Finding the Words

My final trip to Nicholas Hoare Books

02/04/2013 in books, bookstores | Tags: books, bookstores, Nicholas Hoare | Leave a comment

I know—I already wrote about the closing of Nicholas Hoare Books. But yesterday was the store’s last day of business, and it wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t share something about my final visit. So here are some pictures (and some words, too).

There were quite a few people meandering through the store. I watched as they gathered their final purchases, said farewell to the staff and expressed their appreciation to Mr. Hoare himself.

The shelves have never looked so bare.

Even though nothing was discounted, several bibliophiles walked around with armfuls of books pressed against their chests. The measly two books I bought looked almost inadequate in comparison.

my final acquisitions

I’m used to finding a Nicholas Hoare bookmark tucked inside my purchase. Before I left the store, I looked in my bag to make sure one was there. After all, this would be the last time I’d receive a bookmark. I was happy to see the bookseller had slipped in a few.

bookmarks

I paused at the entryway before leaving, taking another look at all of the books and the people who were admiring them. I watched an elderly man seated by the window as he flipped through the pages of a hardcover. I watched a young boy as he rushed to find the children’s section at the back. I watched as customers and staff chatted and shared memories.

It was hard to walk out that door knowing it would be my last time doing so, but saying goodbye is never easy.

The rise and fall of Cuba Livres

29/03/2013 in books, games | Tags: books, CBC, trivia | Leave a comment

There are many subjects I know little about, but one thing I do know is literature—or so I had thought. Earlier this week I attended CBC Books Trivia Night, and even though I went in with no expectation of winning, it was a humbling experience.

The night started with me and three friends huddled around a table in the corner of the back room at Clinton’s. We sipped our drinks as we waited to meet the author we would be paired with. There were many authors in attendance that night: Terry Fallis, Andrew Pyper, Kevin Sylvester, Dani Couture, Andrew Kaufman, Tanis Rideout, Robert Rotenberg, Nora Young and Brian Francis.

As we waited, we tried to settle on a team name. A few suggestions were tossed around, but we didn’t seem capable of making a decision. The only decision we could come to was that we’d make our author choose. When Kevin Sylvester arrived at our table, he’d barely said hello and sat down when we informed him of his task. Not to worry; he was up for it. After giving him our short list, it was decided: we were Cuba Livres.

All of us—Mr. Sylvester included—made a point of saying we didn’t think we’d win. In my mind, this was confirmed when I realized the room was filled with people who worked in bookstores, publishing houses and literary agencies. Yep. We were screwed. But we were there to have fun; winning didn’t matter.

The quiz had three rounds. After the first round, our team was tied for the top spot, which was much to our surprise. To be fair, I must give Mr. Sylvester some credit. He won a lot of those points for us. But, suddenly, winning the whole thing didn’t seem like such an impossibility. Could we actually have a chance at victory?

Unfortunately, that was the closest we came to the top. Our scores for the second and third rounds were much worse than the first. Most of our answers were guesses.

At the end of the evening, host Garvia Bailey announced the winners. We didn’t win the quiz. We didn’t win for best team name. We didn’t win any door prizes.

But we didn’t leave empty-handed. Each Cuba Livres team member received a copy of Mr. Sylvester’s book Neil Flambé and the Tokyo Treasure.

I might be a little older than the book’s target demographic, but I’m still looking forward to reading it.

It was a fun evening, especially for people who love books, trivia and the CBC as much as I do. I recommend coming out next year. But if you’re hoping to win, you might want to start studying now.

A collage of a few signed books

22/03/2013 in books | Tags: books, handwriting | 2 comments

Books and handwriting: two of my favourite things together!

Saying goodbye to a bookshop

16/02/2013 in books, bookstores | Tags: books, bookstores, Nicholas Hoare, Toronto | 6 comments

One of my favourite bookstores is closing. If you live in the Toronto area, particularly if you’re interested in books (and you probably are, if you’re reading my blog), you might have heard that Nicholas Hoare is retiring and will be closing his flagship store on April 1.

