Book review: Dishonour in Camp 133

Turnstone Press, 2021

By Wayne Arthurson

This book is a bit of a change of pace for L, as she usually doesn’t read “whodunit” murder mysteries. Having said that, I do think L enjoyed this book because she got quite involved in the story… to the point where she almost ignored me! Luckily this is not a terribly long novel at just under 300 pages, so I eventually did get my belly rubs and ear scratches as per normal. Dishonour in Camp 133 is the second book in the Sergeant Neumann mystery series by Canadian author Wayne Arthurson. L has read the first book in the series, The Traitors of Camp 133, but she said it isn’t necessary to have read the first novel to enjoy this one.

Dishonour in Camp 133 takes place in a Canadian prison of war camp outside of Lethbridge, Alberta. Its prisoners are 12,000 German soldiers captured during the desert offensive in WWII. The novel’s main character is Sergeant August Neumann, a decorated German war hero and grizzled veteran of both World Wars and head of the Civil Security of Camp 133. When a dead chef is found with a knife embedded in his back, it is up to Sergeant Neumann and his two assistants to figure out who the murderer is. Things get complicated when Neumann discovers that the murdered chef was involved in a black-market smuggling operation involving captured German officers and Canadian guards.

L found it interesting to read a war mystery novel written from a German perspective and thought that the author did a good job conveying the perceived mindsets of German prisoners of war. Most were regular German citizens who answered the call to fight for their homeland and wanted the war to end so they could return to their homes and families.

L’s verdict: An interesting read but somewhat lacking in plot twists that make for a real 5-paw-rated-page-turner-whodunit-murder-mystery novel.

Bingley’s verdict: I think I would have made a great sidekick for Sergeant Neumann--my nose can track down anything and I always find where the good treats are hidden! But he did a pretty good job of solving the mystery without my help.

Rating: 3/5

Book review: Born a Crime

Penguin Random House, 2019

By Trevor Noah

L was able to do lots of reading during the Covid-19 lockdown and the first book she read was Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. Noah is a comedian and late-night talk show host who was born and raised in South Africa during Apartheid. His book is part history/part memoir of his early life in a clearly segregated country. Having a white Father and black Mother when it was illegal for races to mix meant his birth really was a crime. Not fitting in with either society meant he experienced racism constantly during his childhood along with poverty, injustice and violence. His Mother was his one strong constant during his early life and from reading the book L said his love and respect for his mother is clearly evident.

The beginning of most chapters starts with a brief background on Apartheid which L said was very interesting and informative.

L said Noah is a gifted storyteller and tales of his childhood were very entertaining and written with his trademark wit and humor even though there was an underlying darkness through it all which was Apartheid. She said the tale of a five-year-old Noah confined in the house during a rainstorm with his blind grandmother as she tried to sniff out an 'evil spirit' was outright hilarious in contrast to the horrifying violence Noah and his Mother endured from his abusive stepfather.

Noah has no problem driving home how absurd and ridiculous the idea of segregation is and how harmful it was to its citizens.

L’s verdict: L really liked this book. She said before reading this book she knew about Apartheid in South Africa but had never read much about life within it’s confines. It was an eye-opening reading experience.

Bing’s verdict: As a dog, I just don’t understand Apartheid. People should be more like dogs, i.e,: human’s best friend. If everyone were friends with each other, I think the world would be a much better place.

Rating: 5/5

Book Review: At Home

Anchor Canada, 2011

By Bill Bryson

L’s latest read is a book by one her favorite authors, Bill Bryson. Bryson is a well-known British/American nonfiction author. Published in 2010, At Home: A Short History of Private Life is an interesting look at the history of home life, and a fitting read almost one full year into the global pandemic experience here in Canada since “home” is exactly where we’ve been! Having purchased a home that was once a rectory in Norfolk, England, Bryson goes room by room through his house using each room as a starting point to delve into the interesting history of the home. And with Bryson, you never know where you will end up.

Some topics include:

Victorian sex (the bedroom), the invention of cement (the cellar), child labour (the nursery), clothing and fashion (the dressing room), and the history of personal hygiene (the bathroom). The chapter on the bathroom is not for the faint of heart. L says some of the history is really gross!

Being a history lover, I think L really enjoyed reading this book. She kept disturbing my naps with lots of “Did you know” facts such as:

…. in the Victorian era a typical middle class British family could burn a ton of coal a month.

….two amorous mice could theoretically produce a million descendants in a year!

….furniture makers such as Chippendale entirely used up a type of mahogany found only in parts of Cuba and Hispaniola in only fifty years. The tree is now extinct.

….linen was soaked in stale urine or poultry dung for its’ whitening effect.

….in the mid 1800s, a woman could typically wear up to forty pounds of clothing.

….children as young as six years old were put to work in mines, working naked because of the heat and to save their clothes.

And on and on! I lost many quality nap hours to this book.

Bryson is an entertaining, knowledgeable writer who obviously did a lot of research preparing for this book. He makes learning history fun!

