Strawberries and Cornels
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Strawberries and Cornels

“When we were boys, born and raised in inland regions, we could already imagine the sea, after seeing some water in a little glass; but until we tasted them in Italy, the flavour of strawberries and cornels could in no way come into our minds.” (Augustine, Ep. 7.3.6) When the first taste came…it was, I…

A boy’s lot and luck
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A boy’s lot and luck

As we rattle and rush across the icy surface of Lake Simcoe, I look out the porthole window of the Bombardier R12, watching the snowy world blow by. It’s like being transported in a school bus, really – the same dull roar and smell of exhaust and uncomfortable seats – except with dual tracks and…

Linguistic crusade
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Linguistic crusade

Economy of writing involves using the fewest words necessary to make one’s meaning clear. (Personally, I think St. Paul must have missed rabbinical class when this lesson was taught; but I digress.) One of the chief sins against economy of expression is that of redundancy – writing or saying the same thing more than once without any apparent reason.

The cool reading place

The cool reading place

“In the richly imaginative world of this story, a tree is lonely and a girl needs a cool, quiet place to read. These simple but universal longings drive the narrative, which is enriched by its credible dialogue and plucky protagonist.” – comment by judge Angela Reitsma-Bick