrongs with the help of his golden […]
There seem to be a lot of books about friends who find themselves tangled up with something sinister. In a recent article published in the Telegraph, Jake Kerridge dubbed this thriller subgenre Chum Noir. I've also seen it called Friendship Noir, but Chum Noir is my preferred term. It reminds me of Enid Blyton's Famous […]
August 8 is International Cat Day but if you ask your cat, they will tell you that every day is Cat Day. Cats are wonderful companions and there's scientific evidence that living with a cat can improve health. Stroking a cat can reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Just listening to a cat purr may […]
Whether they serve us, or we serve them, animals are often our most loyal (and sometimes furry… or scaly) best friends. Throughout our history many have worked alongside us through each step of our evolution and progression to where we are today. We may not be privy to an animal’s rich internal world but many […]