L’s verdict: I really enjoyed this book. I feel much smarter since I finished reading it and I’m anxiously awaiting the day it is safe to have dinner parties again so I can share all the interesting facts I know now!

Bingley’s verdict: My dog brain is now full of useless human knowledge passed on by L, which is fine, but where is the chapter on the dog house?

Rating: 4/5

Book Review: Five Wives

HarperCollins Canada, 2019

By Joan Thomas

Happy New Year! Over the holidays, L and I had plenty of time to sit down with the stack of books on her “To Read” list, and take in a few good stories. We just finished reading Five Wives by Joan Thomas which L says was a remarkably interesting, thought-provoking book that she couldn’t’ put down—I would know; her fingers were so busy flipping pages that I didn’t get nearly as many belly rubs as I should have! 

Five Wives is a fictionalized account based on shocking real-life events. In 1956, five evangelical Christian men and their families travelled to the Ecuadorian rainforest to convert a group of Indigenous people, the Waorani, to Christianity. The Waorani had virtually no exposure to the outside world at that time.

Thomas’s novel begins as the men plan their trip, giving us background information on the participants and their wives, and the events leading up to the decision to embark on the journey. The men are clearly religious zealots in their quest to convert a community of people they consider “savages,” and their subservient wives, while supportive, are merely along for the ride. When all the men are brutally murdered by the Waorani, it is the wives who are left to comfort and raise their children, deal with the media and subsequent fallout of the failed mission, and grapple with their own doubt, grief, and emotions.

The book is certainly well-written and interesting, insofar as it tells a story that L had no previous knowledge about, but it is also an important book in how it confronts evangelism and colonialism and explores the consequences of trying to instill certain beliefs into others.

The men had certainly had deep convictions regarding their faith, but at what expense? What about the wives and children they left behind? Surely, they would have benefited from having their husbands and fathers around. The book raises many moral questions about the nature of these kinds of faith-based missions. 

L’s verdict: Overall, Five Wives is certainly a thought-provoking book, and the author dedicates a lot of time to crafting the back stories of the men and their motivations--so much so that at times it was a bit challenging to keep the characters straight, and I found my attention flagging the deeper Thomas got into these character portraits. Nonetheless, it's a marvelously well-researched book for the careful, pensive reader. 

Bingley’s verdict: L says that a good author keeps you thinking about what you read long after you finish the book, and she hasn’t been able to stop talking about this one! I’d say that makes Joan Thomas an excellent author—I’m just glad that dogs don’t have to worry about these deep moral issues!

Rating: 4.5/5

Book Review: Once Removed

Turnstone Press (2020)

By Andrew Unger

L really seemed to enjoy her latest book, Once Removed by Andrew Unger. She said it was “laugh-out-loud” funny, which I can certainly attest to, since her laughing woke me up from many enjoyable dog naps. (Anyone who has heard L laugh can relate!)

The book tells the hilarious story of Timothy Heppner, a struggling part-time ghostwriter and employee of the Parks and “Wreck” department in the fictional Mennonite town of Edenfeld, Manitoba. Edenfeld’s mayor, BLT Wiens, is determined to modernize the town, tearing down old heritage buildings, cutting down trees, renaming streets to entice a megamart to be built in the community. This leads to conflict between the mayor (and his supporters) and The Edenfeld Preservation Society, of which Timothy and his wife Katie are members. Timothy is caught between his two loyalties, wanting to preserve the beauty and heritage of his hometown and wanting to keep his job and paycheque. Things get even more complicated for Timothy when he is hired by the Edenfeld Preservation Society to write an updated version of the town's history book which draws the ire of his boss, the mayor who doesn’t want the town’s history preserved at all.  How can Timothy please both sides and maintain his integrity? 

Written with wit and humour, Unger paints a comical picture of a town and its residents caught between tradition and progress. Unger introduces us to some truly quirky characters such as Timothy’s best friend Randall, who brews large quantities beer in his garage but is “still clinging to his principles” by saving hand-holding for marriage, snippets of life in a small Mennonite town where husbands use the library computers to look up pictures of Mennonite women exposing their ankles while their wives browse “the bountiful collection of Crochet World,”  and strange and hilarious Mennonite traditions, such as the annual autumn pig slaughter which “drew a big crowd…and there were games for the children to play that involved running around in circles pretending not to dance.”

It is clearly evident that this book is written with much tongue-in-cheek affection. Unger’s writing never crosses the line from humour into insult. 

But for all its hilarity there is an underlying serious question posed by Unger: how do we preserve the old, while making way for the new? If you want the answer to that question, L says you have to read this book.

L’s verdict: Once Removed is a funny, clever, and endearing portrait of small town, Mennonite life and folks who are trying their best to get by under less-than-ideal circumstances, all the while keeping a good sense of humour about it—a much-needed reprieve from the year that has been 2020.

