p. 1

ex ce rp ts ·r fr ev iew s· ee bo o k w s ne holiday 2011 · no 68 publications mail agreement 40038836 plus books canlit s it girls ami mckay page 14 johanna skibsrud page 23 beverages the ultimate holiday gift guide pairing great reads with tipples for the season and bibliomania impressive collections from maritime bibliophiles tales of success from a literary dragon s den

[close]

p. 2

[close]

p. 3

[close]

p. 4

atlantic books today contents contents atlantic books today · number 68 features 16 pitch the publisher tales of success from a literary dragon s den where the publishers don t usually bite 23 woozles writes writing competition halifax s children s bookstore announces the winners of their second annual writing contest for children and teens 24 on the cover books and beverages the ultimate holiday gift guide pairing great reads with wine and spirits for the season books beverages 24 29 bibliomania maritime bibliophiles with a passion impressive collections from sci-fi to comics to maritime history 31 canlit s it girl johanna skibsrud reflects on her year since winning the giller prize the evolution of her new collection of short stories and the importance of a good writereditor relationship you ll find all these books and more in the atlantic canadian books for the holidays reading guide bibliomania cover image by shannon george shannongeorgephotography.com 2 holiday 2011 29 atlantic books today

[close]

p. 5

atlantic books today contents in every issue 7 our contributors tammy armstrong s most recent poetry collection is the scare in the crow from goose lane editions she is currently a visiting fulbright scholar at georgia state university in atlanta lis van berkel owns word writing editing research she can be reached at word@lisvanberkel.ca alec bruce received two golds in the 2011 atlantic journalism awards and one gold in the 2011 international editorial and design awards tabbies john boileau s next book will be about halifax and the titanic and will be published next spring by nimbus on the 100th anniversary of the disaster michelle brunet is a freelance writer and esl teacher based in halifax n.s paul butler is the st john s-based author of cupids and hero stephen clare is a freelance writer and musician living in halifax n.s lisa doucet is a children s bookseller at woozles in halifax n.s margaret patricia eaton of moncton n.b is a freelance writer photographer and poet her latest collection of poetry with paintings by angelica de benedetti is vision voice skana gee is a halifax-based freelance writer editor and communications consultant shirley gueller is a writer and editor who works in halifax and cape town maura hanrahan s latest book sheilagh s brush was on the relit longlist sharon hunt is a freelance writer editor and book reviewer joanne jefferson is a writer and community worker who lives in lunenburg county n.s stephen kimber the author of one novel and seven books of nonfiction is a professor of journalism at the university of king s college rosalie maceachern is a freelance writer living in stellarton n.s laurie glenn norris writes and lives in lower kingsclear n.b with her husband barry many cats and lots of books clare o connor is a freelance writer living in halifax n.s elizabeth patterson is a writer musician and broadcaster based in sydney n.s jon tattrie is a freelance journalist and the author of black snow and the hermit of africville pottersfield press valerie mansour is a halifax-based writer researcher and restaurant reviewer as well as senior editor at thewritingresource.ca kate watson is a freelance writer and theatre critic for the coast living in dartmouth n.s atlantic books today interview with an author linden macintyre completes abt s questionnaire 8 book excerpts mercy of st jude a story of profound loss and the unforeseen effects that secrets can have on those we love jacques hurtubise showcasing the major career highlights and some of the most recent work of printmaker painter and abstract artist extraordinaire jacques hurtubise this exceptional collection offers new insight into the development of his work and mastery of the medium food and trembling this collection of writing by jonah campbell explores the world s finest culinary pleasures and approaches eating with nothing more than a fierce appetite for the pleasures of the table 14 inside the author s studio award-winning writer ami mckay reflects on where it all began an old farmhouse in scots bay nova scotia 20 children s books the best of new children s and young adult books 32 book reviews a selection of fiction poetry history non-fiction art and culture 45 events a list of upcoming atlantic book-related events 46 book news all the latest from the atlantic book world 48 book giveaway enter to win a beautiful basket of atlantic canadian books holiday 2011 3

