Column: The Books of My Life
By Contributor
Q and A with Jacqueline Dawes, co-chair of the Rossland Public Library Board
My favourite childhood book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. I loved the art and design of the pages.
My favourite book from school is 1984 by George Orwell, which inspired an interest in dystopian fiction.
Classics I haven’t read are anything by Jane Austen. I’ve tried a few times but just can’t get invested in the dialogue.
A book I’ve pretended to read is Dune by Frank Herbert. Even though it’s a science fiction classic, I can’t seem to get more than half way through it. It seems like every science fiction fan loves it and wants to chat about it, so I often just say I read it and let them talk about it for a while, and smile and nod.
The book I read over and over is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. The author does an incredible job of descriptive writing; you feel like you are there with the characters and seeing the world through their eyes.
The last book that made me laugh is Bossy Pants by Tina Fey. Her writing is hilarious and it’s also interesting to hear stories from behind the scenes of Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock.
The last book that made me cry is Fall on Your Knees by Anne Marie MacDonald. It covers tragedies in a family across generations. It’s a great read but has some very dark moments.
What I’m reading now is Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments. It’s the sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale.
A book everyone should read and also a book that changed my life is No Logo by Naomi Klein. Everyone should read it to understand how large corporations impact their life choices, society, and the economy. It also changed my life because it started me on a path of critical thinking that resulted in a love of non-fiction and exploring social and organizational psychology. This impacted my choice of study for both my undergrad and masters.
Library Information and Events
Did You Know:
… that you can write your “Letters to Santa” now? Pick up your paper and envelopes at the library and mail letters from a special box in the library as well. Submit your letter by December 2ndand Santa will have time to write back! You can phone the library at 250-362-7611 for details.
… that the Libby app is available to all Rossland library patrons? You can download audio books and e-books free through Libby. Check out meetlibbyapp.com.
… that you can support local artists at the library by placing your returnables in the charity bin at the Trail Bottle Depot in November?
Come to the Library or see our website for more details.
Upcoming Events
The Rossland Public Library is turning its humdrum walls into gallery glitz! As such, we are currently accepting submissions from Rossland artists to be showcased throughout the library for a three-month rotation.
Any topic, any subject, any perspective. We welcome submissions in a variety of two-dimensional media (painting, fabric, photography, et cetera), but all pieces must be able to be hung. Artists may also list the price of their artwork.
For additional information, please contact art@rossland.bclibrary.ca
Submissions will open November 30, 2020 on the Rossland Library website, http://rossland.bc.libraries.coop/
The Book Club will reconvene at the end of January with The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor by Sally Armstrong. Register online at ravenreadsbookclub@gmail.com. Registration is limited to 6, subject to future Covid restrictions.