I can’t remember how old I was when I first visited Nicholas Hoare, but I do remember the impression it made on me. The warm lighting and the beautiful displays of books against the wooden shelves mesmerized me. Now, whenever I open that door and walk up those few steps, when I hear the creak of the floorboards, the classical music, when I walk by the fireplace–it all feels so welcoming and comfortable. And it might help that the store specializes in British books, as I admit to being a bit of an anglophile.

The quietness of the store has its appeal, too. I’ve always loved listening to other people discuss books. With these kinds of conversations, it somehow seems okay to eavesdrop or to jump in with a comment.

When I think of some of the books I’ve purchased from the store in the past year, I can’t think of one that was disappointing. I’m not sure if this is due to fine selection by the staff, or just some magical luck, but the books that immediately come to mind were all enjoyable: David Sedaris’ Me Talk Pretty One Day, Jeremy Mercer’s Time Was Soft There, Tom Rachman’s The Imperfectionists, Alix Ohlin’s Inside, Mary Horlock’s The Book of Lies, Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast.

It was at Nicholas Hoare where I found a beautiful copy of Philip Larkin’s The Whitsun Weddings that I gave to my father for his birthday one year. I’ve shopped for books for my cousin’s daughter in the children’s section at the back of the shop, and I’ve purchased various Christmas presents for friends and family here. And, of course, there have been those occasions when I’ve come in just to browse.

Near the end of 2012, I attended an in-store event where Nicholas Hoare presented some of his favourite books of the season. I feel fortunate to have had the chance to hear Mr. Hoare speak in person, as his passion for books was certainly evident.

I wish Mr. Hoare a happy retirement, and I thank him and his wonderful staff for all of their hard work. I’ll miss this store quite a bit, more than I thought I could miss a bricks-and-mortar shop, probably because it’s been much more than merely bricks and mortar.

What makes a great teacher?

08/09/2012 in school | Tags: school, September, teachers, writing | 3 comments

It’s September, which means the neighbourhood children have gone back to school. It also means I’m reminiscing about school more than usual. Actually, it’s a bit odd that I ever reminisce about school. Until I got to university, I hated going to class. Oh, I always loved to learn, but I think it was the forced socialization that wasn’t for me. Since I had to be there, though, I was lucky to have some good teachers. My favourite was Mrs. Sedore.

I was in Mrs. Sedore’s class for grades three and four. Both grades were spent in the same classroom (room 13), so those years sort of blend together in my memory. Mrs. Sedore had a great way of explaining concepts and a sense of humour that I really appreciated. But the real reason Mrs. Sedore made such an impression on me is because she nurtured my love of reading and writing.

Mrs. Sedore encouraged my creative writing, saying I had a wonderful imagination and that my stories deserved to be shared with others. She always said these things in a very believable way.

It was during these years that I remember, as a class, analyzing stories for the first time. In particular, I remember reading and discussing That Scatterbrain Booky.

It’s difficult to know how much Mrs. Sedore influenced me. It’s occurred to me that I simply might’ve been at an age when one learns what they’re interested in and where their aptitudes lie. The fact that Mrs. Sedore was my teacher could have had little to do with how I felt then, and how I feel now, about reading and writing. But I’m not convinced that’s true. I think if I’d had a teacher who didn’t recognize my interests, he or she might have squashed them, however inadvertently.

I recently read a quote from one of my favourite writers, Douglas Coupland. He wrote, “A good teacher is someone who taught you what to love. A bad teacher is someone who taught you what to hate.” And I think that explains why Mrs. Sedore was such an excellent teacher.

As this school year gets underway, I hope all of you teachers will get to know your students, even the quiet ones, and recognize what sparks a flame in each of them. I hope you’ll do your best to encourage that flame to keep burning. Your students will grow up being forever grateful for it.

Literary Boston

10/07/2012 in books, bookstores, libraries, travel | Tags: books, bookstores, Boston, Boston Public Library, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Harvard, Henry David Thoreau, libraries, Robert Browning, Walden | 1 comment

I recently returned from a brief stay in Boston. It was my first time visiting the charming city, and there was a lot to see and do (certainly more than I had time for). I tasted some delicious seafood, watched whales swim off into the sunset in the middle of the ocean and wandered leisurely through many beautiful public spaces. But the sojourn also had a noticeable literary angle.

