I woke up this morning and what happened next will blow your mind. I put on the pot for hot water and something extraordinary happened. Then I went to the bathroom and you just wouldn’t believe what happened there. Back in the kitchen I found something awesome. The water boiled
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The Sir Robert Bond Papers: A renaissance feast for Christmas #nlpoli
Fans of politics in Newfoundland and Labrador have two excellent books that should be at the top of their Christmas gift lists this year. First among unequals: the premier, politics, and policy in Newfoundland and Labrador is a collection of 12 essays on different aspects of recent politics with an
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Wente’s "It Girl" Article
It’s curious that Margaret Wente is so clear about the errors Klein commits in her new book, when it appears from Wente’s article today, “The It Girl of climate change doesn’t get it,” that she’s looked at “every interview, excerpt and review,” but hasn’t actually read the book. It reminds
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Haze: a blog tour
I know you remember when I did the blog tour for Aussie author Paula Weston’s Shadows. I have been waiting and waiting and waiting to read the next book in the series. Well. To be honest, I’ve just been waiting and waiting. I mean it SEEMS like a super long
Continue readingThings Are Good: The 7 Common Points in Self-Help Books
“There’s always room for one more self-help book” said every publisher ever. On the other hand, there are too many books and not enough time to read them all (especially if you read self-help books). Having never read one, I was interested in what all the fuss is about then
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains
I love Nicholas Carr’s book. There are lots of studies and science mixed with many stories and asides and discussions of philosophers and other great thinkers. It reminded me of reading a Bill Bryson book. You get the facts painlessly. And it presents a strong argument for keeping kids (and everyone)
Continue readingcentre of the universe: A Gift of the Prairie
THE BOOK THAT MY POEMS ARE IN IS HERE! THE BOOK THAT MY POEMS ARE IN IS HERE!! Extra points if you can name the reference there. It’s called A Gift of the Prairie and it is published by the Last Mountain Lake Cultural Centre. This was a project co-ordinated
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century
I feel like I don’t have to read this one with all the press it’s getting. Maybe next summer. This is the gist I’ve gotten so far: Michael Rozworski wrote a piece about it recently. In brief: the basic thesis of the book is that capitalism has a tendency towards
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Summer Political Reading List #nlpoli
If you are looking for some political reading over the summer, here are a few books worth checking out. Tragedy in the Commons by Alison Loat and Michael MacMillan. Here’s the whole Random House blurb: In Tragedy in the Commons, Alison Loat and Michael MacMillan, founders of the non-partisan think
Continue readingmark a rayner | scribblings, squibs & sundry monkey joys: Summer Reading Sale!
If you prefer your books in dead tree format, do I have a deal for you. Three of my books are available for 25% off! Get all the deets here. Alltop was originally published in parchment.
Continue readingChristy's Houseful of Chaos » politics: A is for Activist
I found a neat book for children of activists! It is called A is for Activist and it is by Innosanto Nagara. While the book is a baby board book it held more interest for my six year old than my three year old, as he could relate to the
Continue readingChristy's Houseful of Chaos » politics: “If you Give a Gay Mouse a Cookie” by Art for a Democractic Society
I bought the book “If you Give a Gay Mouse a Cookie” by Art for a Democratic Society because a facebook friend recommended it, and I have to admit, I’m disappointed. I recognize the spirit of the book. I recognize that they are trying to rebut the crazy “gay marriage
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Competition?
Hi cenobyte, How have you been? I understand you only wanted to communicate to your previous consultant but I am emailing you now check on the update for your book. We are celebrating our 17th anniversary this month and we’re giving out almost more than 50% discount. I am not
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Cherie from the vanity press called today
I received correspondence today from the vanity press that keeps contacting me. You remember this from such escapades as Nathan’s going to publish my manifesto and Suggestions for Nathan regarding my manifesto and A Mouthful of Marbles and Nathan’s gone missing. A woman called “Cherie [REDACTED] a Publishing Consultant from [REDACTED]” contacted
Continue readingcentre of the universe: NATHAN, WHERE ARE YOU?
In January, I was contacted by Ex Libris, a vanity press that uses extremely aggressive marketing techniques to bilk writers out of their hard-earned income. I have asked repeatedly to be taken off of their contact lists, to no avial. When they contacted me in January 2014, I began a
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On The Sixth Extinction
Look inside! We’re in the midst of a mass extinction, but Elizabeth Kolbert is actually somewhat hopeful about it all. We are at a truly extraordinary moment of history in which we are cognizant of our own demise (except for those in denial) and, therefore, able to affect how it
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: An Early Morning TV Interview About My Book
Yesterday morning, I got up really early and travelled to the studios of CanadaAM in Toronto. Here’s the interview about the new paperback edition of my book, “The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I’ve Learned from a Life of Caregiving” (House of Anansi Press, 2014). Available everywhere in Canada
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: Marcus Aurelius
I continue to be profoundly moved by the wisdom of the classical authors. It’s often hard to accept that some of them were writing two or more millennia ago: many seem so contemporary they could have been written this century. Of late – within the past year or so –
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Beyond The Book Lecture: John Gormley – #UofR 2014
I’ve been to a lot of University of Regina lectures over the years. None by a right wing radio commentator, until tonight, and it didn’t turn out how I expected. I know there are people who reeeally don’t like John Gormley and his radio show. I used to listen to
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: Machiavelli and the Elizabethans
In 1555, Bishop Stephen Gardiner wrote a treatise to King Phillip II of Spain, in which he borrowed (aka plagiarized) extensively from Machiavelli’s The Prince and The Discourses. Gardiner did not credit Machiavelli or attribute any of his quotes, but rather copied some of Machiavelli’s content verbatim or very closely.
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