Ajisai and Azami: two books by Aki Shimazaki
Aki Shimazaki was born in Japan in 1954 and emigrated to Canada in 1981. She first lived in Vancouver and Toronto before settling in Montreal. She writes books in French, all set in Japan. I don’t...
View ArticleCrow Mary by Kathleen Grissom – historical fiction based on a true story.
Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom (2023) French title: C’était notre terre. Translated by Marie-Axelle de la Rochefoucauld. As usual, I read faster than I write billets, so, I’m still catching up with...
View ArticleThird Crime is the Charm #23 : Québec, New-Zealand and Corsica
Here we are for the 23rd episode of Third Crime is the Charm, three reviews of crime fiction books. We’re traveling to the Gaspé Peninsula in Québec, to Auckland in New Zealand and to Corsica. The...
View Article20 Books of Summer 2026 : Bingo, I made it !… well almost…
So, August is over and so is the 20 Books of Summer challenge. Time to wrap it up and let you know what I read. I have not reviewed all the books I read but I will catch up soon. Technically I did not...
View ArticleInfrared by Nancy Huston – 20 Books of Summer. #20BOS26
Infrared by Nancy Huston (2010) Original French title: Infrarouge. After a few books with a lot of action and adrenaline, I wanted to read something quiet. I could have turned to one of John Gierach’s...
View ArticleThe Clay Eaters by Peter Farris – An excellent American book not even...
The Clay Eaters by Peter Farris (2019) French title: Les mangeurs d’argile. Translated by Anatole Pons-Reumaux. I have this category on the blog named Translation Tragedy for excellent books which are...
View ArticleHelp me prepare my trip to the Festival America
Hi everyone ! Séverine and I will be attending the Festival America in Vincennes, at the end of September. It’s a festival dedicated to American literature and as you know if you’re familiar with this...
View ArticleThird Crime is the Charm #22 : Wyoming, California & Iceland! #20BOS2026
I see that this twenty-second edition of Third Crime is a Charm is about three books I read in English and we’ll go from Wyoming to Iceland via California. Our first stop in Wyoming is Out of Range,...
View ArticleSerena by Ron Rash – one formidable woman #20BOS26
Serena by Ron Rash (2008) French title : Serena. Serena by Ron Rash is a historical fiction book set in Waynesville, North Carolina in the early 1930s. George Pemberton comes home with his bride...
View ArticleDirt Music by Tim Winton – welcome to Western Australia
Dirt Music by Tim Winton (2001) French title : Par-dessus le bord du monde. Translated by Nadine Gassie. Whenever you ask for recommendations about Australian literature, Tim Winton is always on the...
View ArticleDon’t Ever Wipe Tears Without Gloves by Jonas Gardell – an important book and...
Don’t Ever Wipe Tears Without Gloves by Jonas Gardell (2012-2013) French title: N’essuie jamais de larmes sans gants. Translated by Jean-Baptiste Coursaud et Lena Grumbach. I’m supposed to write a...
View ArticleThe Gasp / Charge d’âme by Romain Gary. Not his best books. #20BOS26...
The Gasp by Romain Gary (1973) French title: Charge d’âme. (1977) As much as I love Romain Gary, The Gasp is not a good book. It’s sloppy, it would have needed a lot of rewriting and editing. It felt...
View ArticleWe Were Wolves by Sandrine Collette – a brilliant novella. #ParisInJuly2026...
We Were Wolves by Sandrine Collette (2022) Original French title: On était des loups. This is another book for July in Paris, although the only French thing about it is the author’s nationality. We...
View ArticleThe Sentence by Louise Erdrich – Minneapolis & tough times
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich (2021) French title: La Sentence. Translated by Sarah Gurcel Welcome to the new episode of my Reading With Séverine project. In May – yep, late again with the billets!—...
View ArticleLiterary escapade : Frédéric Dard & the village of Saint-Chef, France....
I thought I’d take you to another literary escapade in France, in the village of Saint-Chef in the Isère department. This is where Frédéric Dard (1921-2000) , aka San Antonio spent part of his...
View Article20 Books of Summer 2026 – my midway pitstop #20BOS26
Annabel, who hosts 20 Books of Summer has suggested a midway check in the form of a road trip. Thanks, Annabel for hosting this event again. Hmmm. I looked at the nine books I’ve read or abandoned so...
View ArticleIsland of Point Némo by Jean-Marie Blas de Roblès — a crazy adventure à la...
Island of Point Nemo by Jean-Marie Blas de Roblès. (2014) French title : L’Ile du Point Némo. I received Island of Point Nemo by Jean-Marie Blas de Roblès last year in one of my Kube packages. It’s...
View ArticleThe Guillotine River by Antoine de Meaux – A DNF for Bastille Day and...
The plan was simple and good, I think: read Le Fleuve guillotine by Antoine de Meaux (2015) for Paris in July and Bastille Day. The plan was derailed when I wasn’t able to finish the book because I...
View ArticlePersian Letters by Montesquieu – for Paris in July and the 4th of July....
Persian Letters by Charles de Montesquieu. (1721) French title: Lettres persanes. All the quotes in English come from the translation by John Davidson available on Wikisource. It sounds stiffer in...
View ArticleThe Gay Pride was cancelled in Paris this week-end, I just happened to read...
Never pretending to be what we are not, we shall find (…) true contentedness of mind, and our bodies will be able to develop those faculties with which nature has endowed them. Not being either...
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