From Bastard Son to King of England William the Conqueror When I was in France a few years ago, I visited Falaise and found the birthplace of the man who changed the history of England, always later referred to as William the Conqueror. The story of William’s birth goes this way. His father, Robert, Duke […]
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Val’s Book Reviews Literary Life After Death: Commemorations of Writers in English-Speaking Canada by Carole GersonMontreal: Concordia University Press, 2026 As a reviewer, I did not know what to expect from a book with a title like Carole Gerson’s Literary Life After Death. Nonetheless, I found these commemorations of writers in English-speaking Canada to be quite fascinating. The book
Fresh significance, new incarnations Read More »
On This Day – June 2 Seventy-three years ago today, a young Princess was crowned Queen in London, England. In London, people filled the streets. Celebrations took place everywhere. Flags were hung; street parties were held. The war was far in the distant past and the second Golden Elizabethan Age was ahead. In the month
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Val’s Book Reviews The Angels’ Share by Jane Bow New York: Red Elixir, 2026 $37.00 / 9781966293309 The Angels’ Share by Jane Bow (Homeless) is a combination of many elements—slow-burning passion, art, wine, sex, adventure, crime—that somehow the author manages to weave together into a thought-provoking book. The book tells the story of how Dion (Dionysia), a thirty-nine
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Mothers Through History The word “mother” is used in many contexts today from nursery rhymes about “Mother Goose” or “Old Mother Hubbard” to the country of our birth known as our “motherland” or a rich vein in mining being the “mother lode.” And, of course, we all know “you can’t fool Mother Nature!” As we
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Who Was Catherine Hogarth? During her life, Catherine Hogarth was known by three names, but I doubt you would know two of them. She was born in 1815 in Scotland to Georgina and George Hogarth, but the family moved to London so her father could accept a new editing position with a magazine. Catherine had
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Val’s Book Reviews Outspoken: A Journey from Olympic Athlete to Activist by Betty Baxter Gibsons: Nightwood Editions, 2026 $23.95 / 9780889715066 I cannot profess to be an athlete or a sports enthusiast. For that reason, I falsely assumed I would not enjoy Betty Baxter’s book Outspoken. I played netball and tennis at school and kept playing tennis
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Val’s Book Reviews Thirty Feet Under by William Wodhams Toronto: ECW Press, 2026 $24.95 / 9781770418547 Thirty Feet Under is a fast-paced mystery that will be enjoyed by art lovers and those who appreciate the mysteries of archaeology. The twists and turns along the way will hold readers’ attention to the last page. In his novel, Vancouver-based
A marble sphinx and other mysteries Read More »
The Lion and the Lamb “In like a lion and out like a lamb” so says the old saying about March’s unpredictable weather. This is now not necessarily true in view of climate change. These days, we can expect any kind of weather in March – snow, rain, hail, or even heat. The LION, known
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Val’s Book Reviews Something Has Changed: An Anthology of Women’s Voices by The Pen Pals Writers’ Collective Nanaimo: Pen Pals Publishing (the book can also be ordered via penpalsbook@outlook.com), 2025 $20 / 97810694399505 “There is something profoundly magical about a community of like-minded people coming together to share their talents, passion, and skills.” These words appear in
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