[close]

p. 6

atlantic books today where to find us abt can be found in many libraries bookstores and cafés throughout atlantic canada and here are a few new brunswick bathurst · bathurst book gallery dieppe · chapters champlain place fredericton · chapters regent mall · maritime writers workshop · owl s nest bookstore · read s newstand united book exchange · strange adventures · unb bookstore · westminster books · york regional library fundy guild national park · fundy guild bookstore miramichi · books inn moncton · centre d etudes acadiennes · moncton public library · rags of time books and crafts · read s newstand united book exchange oromocto · sharla books plaster rock · blue mountain pharmacy book gallery riverview · cover to cover rothesay · benjamin s books sackville · rags of time books and crafts · tidewater books saint john · chapters indigo point · coles brunswick square · coles lancaster mall · coles mcallister place · inprint · saint john regional library · scheherazade books and music · the museum shop · trinity enterprise bookstore · unbsj bookstore st andrews · boutique la baleine the whale store woodstock · owl books and gifts newfoundland corner brook · coles corner brook plaza · family bookstore · newfoundland emporium · sir wilfred grenfell college bookstore gander · the book worm grand falls-windsor · the bookmark st john s · chapters · coles avalon mall · coles village shopping centre · downhomer · memorial university bookstore 4 holiday 2011 · newfoundland public library · the bookery on signal hill · writers alliance of newfoundland and labrador stephenville · beavercraft nova scotia amherst · amy s used books · coles amherst shopping centre · pugsley s pharmacy ltd annapolis royal · bainton tannery outlet mad hatter books antigonish · antigonish 5c to the $1.00 · bookends · coles antigonish mall · word by word bookstore baddeck · blue heron gift shop ltd bear river · bear river bargains and books bedford · coles bedford place mall · smithbooks sunnyside mall bridgewater · coles bridgewater mall · sagors bookstore dartmouth · chapters mic mac mall · coles penhorn shopping centre · tattletales books digby · magasin campus bookstore eastern passage · dockside treasures enfield · ns tourism and information booth · relay books greenwood · the inside story halifax · atlantic news · back pages · bookmark ii · buy the book and more ltd · carrefour atlantique emporium · chapters bayers lake · coles halifax shopping centre · coles scotia square · dal tech bookstore · dalhousie university bookstore · diocesan bookroom · etc press · jade w · king s bookstore cooperative ltd · little mysteries bookstore · maps and more · mount saint vincent university bookstore · ns provincial libraries · ns visitor and information centre · nscc bookstore · pier 21 giftshop · schooner books · st mary s university bookstore · strange adventures · trident booksellers · united book stores · woozles children s bookstore · writers federation of nova scotia kentville · r.d chisholm ltd liverpool · snug harbour books gourmet shop lunenburg · admiral benbow trading company · bluenose ii company store · elizabeth s books · salt store gift shop · the black duck mahone bay · biscuit eater books and café · bluestone magik · simple things booksellers and gift shop new glasgow · coles · downtown book exchange new minas · coles county fair mall port hawkesbury · the nautical institute library shelburne · the whirligig book shop stewiacke · the ridge shop sydney · coles mayflower mall · cape breton university bookstore · cape breton university library · reynolds bookshop · the cape breton curiosity shop tatamagouche · hanna s books · tatamagouche centre truro · bookstore of the nova scotia agricultural college · coles truro mall · nscc bookstore · nscc library · the book nook wolfville · acadia university bookstore · box of delights yarmouth · at the sign of the whale · coles yarmouth mall · mast head gift shop prince edward island charlottetown · bookmark confederation court mall · bookmark publisher s outlet · holland college · indigo charlottetown · university of pei bookstore cornwall · booktales morell · pei provincial library · the bookmark summerside · avonlea bookstore · coles county fair mall atlantic books today is published by the atlantic publishers marketing association www.atlanticpublishers.ca which gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance of the canada council for the arts and the canada book fund of the department of canadian heritage opinions expressed in articles in atlantic books today do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the board of the atlantic publishers marketing association publisher atlantic publishers marketing association peggy walt executive director managing editor heather fegan editorial advisory committee heidi hallett kristina parlee advertising sales regional peggy walt 902 420.0711 pwalt@atlanticpublishers.ca national michael wile 416 531.1483 ads@lrcreview.com design meghan rushton ­ design@atlanticpublishers.ca printed in canada this is issue number 68 holiday 2011 atlantic books today is published three times a year all issues are numbered in sequence total atlantic-wide circulation 60,000 issn 1192-3652 one-year subscriptions to abt are available for $15 17.25 including hst please make cheques payable to the atlantic publishers marketing association and mail to address below or contact heather fegan for subscription inquiries publications mail agreement no 40038836 return undeliverable canadian addresses to atlantic publishers marketing association atlantic books today 1484 carlton street halifax ns b3h 3b7 e-mail apma.admin@atlanticpublishers.ca phone 902 420.0711 fax 902 423.4302 www.atlanticpublishers.ca atlantic books today