On my first full day, I visited the Boston Public Library. I was impressed with the building’s design. One of my favourite areas was the Bates Hall Reading Room. It was gorgeous and quiet and serene. I could have stayed there all day.

Bates Hall Reading Room at the Boston Public Library

As I peeked through one of the building’s windows, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the library’s courtyard. Later on I took the opportunity to go downstairs and wander around in it.

courtyard at the Boston Public Library

I stopped by the rare books section of the library. The featured exhibit was on Robert Browning, with some focus on his relationship with Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I thought it was neat to see their marriage certificate up close.

Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s marriage certificate displayed in the Boston Public Library

Lucky for me, a literary landmarks walking tour was scheduled to take place during my stay. The tour started on the oldest street corner in Boston, near the building that used to be the Old Corner Bookstore. Not only was this building a bookstore, but it was also a publishing house. This is where books such as Walden and The Scarlet Letter were published. It’s now a Chipotle Mexican Grill.

What was once a bookstore and a publishing house is now a Chipotle Mexican Grill.

The tour stopped by houses that were once lived in by such literary figures as Henry James, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Louisa May Alcott. But I didn’t take many pictures of these houses. I was too busy imagining myself living in a different time.

Throughout my visit, I took the chance to browse in some of the bookstores I stumbled across. I especially enjoyed looking at books in the open air…and looking up at this neat mural. (I don’t remember the name of this bookstore, though.)

outdoor book-browsing

I told myself that I would only browse, and that I wouldn’t buy anything. But then I decided I’d let myself purchase one book. After all, it would be nice to have a souvenir. I thought Walden was appropriate enough. I picked up a copy at the Harvard Book Store.

Harvard Book Store

Harvard University

The trip had a great balance of activities and opportunities to relax. There was ample time to sit back with a book and some lovely settings in which to do so.

Public Garden

Yeah, I’d say Boston and I will meet again one day.

Dreaming of a writer’s life in Paris

01/05/2012 in books, bookstores, travel, writing | Tags: bookstores, Paris, Shakespeare and Company | 9 comments

I’ve got Paris on my mind.

About a month ago, I picked up a book called Time Was Soft There by Jeremy Mercer. I was browsing in one of my favourite bookstores when I saw it. I had never heard of the book before, but the subtitle caught my eye: “A Paris Sojourn at Shakespeare & Co.” The memoir is about one Canadian writer’s experience living and writing above the famous bookstore.

I’ve spent some time writing in Paris as well. All right—my experience was nothing like Mercer’s. I was in Paris for a brief time in 2007. For the second half of September, I wandered the city streets, visited landmarks and ate pastries. But, maybe because I went alone, I ended up writing a lot, too. I took a notebook with me everywhere I went. I wrote from the lookout of the Eiffel Tower. I wrote under a tree in Père Lachaise Cemetery. I wrote in quaint cafés and on benches that line the Seine.

I made a point of visiting Shakespeare and Company, too, and was entranced by the store’s beauty and by the amount of books surrounding me. But at that time, I was unaware there were writers living upstairs, typing and scribbling away as I shopped below.

before entering the shop in September 2007

Since finishing Time Was Soft There, I’ve read a few other books that are set in Paris. Sometimes it was because of a conscious effort (Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London). Other times, it was a coincidence (David Sedaris’s Me Talk Pretty One Day). I just can’t seem to kick my Paris habit. At least not yet.

I don’t believe anyone has to go to Paris in order to write. And I know the idea is a cliché. But the romantic in me can’t help but dream about living and writing in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Poetry NOW…and in the flesh

01/04/2012 in poetry | Tags: books, daniel scott tysdal, international festival of authors, poetry | 1 comment

I like poetry, but I’m not familiar with as much contemporary work as I’d like to be. So I was glad to come across the event listing for Poetry NOW: 4th Annual Battle of the Bards, a competition featuring 20 Canadian poets.

The event was held at Harbourfront Centre last week. Each poet read for about five minutes, all hoping to win a spot at the 33rd annual International Festival of Authors and to have his or her book advertised in NOW magazine.

