Short Fiction, Poetry and Classic Book Reviews
If you’ve ever felt that the world is going down the drain and everyone is a big jerk, then Catch-22 will let you know you’re not alone. Set in World War II, on the Mediterranean island of Pianosa, this is a story of a disillusioned bombardier, Yossarian, trying to survive and make it home. Avoiding... Continue Reading →
This is a weird one. Alice falls down a rabbit hole and enters Wonderland, a fantastic, quirky place where animals speak and the food can cause a person to grow or shrink. Like my uncle Allan when he’s drunk, it’s a whole lot of fun, yet never without a sense it could suddenly turn nightmarish.... Continue Reading →
Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote is one of those literary works that has been almost upstaged by its adaptation to another medium. I’m referring of course to the song Breakfast at Tiffany’s by nineties rock band Deep Blue Something. It’s fun, catchy, and a welcome addition at any karaoke night. I’m sure Capote would... Continue Reading →
Every December when I was young, my family would pack two suitcases into the old station wagon and make the four-hour drive west to spend Christmas with my grandparents. Grandad and Nana lived on a farm. It was small compared to the neighbouring properties, but still big enough for us kids to have some great... Continue Reading →
Say what you like about war, what with its incalculable death and suffering, yet it has been a goldmine of inspiration for all sorts of art and entertainment. In All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque draws on his own World War I experiences to paint a sobering portrait of life (and death)... Continue Reading →
Frosted slopes, speckled with pines, gathered in gentle descent. Submerged beneath a sea of fog, the valley awoke from centuries of tranquil slumber. A fresh scar cut through the snow, deepening up to the crash site; scattered debris marked the unnatural intrusion. A shotgun blast roared then screamed away like a demon hound escaping the... Continue Reading →
James Fenimore Cooper’s most famous work cuts an epic path through the wild frontiers and forests of eighteenth century North America. Great Britain and France are battling for control of the New World, with each side making allies of Native American tribes. A group commanded by English Major Duncan Heywood is travelling to the fort... Continue Reading →
Tim sat glaring at the flimsy tin canister on the table. What a piece of junk. Dinted all over and painted blue, it had the complexion of an acne-scarred Smurf. Somehow that seedy fellow at the garage sale had convinced him to part with six dollars for it. Tim replayed the morning’s exchange in his... Continue Reading →
Harper Lee’s high school reading curriculum staple is told through the eyes of Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, a young girl growing up in 1930s Alabama, where money is scarce and racism is rife. The first half of the story follows the exploits of Scout, her brother Jem, and their friend Dill. We meet charming and... Continue Reading →