[close]

p. 7

atlantic books today editors message dear reader we are without a doubt strong advocates of the gift of reading this season we re approaching holiday shopping with a twist we have prepared the ultimate holiday gift guide pairing great reads with wine and spirits for the season we ve paired over forty brand new books with beverages for everyone on your gift-giving list so this year shopping is a breeze combine some great atlantic canadian reads with a little something extra to sip between pages and we can almost guarantee you will be praised and admired as gift-giver of the year while you re at it pour yourself a healthy dose of eggnog and nestle in with a copy of our atlantic canadian books for the holidays reading guide look for a copy at a bookstore near you or online at atlanticbookstoday.ca for the first time ever atlantic canada e-books are available and titles available in digital format are indicated throughout the guide with an e-book symbol you can browse the best books of the season from the comfort of your own home this issue we ve highlighted some maritime bibliophiles with some impressive book collections of their own starting on page twenty-nine their personal libraries are vast and not only are they passionate about their hobby they re all so organized looking around the teetering stacks and piles of books forever cramming our office these book collectors could probably teach us a thing or two we ve also collected some tales of success from our literary dragon s den also known as pitch the publisher our popular event held at word on the street every september every year both aspiring and established writers bravely pitch their ideas to a panel of publishers in the hopes of landing a coveted book deal and many have find out more on page sixteen the rise of e-readers and print-ondemand options may seem like a golden fast-track opportunity for a new author to publisher their work however it s important to remember the role of the publisher and develop an understanding of the publishing process and all that it offers from developing a manuscript to editing design marketing and promotion we also have interviews with canlit it girls ami mackay and johanna skibsrud and delve into the personal space of linden macintyre as he puts the finishing touches on the much-anticipated follow-up to his giller-winning the bishop s man keep up with us until spring @abtmagazine on facebook and at atlanticbookstoday.ca heather fegan peggy walt atlantic books today how does a printing company in a small nova scotia town become a major force in the atlantic canadian print industry and a hands-down favourite for clients roots work ethic ability diversity desire www.advocateprinting.com 1-800-236-9526 pictou ns dartmouth ns st stephen nb moncton nb our goal is simple be indispensable atlantic books today holiday 2011 5

[close]

p. 8

6 holiday 2011 atlantic books today

[close]