But it wasn’t just the exposure to some new writers that interested me. I was equally looking forward to hearing poetry out loud. Sometimes it’s nice to read poems in solitude, but other times it seems the words are meant to be listened to. And it’s certainly a treat to hear how the poet reads his or her own work.

I enjoyed the majority of the readings, but a few of the poets really made an impression on me: Linda Besner, Mark Callanan and Daniel Scott Tysdal. (Sandra Ridley ended up winning.) For your viewing (and listening) pleasure, here’s Tysdal reading “An Experiment in Form,” which is the same poem he read that night.

Philip Larkin and World Poetry Day

23/03/2012 in poetry | Tags: libraries, philip larkin, poetry, University of Hull, World Poetry Day | Leave a comment

Philip Larkin is one of my all-time favourite poets. So I’m often reading his poems, or quoting him to other people, or trying to find out more about him. But earlier this week—on March 21, to be exact—I had Larkin on my mind more than usual.

One reason is because of World Poetry Day. I didn’t know it until this year, but March 21 was proclaimed World Poetry Day in 1999. After learning this, I thought about some of the poets I admire the most.

The Philip Larkin section from my bookshelf.

I reread a few of my favourite Larkin poems and reminisced about being in university and first encountering his work. I remember the first poem of his I ever read: “Reasons for Attendance.” It was in an introductory poetry class that all English majors had to take.

I went on to enrol in many other poetry classes throughout university. When school ended, my appreciation for Larkin remained. He’s such a skilled formal poet, and…well, his poetry is just so very English (which is a great thing, if you’re an Anglophile like I am).

But Larkin wasn’t only a poet. He was also a novelist, jazz critic and a librarian. I just recently learned that March 21 is not only World Poetry Day, but it’s also the anniversary of Larkin’s first day as a librarian at the University of Hull (he began there in 1955). So from now I’ll probably (quietly) celebrate March 21 as Philip Larkin Day.

People have different tastes. I know poetry isn’t for everyone, and I understand that even those who do enjoy it won’t necessarily be Larkin fans. But for those of you who aren’t familiar with him or his work, I wanted to introduce you to him. Maybe you’ll fall in love the same way I did, or (even better) in a way that is all your own.

Larkin reads “Going, Going”

Larkin reads “Aubade”

Good old-fashioned letter-writing

16/02/2012 in writing | Tags: communications, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, letter-writing, Robert Browning, writing | 8 comments

I’m going to write a letter—a real letter. You know, the kind you write with actual paper and a pen. I haven’t written one of these in quite some time. Sure, I’ll often jot down short notes in birthday cards, or I’ll type out emails. But I can’t remember the last time I filled multiple pages of paper using a pen, then sent it off for someone else to read. I even bought some new stationery for this occasion.

My new stationery and trusty pen, waiting patiently for me.

If you’re wondering who the lucky recipient is (and I know you’re on the edge of your seat), I’m writing to my grandmother. The truth is, I probably wouldn’t write this letter if she had ever learned how to use email. But, despite my attempts to convince her to try it, it’s become clear that’s not going to happen. And because I’m not too crazy about telephone conversations, I decided mailing a note would be a good way to stay in touch between family gatherings.

I know I’m not the only who’s been thinking about letter-writing. Earlier this week, I heard people will gather this Sunday at Toronto’s First Post Office to write letters. This reminded me of something I read in the Toronto Star about the Post a Letter Social Activity Club. The club consists of a group of people who meet regularly to write letters and notes.

The fascination doesn’t seem to stop with writing letters, or even with receiving them. We also like to read ones addressed to people other than ourselves. Entire books of letters have been published. On Valentine’s Day, I read about the letters of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning going online. Instead of just reading transcriptions, the handwritten words can be viewed as Barrett or Browning would have seen them.

Maybe this interest in letter-writing is simply a matter of nostalgia. Or perhaps it shows that some forms of communication are forever relevant. In any case, I’m going to write this letter. I’m not sure yet what it will say, but I don’t think I’ll have a problem filling at least a few pages. This is why writing to your grandmother is a good choice—she’ll care to read every last word, no matter how much of it is drivel. I just hope she isn’t too critical of my penmanship.