Probably the best thing that's ever happened to me is a request to put forth a list of books I love. You see, making "Best Of" lists is one of my favourite things to do. In fact, I'd make a "Best Of" list of my "Best Of" lists. Before things get crazy, however, I'll stop and simply say that it's quite exciting to be able to share a list of favourites with people other than my family and friends, tired as I am of the constant comments dripping with sarcasm that go something like: "Oh, The Truman Show is one of your favourite movies?" or "Let me guess, Pearl Jam is on your list...", jabs that are immediately followed by jokes about Jim Carrey or having to see my children wear "Pearl Jam Sucks" t-shirts.

At the University of Winnipeg I had a Canadian Literature Professor who was also a literary critic and he was gracious enough to read my words, even after I finished his class (with a grade that will remain a mystery). Something he told me has stuck with me for years, dogging me to pick up a book: "If you want to get better at writing: Read." This is going to sound strange coming from a writer but I've never been a huge reader. Why? Well, I'd rather write than read I suppose. But despite this sad reality I have managed to get through my share of books over the years. Hopefully you'll find something you like.

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With great sadness and regret, we announce the passing of author Michael Van Rooy. Michael died in Montreal on Thursday, January 27. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family at this difficult time. Michael was on a book tour promoting his most recent novel, A Criminal to Remember, when he apparently suffered a heart attack. He was 42. He is survived by his wife, Laura Neufeld, and their three children.

Why write? Why history? Perhaps it started with my being an army brat. Not a typical army brat, mind. Not like my temporarily close friends who disappeared every couple of years when their fathers were posted to who knows where.

No, my dreams of world travel were dashed when it became apparent that my father was never going to be posted anywhere but Winnipeg. But, even if I didn't get the unique perspective that comes with early travel, there was still Dieppe.

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Middle Stories by Sheila Heti (House of Anansi)

I'm reading Sheila Heti's Middle Stories which came out in 2000. Heti writes with that Carver/Hemingway sparseness but few of the constraints of realism. Instead of pure minimalism or rich magic realism, hers is a kind of bare-bones, darkly comic, free-for-all but both full of surprises and laugh out loud funny. She is irreverent and unsentimental but smart and hip. I want to read her new novel, How Should a Person Be because how could you not want to read a book that asks that question in its title and tantalizes you with the hope that the question could be answered in some satisfying way?

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