p. 9

atlantic books today interview abt s proust questionnaire linden macintyre linden macintyre is a co-host on cbc s the fifth estate and the winner of nine gemini awards for broadcast journalism his novel the bishop s man was a number one national bestseller won the scotiabank giller prize the dartmouth book award for fiction and the cba libris fiction book of the year and has been published in the u.k and the u.s and has been translated into eight languages if you could be someone else for a day who would it be myself as i should be where you would most like to live nearest those i love favourite colour the sea and all its hue favourite animal a wise dog your favourite poets dylan thomas t.s eliot anna akhmatova favourite authors john mcgahern william trevor john le carre your favourite fictional heroes leopold bloom george smile recently rereleased by creative publishing who killed ty conn is a brilliant investigative work by linden macintyre and theresa burke producer of the fifth estate it tells the tragic story of ty conn s life of crime and misfortune originally published by viking canada in 2000 the book has been updated and reissued with a new afterword from the author and a new foreword by author and criminologist elliott leyton a classic in the literature of true crime who killed ty conn portrays a man coming to terms with a life of rejection and the social system that failed to save him who killed ty conn in may 1999 there was a media frenzy when ty conn a convicted bank robber broke out of kingston penitentiary one of the most heavily secured correctional facilities in the country when the police finally tracked him down after a full-scale search he chose death over prison at the moment he shot himself around midnight on may 20 1999 conn was on the phone with theresa burke associate producer of cbc s the fifth estate burke and linden macintyre had met conn in a saskatchewan correctional institute in 1994 when they featured him on a show dealing with the effects of child abuse in their opinion conn was not a hardened criminal but a man trying to come to terms with a life of rejection and a danger to no one but himself $19.95 pb 978-1-897174-74-6 300 pp creative book publishing april 2011 linden macintyre what do you consider your best quality punctuality when i have time a quality you desire in a partner punctuality and passion what do you appreciate most about your friends passion and discretion your worst quality procrastination your favourite occupation cryptic crossword puzzles what is your idea of happiness solitude a still mind and an easy guardian cryptic your idea of misery crowds of strangers the friday new york times crossword your real life heroes true public servants in all walks of life your favourite food drink pasta and scotch what is your greatest fear loss a natural talent you d like to possess music how you want to die done your present state of mind pessimistic restless favourite or personal motto gaelic obair la toiseachadh it s a day s work to get started abt in march 2012 the much-anticipated why men lie random house will hit bookshelves a story about effie the fascinating sister of the troubled priest at the heart of the bishop s man why men lie effie has had her fair share of lovers and husbands including the gillis cousins from cape breton who have been a source of as much guilt as joy she first married john then ran away to toronto with the charismatic sextus who is still in her life despite her having divorced him years ago but she s more or less given up on being swept away by love until in a chance encounter she meets a person who might very well be the perfect man and love once again rears its thorny head with all its troublesome illusions at an age when maintaining illusions is hard even effie as wise as any woman can be to the ways of men is unprepared for the maelstrom her new love affair will unleash or for the particularly male desperation and vanity that is its cause $32,00 hc 978-0-30736-086-1 384 pp random house of canada march 2012 atlantic books today holiday 2011 7

[close]

p. 10

atlantic books today book excerpt abt book excerpt mercy of st jude by wilhelmina fitzpatrick excerpted from mercy of st jude by wilhelmina fitzpatrick creative publishing $19.95 pb 225 pp 978-1-89717-475-3 april 2011 at times irreverent and darkly humorous mercy of st jude is a story of profound loss and the unforeseen effects that secrets can have on those we love new fiction from creative publishing a crust of congealed milk has collected at the triangular opening of the can of carnation behind it in the fridge is his mother s cocoa-caramel cake an elaborate treat that takes hours to prepare further evidence of the time she has invested in welcoming him home gerry remembers the chocolates in his suitcase down the hall back in a minute he says halfway to the bedroom he stops and turns back if he doesn t say something his mother will pile his plate so high he ll never reach the bottom as he approaches the kitchen he sees her sneak a small bottle from the pocket of her apron she quickly unscrews the top and tips it into one of two cups of tea on the table he retreats again to get the chocolates back in the kitchen he holds out the box maple chocolates my favourite some thoughtful you are and tall and handsome them women up there must be all over you gerry pretends not to have heard he has no intention of talking to his mother about his love life a cold beer sure would go good with that feast you don t want beer this time of night have a cup of tea instead she has never liked to see him drink 8 holiday 2011 even though he rarely does around her he doesn t drink much at other times either perhaps in reaction to his mother who has been preaching abstinence and sneaking booze as long as he can remember he reaches out to take a cup at the last second he doesn t know why he goes for the one she spiked no she says instantly i already put sugar in that one take that other cup it s stronger and hotter the lord knows you probably needs it no no i like a bit of sugar he has his finger around the handle yes but i already drank from that cup and i got a cold sore coming see she screws up her lip in his direction i can feel it right below the surface it is don t want you catching that her hand is closing around the cup darn cold sores milk he asks although he already knows the answer it s either milk and sugar or a tip of the bottle never both think i ll have it black for a change she takes a big noisy slurp gerry winces it s still scalding hot ma i got one of them asbestos mouths sure now drink up and we ll have a yarn while there s no one else here how s your company his job his company as she calls it is one of her favourite subjects he started with an investment firm right out of business school anxious to help his mother and start paying back mercedes the salary is more than decent and as far as he can tell he s good at his job he must be they keep giving him promotions and raises he likes it well enough but the truth is he gets tired when he thinks about doing it for the rest of his life his field of study and his job have been pragmatic decisions they treat me fine i can t complain that s something he never does around his mother she wouldn t understand that there could be anything to complain about that he d rather be in a classroom on the other hand he doesn t tell her the good news anymore either the one time he mentioned a promotion his first a small one nothing to rave about half the town congratulated him the next time he came home people coming up to him at church and on the sidewalk talking about what a good job he had how the company was lucky to have him and how proud st jude was to have him for a son for all they knew he d been made president of the company he was too embarrassed to say anything after that he told only mercedes about future promotions atlantic books today

