There are three easy reasons to find that perfect book this time of year: front porch, beach and cottage. As some flock to outdoor patios as soon as the snow melts, others just want to sit outside with a good book. And there is nothing wrong with that. Herewith, a cool dozen to get you started.
THE TASTEMAKERS, DAVID SAX
MCCLELLAND & STEWART, $29.95
Foodie culture is alive in Toronto, but the trends are bewildering. Author David Sax goes behind the scenes to find out why we love bacon but could do without the fondue.
ALL MY PUNY SORROWS, MIRIAM TOEWS
KNOPF CANADA, $29.95
Toews’s latest is a riveting story of two sisters, Elfrieda and Yoli. One has it all but is trying to kill herself, the other is a mess but fights for her beloved sister.
FROG MUSIC, EMMA DONOGHUE
HARPERCOLLINS, $29.99
The follow-up to Donoghue’s 2010 novel Room, Frog Music is a return to historical fiction centring on an unsolved murder of Jenny Bonnet in 1876 San Francisco.
LISTEN TO THE SQUAWKING CHICKEN
ELAINE LUI, RANDOM HOUSE, $27.95
Known best as the country’s leading gossip columnist and co-host of TV show The Social, Elaine Lui’s first book, a memoir, is unexpected. And that’s always a good thing.
THE PESCETARIAN PLAN, JANIS JIBRIN
BALLANTINE BOOKS, $31
Want to get a handle on your health and maybe lose those love handles at the same time? A vegetarian and seafood diet might be just the best way to eat on the planet.
THE CONFABULIST, STEVEN GALLOWAY
KNOPF CANADA, $29.95
Who doesn’t love a good Houdini story? Galloway’s follow-up to The Cellist of Sarajevo deals with the famous magician’s mysterious death in this intriguing tale.
UP, UP, & AWAY, JONAH KERI
RANDOM HOUSE, $32
A senior writer at Grantland, Keri explores the history of the Montreal Expos baseball team on the 10th anniversary of the team decamping for Washington.
NO RELATION, TERRY FALLIS
MCCLELLAND & STEWART, $22.95
Fallis is a top-notch humourist best known for his debut novel The Best Laid Plans, made into a CBC-TV miniseries. In his fourth novel, Fallis takes on the fame game.
REASONS MY KID IS CRYING, GREG PEMBROKE
THREE RIVERS PRESS, $18
Another blog-to-book success story, in Reasons My Kid Is Crying, Pembroke gives a fun and therapeutic take on the trials and tribulations of parenting.
CLAUDINE, BARBARA PALMER
PENGUIN, $20
An “elite call girl with an international profile”? Sounds like poolside reading to us. For fans of E. L. James, Barbara Palmer gives us the erotic tale of Claudine. Readers, gird your loins.
BUON APPETITO TORONTO!, ITALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, $30
Post City’s wine critic, Tony Aspler, and others, provide a culinary history that outlines how Italian food culture evolved in the city, illustrating the people, places and dishes that allowed it to flourish.
BASED ON A TRUE STORY,
ELIZABETH RENZETTI, HOUSE OF ANANSI, $19.95
Well-known Globe and Mail columnist Elizabeth Renzetti’s debut novel is a satirical look at celebrity culture and journalism. We are intrigued.