Bingley’s verdict: I lost quite a bit of sleep over this one, what with all of L’s laughing, but that must mean she liked it a lot!

Rating: 5/5

Book Review: Still Me: A Golf Tragedy in 18 Parts

 

Turnstone Press, 2020

By Jeffrey John Eyamie

This week, L and I also sat down with a copy of a new book by Winnipeg author and filmmaker Jeffrey John Eyamie called Still Me: A Golf Tragedy in 18 Parts. (More Manitoba talent! Seriously, if you're not reading Canadian authors, what are you waiting for?)

Still Me is a book about golf, but you don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy the story. Eyamie is a master at describing some of Canada’s most majestic golf courses. As you read, you feel as if you are transported to the actual tee box looking out at the beautifully picturesque fairways and greens—Eyamie’s filmmaking chops are definitely on display here in the very cinematic quality of his writing.

The golf commentaries are clear and concise to golfers and non-golfers alike—at numerous points in the book, L said she could feel each golf stance, each muscle adjustment and flex of the wrist. There's a lot of these descriptions, which might be challenging visualization exercises for someone like me, who has never golfed before, but I found that more than anything, they made me wish I had the thumbs needed to take hold of a golf club and try them out myself! 

We also found the plot to be captivating, and a real page-turner—just when you think the book is simply about all the golf courses his main character, James Khoury, has ever played, the story takes a sharp dog leg and you realize the book is not just about golf but also about his relationship with his family. Or lack of relationship, as Khoury’s love of golf gets in the way of his love for his family. For golf is his escape, his way of having control over something (even if it is as small as a golf ball), his way of being alone even when he is partnered with other golfers. Anyone who has ever golfed knows that it is a solo sport, a mental game played between you and the ball and your control or in some cases, lack of control over it.

Over the course of eighteen chapters, Khoury is partnered with various characters who teach him lessons about golf and life and the impact his obsession has had on his relationship with his family. Without giving too much away, Eyamie weaves story with metaphor in interesting and thought-provoking ways, and great care has been put into the small details that eventually come to play a big part in the story as you get further into the book. Overall, the novel conveys an earnest message about life, love, family, and golf that will have you holding your loved ones just a little bit tighter by the time you reach the final pages.

L’s verdict: Eyamie has written a wonderful book filled with beautifully descriptive golf prose and imperfect characters we can all relate with. His lessons about life and love will stick with me long after I finished reading.

Bingley’s verdict: With all those long stretches of green fairway and zipping golf balls to chase, what’s not to like?

Rating: 4.5/5 

Interested in reading this title? Check out your local independent bookstore for a copy!

 

Book Review: The Age of Hope

Phyllis Bruce Books (2012)

By David Bergen

Well, this is it! Our first post! Even though I'm the face behind Bingley's Book Reviews, of the two of us, L is the real powerhouse reader, and since she reads so much (and loves to tell me what she thinks of the books, spoilers and all--don't worry, I edit those parts out before posting about them here) we thought we'd share them with you too! 

For our first review, L and I sat down with a copy of a somewhat oldie but goodie by Winnipeg author David Bergen (his latest novel, Here the Dark, is currently shortlisted for the Giller Prize. Can't wait to get my paws on a copy of that!). As fellow Manitobans, L and I have a special place in our hearts for local authors and we love to discover the immense talent that comes from our own province.

L immediately became absorbed with Bergen’s story of the life of fictional character Hope Koop (so absorbed that she served me three consecutively late suppers, I might add...).  Hope’s story begins as she meets Roy Koop, the man she will eventually marry, and they settle into married life in the predominately Mennonite town of Eden just outside of Winnipeg. Bergen weaves an interesting tale of marriage and parenthood within a sheltered Mennonite community, coupled with Hope’s bouts of debilitating depression. L found the story especially compelling because her own Mother suffered from manic depression, so she could easily relate to the characters and their emotions.

The story is told in Hope’s voice and follows her thoughts throughout her life as she struggles with her feelings of inadequacy as a wife and mother, her depression, and subsequent hospitalization after which she feels completely alienated from her family and community. As the story deepens, we are introduced in greater depth to Hope’s four children and her fractured relationships with each of them. Most of the novel takes place during the mid-1950s, a time when women were struggling to find their voice and their place in society and Hope questions where exactly she fits into this ever-changing world.

 L and I were amazed at how well Bergen (a male author) was able to convey the thoughts and depth of emotion in his lead female character. L said that as a wife and mother herself, she could totally relate to Hope. Hope’s life certainly wasn’t perfect, as life rarely is, and Bergen’s writing style made the characters very believable.

L’s verdict: This story touched L in a deep and profound way and left her wanting more. For L, it was one those novels that she wished wouldn’t end.

Bingley’s verdict: An interesting, well-written story. I liked it even though I didn’t get fed on time. The Koop family could have benefited greatly by having a dog. (Doesn’t every home need a dog?)

Rating: 5/5 

Interested in reading this title? Check out your local independent bookstore for a copy!