[close]

p. 11

atlantic books today book excerpt mercedes had secrets too secrets that shaped how she lived her life a person must make up for the sins of the past by doing good in the present she told him once he d been surprised mercedes rarely spoke of the past except in reference to a history book yet gerry had long sensed that she carried a heavy burden of guilt even though he could never imagine what she could have done that was so wrong well you deserves it gerard you always did work hard running around for mercedes all the time like you did don t know why you did it half the time gerry hides his grin she knows exactly why he did it they needed the money she knows the other reason too he enjoyed mercedes company in school too sadie is saying had to work harder than the rest of that lot just to get noticed so them snooty teachers would even see you in the room now ma the teachers were fair enough my arse goddamn violet green and her ilk never knew you had a brain just another stupid griffin lot they knows we showed them though especially them fowlers always looking down on us you beat that francis fair and square her voice goes low and bitter wish you d have beat that frigging annie byrne gerry is surprised she rarely mentions annie it s as if by not saying the name out loud annie isn t real and what happened didn t he wonders how many nips she s had from her apron pocket her eyes have a brightness that wasn t there earlier now ma school wasn t that bad it was too that bad gerard she takes another swig of tea they never thought a son of mine could do it but you did had to sit up and take notice then them frigging greens and fowlers especially them goddamn hanns sick of the lot of them they knew half the secrets i knows what goes on in this town they d fall down with fright gerry groans silently now she s going on about secrets he doesn t doubt that she knows more than a few he just doesn t want to hear them mercedes had secrets too secrets that shaped how she lived her life a person must make up for the sins of the past by doing good in the present she told him once he d been surprised mercedes rarely spoke of the past except in reference to a history book yet gerry had long sensed that she carried a heavy burden of guilt even though he could never imagine what she could have done that was so wrong she was a teacher a community leader a staunch catholic why the need for penance in her living room next to a statue of the virgin mary was a small plaque which read atonement is necessary for the soul to survive it occurred to him once to wonder if he somehow figured into that atonement in the end it was irrelevant the friendship that developed between them could not have been based on guilt the food on his plate is growing far beyond his capacity that s enough okay sadie places a large bowl of beans next to his fork i kept the beans separate so it don t run into the rest i knows you don t like that dig in before they gets cold his stomach grumbles but not with hunger thanks ma he picks up his knife and fork it looks delicious she smiles at him over the rim of her cup then drains it and licks her lips he could really use a cold beer abt about the author wilhelmina fitzpatrick grew up in freshwater placentia bay newfoundland the sixth of seven sisters she is the author of the bestselling cookbook the everyday gourmet and lives in calgary with her husband and two sons atlantic books today holiday 2011 9

[close]

