Bringing you recommendations for books, music, and beyond
Book recommendations:
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
For anyone wishing to dip their toes into classics or enjoy a light and breezy yet profound little novel, To the Lighthouse is, in my opinion, one of Woolf’s finest works. After my first read, I was left thinking about Woolf’s book for several months.
Woolf paints a delicate portrait with her words to provide a fictionalized inside look into the little lives of a large family and their friends over one summer at a cabin. Here, the tenderness and tenseness of certain familial, romantic, and platonic relationships are revealed. More generally, a young boy asks his mother for a trip to the lighthouse, and for no real reason in particular, that trip is delayed. The domesticity in this work is riveting and will leave you wanting to travel to a seaside.
Similarly, Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway displays her inventive and witty stream-of-consciousness writing and may be something to check out if you enjoy her works.
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
I am not exaggerating one bit when I say that reading this book changed the way I see the world. Having read it in the springtime as someone who has had a job working with plants, I have learned to look at nature, language, and even human activity differently. Though this piece of nonfiction is fairly well-known and highly recommended everywhere, I wholeheartedly agree with others who speak so highly of it. Weaving the autobiographical with nature biology and Indigenous knowledge, Kimmerer expands worldviews and helps to carry forward teachings about gratitude, the brilliance of the natural world, and most importantly, not ever taking more than you need.
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
When I read Hamnet, I had not read a book like it in a very long time, if ever. Not even fifty pages in, I was ready to call it one of my favourites. This historical fiction surrounding William Shakespeare’s domestic life, specifically the lives of his wife and children, is incredibly captivating, beautiful, and heartbreaking. The world within the novel is miniscule, but never mundane, and whether or not you’re a fan of Shakespeare, this book is bound to grab you in some way. Without spoiling anything, I can tell you that Shakespeare’s youngest child, his son, contracts the plague and meets an extremely tragic and premature death.
The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird
The End of Men also deals with a plague of some sort. This book is set in 2025 and though it was published in 2021, was actually written pre-Covid. Taking the reader through several perspectives of women across the world, beginning with the doctor who reports the illness, this novel deals with the concept of half the world dropping dead, that half being men. Though this may, in some ways, sound like a dramatic way of displaying misandry, the work is devastating; it displays the hard work of women and the tragedy that would come from losing such a dense part of the world’s population and so many loved ones.
Songs to listen to:
“To Regina With Love” by Two Crows for Comfort
A country folk tune by folks from Stony Mountain, Manitoba about their experience playing a show here in Regina. “The place is full, the room is warm, folks applaud, but no one’s really listening…”
“Juniper” by Jake and the Kid
This indie rock band local to Regina released their newest single in October of this year. “I can’t stand, my knees are buckling…”
“River” by Joni Mitchell
This well-renowned track is perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit without lifting your spirits too high. “It’s coming on Christmas, they’re cutting down trees…”
“I Can’t Get My Head Around You” by Billie Marten
This upbeat yet laid-back folk tune by British singer-songwriter Marten will brighten your day, if just a little. “But I can’t get my head around you and I can’t get enough…”
“Generation Handclap” by Library Voices
If you’re looking for a little dance break, find it with these Regina locals who’ve been making music together since 2008. “Trying to turn your blood and bones into something you can sell…”
Youtube series:
Amelia Dimoldenberg’s “Chicken Shop Date”
Amelia Dimoldenberg has now been dating celebrities in chicken shops across the U.K. for over ten years. Her interview style, disguised as first-date flirtation, is both witty and off-putting in the most humorous way possible. Most recently, Dimoldenberg went on a date with Andrew Garfield and a playdate with Elmo. Other dates over the years include celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter, Lando Norris, Charli Xcx, Shania Twain, and Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman (as a pair!)
NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concerts”
NPR Music has been sharing Tiny Desk Concerts with the world for over 15 years, hosting artists from all genres and from all over the world to put on a show, often with a band, and behind an office desk. Over the years, the desk and the shelves on set have become more and more crowded with memorabilia and tokens of artistry from all of the musicians who have performed there. These have included Andy Shauf, Taylor Swift, Sheryl Crow, Haim, John Prine, Dua Lipa, and many more. During Covid, selected artists recorded their Tiny Desk videos from home and sent them in. Each year, NPRhosts a Tiny Desk Contest, allowing artists to submit their video entries for a chance to play their own concert and go on tour with NPR Music.
