Rob Mclennan. BAGNE or CRITERIA for HEAVEN. Broken Jaw, 2000.
I was reading his Substack about his mother being a poet in Ottawa and before I finished it, I found this book in the BOOKMAN's sale shelves. Interesting. A long list of poems addressed to fellow Canadian poets.
Jeanine Cummins. SPEAK TO ME OF HOME. Henry Holt, 2025.
Book Club selection for February. Multi-generational saga of Puerta Rico family marrying, moving to Missouri, moving elsewhere, moving home. Interesting themes of the island culture, the innate racism, mixtures of Spanish, mixed, African, Irish, American backgrounds. The existence of racism on the island and in the mid-west. How some generations are unaware of their own snobbery. The idea that we are all both felon and victim in our own stories. The difficulty of admitting our own mistakes. The inequity of private medical insurance denying coverage. The unfairness of Puerta Rico being American territory without any representatives or say in US politics. DNA plays a role in inspiring people to tell the truth.
William Shakespeare. The Tempest.
My obsession continues with this play. Reduced my original down to 2500 words, CNF.
Anne Tyler. The AMATEUR MARRIAGE.
Book Club selection for January. The story of a couple who married in haste during the war, had three children, found a grandson and brought him home, and finally divorced after 30-some years. Very incompatible. Married for all the wrong reasons. I'm convinced no amount of therapy would have helped. Personally, the immature and mismatched couple just made me angry.
Rob Mclennan. BAGNE or CRITERIA for HEAVEN. Broken Jaw, 2000. I was reading his Substack about his mother being a poet in Ottawa and befor...