p. 12

atlantic books today book excerpt abt book excerpt jacques hurtubise edited by sarah fillmore excerpt from jacques s coat of many colours by jeffrey spalding from jacques hurtubise edited by sarah fillmore co-published by goose lane editions and the art gallery of nova scotia $60.00 hc 204 pp 978-0-86492-662-3 september 2011 printmaker painter abstract artist extraordinaire jacques hurtubise calls the margaree valley home yet his art has drawn comparisons to that of tousignant molinari and gaucher showcasing the major career highlights and some of the most recent work of abstract painter jacques hurtubise this lavishly illustrated bilingual volume captures the key works of hurtubise s formidable fifty-plus year career many of which have never been brought together in a major exhibition or publication this exceptional collection offers new insight into the development of hurtubise s work and shows his mastery of the medium designed to accompany a major national touring exhibition that opened at the art gallery of nova scotia in may 2011 this publication features essays by curators sarah fillmore and bernard lamarche writers and critics jeffrey spalding and rené viau and art historian nathalie miglioni new non-fiction from goose lane editions and the art gallery of nova scotia angels and demons by the late 1970s hurtubise was hitting his full stride his horizons were expanding he prepared for a number of important solo exhibitions across canada and the usa in december 1980 tragedy most horrendous toppled all expectations everything changed nathalie his beloved teenage daughter was struck by a car and killed heartbroken monique and jacques could not bear to return to the scene it was the punctuation point they left quebec and the painful memories ever present at the terrebonne studio they headed out in a studio-equipped winnebago on a twoyear journey which took them through the american southwest mexico and canada in retrospect it would be a vision quest in 1983 jacques and monique came to find respite through a visit to the home of sculptor john nesbitt and painter ann richardson in margaree harbour cape breton nova scotia they never left they bought the house from the couple and set to reno10 holiday 2011 vate it and add a new studio the nesbitts moved to the property next door and built another house there is little doubt that hurtubise had to grapple to quell his demons in these terrible circumstances psychoanalysis may provide a pathway in search of peace and resolve it would be all too tidy and simplistic to observe that the ensuing series of works are often likened to rorschach tests in both their bi-lateral structure and the method of their creation hurtubise poured paint onto an unstretched canvas folded and pressed it in half peeling it back to reveal the result his works of 1980-81 for example sundown sunkiss sunmiss sunlow sunwreck are composed of primarily curvilinear bi-lateral lines most often in black set dramatically against backgrounds of predominantly subdued neutrals greys soft blues and greens the purpose of the rorschach is to encourage the patient to draw out of the inchoate mass a vestige image a psychoanalyst would be deeply perplexed and distressed with a patient who chose to solely describe the specific physical appearance material traits and formal qualities of the blob most assuredly these works forge the connection to the wellspring of abstraction automatic surrealism more directly they function as does a rorschach they beg the appearance of imagery i can t resist i must take the bait are they wings birds taking flight against the sky are we asked to contend with our heart of darkness fangs dog s teeth in mors aux dents 1989 a ferocious lion s head its bite is worse than its bark we behold mexico s intense chaotic nature its barely suppressed violent underbelly its exposed nerve ends vulgar seething dangerous teetering on the brink of disaster yet genuine authentic vital and alive abt atlantic books today

[close]

p. 13

atlantic books today book excerpt about the editor sarah fillmore is chief curator at the art gallery of nova scotia she holds a ma from harvard university and prior to moving to halifax held positions at the chappell gallery in boston/new york and the portland museum of art in portland maine she is the curator of the annual sobey award and the exhibition hurtubise originated by the agns atlantic books today holiday 2011 11

[close]

p. 14

atlantic books today book excerpt abt book excerpt food trembling by jonah campbell excerpted from food trembling by jonah campbell invisible publishing $16.95 pb 232 pp 978-1-9267431-8 october 2011 what mysteries lie beneath the subtle perfection of the blt what is the etymology of the croissant why did i drink all that scotch this collection of writing by jonah campbell metalhead misanthrope unrepentant good eater explores the world s finest culinary pleasures food trembling approaches eating with nothing more than a fierce appetite for the pleasures of the table new non-fiction from invisible publishing against brunch or hardened nightbirds fondly cherish all its subtle charms i don t like brunch you can save your sharp intakes of breath brunch-lovers because however much this offends your brunch-loving sensibilities it is but a statement of preference i do not hate you for what you do and it is only slightly down my nose that i look at your late-morning/early-afternoon dining activities one could even argue as it will be demonstrated that i may simply suffer from a case of sour grapes where to begin it is only fair to start with brunch itself as it emerges onto the historical stage and work up to my own engagement therewith brunch enters the oed in the supplement to the 1971 edition which puts the birth of the word in 1900 although popular accounts trace it to guy beringer in a rag called hunter s weekly before moving along to the heavier fare by eliminating the need to get up early on sunday brunch would make life brighter for saturday-night carousers it would promote human happiness in other ways as well brunch is cheerful sociable and inciting it is talk-compelling it puts you in a good temper it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week ­ brunch a plea 1896 put thusly i would have to be hardhearted and hopelessly contrary to speak ill of brunch but it is less the idea of the thing than the way it has been institutionalized that chafes me if one of the functions of brunch is to spare the fast-living the hardships of the usual breakfast/lunch rigmarole as indeed many have suggested to me arguing that preparing one s own food is the last thing they wish to contend with upon awaking into a hangover i counter that the last place i want to be in the early instead of england s early sunday dinner hours of my day is standing in a lineup a post-church ordeal of heavy meats and with a bunch of yahoos or still worse surrounded by a hundred or so of such yahoos savory pies why not a new meal served around noon that starts with tea or coffee and probably a couple of babies as well babies amidst the uniquely brunchy din marmalade and other breakfast fixtures atlantic books today of scraping chairs and clattering dishware oy further and i don t mean to flatter myself i have yet to experience an omelette in a restaurant inevitably nine-dollar-plus that surpasses one i could make for myself in approximately ninety-nine seconds at home and i don t expect that when i do it will be found at brunch this has as much to do with the qualities inherent in the omelette itself as with the exigencies of running a brunch setup the power and the glory of an omelette in my estimation reside in the ability to eat it mere moments after it has been slid from pan to plate only so many moments as are required to for the residual heat to finish cooking the interior to silky but fragile perfection if i am in the mood for something spongy browned and sweating i will take it as a tortilla with maybe some olives half drunk off a two-euro spanish red or alternately in a bathroom stall of an ibizan nightclub thank you very much but i am not one for big breakfasts these days this is an admission which usually allows the brunch-lover to mitigate the psychological distress caused by my public brunch-dissidence by separating my argument into what is wrong with brunch on 12 holiday 2011

