Category: Non fiction reviews

A review of In My Skin and The Romantic by Kate Holden

Reading Kate Holden’s In My Skin and The Romantic together is a little unsettling. It almost feels as though a third part in the trilogy is missing: the story where the protagonist finds peace. The character arc from one book to another is quite powerful, taking Holden through a series of major changes – some terrifying and some quite wonderful Both books are confronting in very different ways.

A review of That Fry Boy by James Fry

It’s hard to read about how this happy and well-cared for boy could have gone so far off the rails, sliding repeatedly back into addiction and violence. Overall, however, That Fry Boy is an affirmative and powerful read, with a strong character arc that is transformative. Fry’s recovery through Twelve Step, and the way he turns his bad experiences into a toolkit for helping others, is inspirational, and will provide solace for anyone who thinks their own case is hopeless.

A review of We’re Going to Run this City by Stefan Epp-Koop

“There is something about the audacity, length and size of the General Strike”, writes author Stefan Epp-Koop, “that continues to capture public and scholarly attentions.” The Strike, he says, was not the end of radical politics in Winnipeg, but was “near the beginning.” While focusing on one city’s municipal politics, his work is relevant to the larger history of the left in the 20th century

A review of The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlessinger

Dr. Laura shows women how and why they are responsible for many of their marital problems. She provides solid facts, real life examples from other maried couples, and her experiences in advising other women on how to solve their marital issues. After reading this book at the age eighteen, I realized it was my passion to be a loving, committed, and devoted wife.

A review of Crochet Stitch Guide by Jean Leinhauser & Mary Ann Frits


Each of simple-to-follow, first-rate instructions is presented with a nice clear photograph of each of the various stitches detailed in the book. I particularly like the variety of stitches offered in 7 kinds of stitches including shells, textures, clusters, picots, V stitches, special stitches and miscellaneous.

A review of Bad Behaviour by Rebecca Starford

The writing is beautiful throughout, without ever over-shadowing the plot or narrative flow, which moves forward quickly. Starford remains non-judgmental, even towards those who caused her the greatest pain, including the many adults who clearly failed in their duty of care.

A review of The Metaphysics of Ping Pong by Guido Mina di Sospiro

The humility to which he begins his story is surprising given this title, starting with a simple, “my full-blown obsession with ping-pong began four years ago with the semi-epic road trip.” From the there the story follows a surprisingly human pattern: Beaten by son (at ping-pong), age begins to show (as blood pressure), attempts to reclaim youthfulness (or, at least, not die).

A review of The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan

This detox plan is comprehensive, gentle and flexible, providing a fantastic full-body cleanse for anyone willing to commit to the 28-day process. The author is a highly trained Doctor of Natural Medicine and Doctor of Acupuncture. Her dedication to helping others shines through in this holistic cleansing guide.

A review of M Train by Patti Smith

Smith would have us believe that is a book about nothing. She opens it with a phrase from a dream that haunts her: “It’s not so easy writing about nothing.” Those of us who recognise her intense grief, and the determination to capture these experiences in poetic prose, will disagree that this is a book about nothing. Perhaps it’s a book where “nothing” happens: it becomes something.