[close]

p. 15

atlantic books today book excerpt further and i don t mean to flatter myself i have yet to experience an omelette in a restaurant inevitably nine-dollar-plus that surpasses one i could make for myself in approximately ninety-nine seconds at home and i don t expect that when i do it will be found at brunch this has as much to do with the qualities inherent in the omelette itself as with the exigencies of running a brunch setup the one hand and what is wrong with me on the other for it seems to be evidence of some frailty of spirit to be avowedly into food but not at all times a hopeless glutton most days i would be not only contented with but elated by a good croissant and an espresso or if i am feeling concerned about continuing to live a couple of fried eggs or the above described light french omelette and a piece of toast time was i couldn t get through the day without a mess of fried tofu or beans i continue to be a fan of maple beans some rice or quinoa sweet potato mash toast and some kind of stewed or steamed green but those were different and if you couldn t infer from the menu vegan days and i no longer require such hearty fare to launch myself into the world with some exceptions and it is here that i think to myself as i have been doing increasingly of late that i am becoming such a goddamn nominalist that i am bound to make someone sick one of these days for it is specifically brunch with its modern trappings that i disdain i am all for putting off breakfasting or for that matter rising until midday i love a good portmanteau and i appreciate the convivial atmosphere gathering bright or bleary-eyed tails bushy or between one s legs to face the dawning mocking day in fine company what i loathe is putting all these things together only to be met by some abominably restricted menu1 that forces me to eat honeydew and refuses me spaghetti i may prefer a light breakfast as far as proper breakfasting goes but where breaking the fast is concerned i am happy as a clam to take lunch even dinner or hell clams for the purpose indeed i d rather lunch for breakfast than brunch any day i could perhaps trace this dislike of brunch back to my adolescent years of principled/practical miserliness an outright antagonism toward restaurants and the veganism that reduced every brunch menu to plain toast or fried potatoes i certainly shut myself out at an early age from the social pleasures of brunch that many folks have by now had many years to fashion into an emotional investment in brunch as a ritual so sour grapes maybe i recall as a child going to a hotel brunch with my father brother and grandmother and being astonished to enter this enchanted improbable realm where one was permitted to have in abundance waffles covered in syrupy strawberries chocolate and whipped cream without having to consume even a single vegetable by way of gaining entry but i don t think that i ever had the presence of mind to catalogue that as a first experience of brunch as opposed to buffet and those excesses it inevitably encourages i am not saying do not invite me to brunch but if you would do me the kindness of suggesting a late breakfast or early lunch in its stead i promise to do my best to suppress whatever frown or disapproving curl of the lip is awakened by the brunch menu that likely ends up greeting us and content myself with my bloody caesar and soft-boiled egg if only they will be so obliging i may also try to smuggle in a grapefruit would that weird you out abt 1 i am not opposed to limited time-of-day-specific menus tables-d hôte in general this is brunch we re talking about about the author jonah campbell writes the blog still crapulent after all these years and has contributed to 50 cyborgs good magazine s food for thinkers and girl culture an encyclopedia greenwood he lives and eats in montréal atlantic books today holiday 2011 13

[close]