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Best of 2016: Books

Terry Peters Top 10 Books IQ by Joe Ide, Mulholland Books, 337 pages $30.40.
Books
Bruce Springsteen writes from the heart in his memoir Born to Run.

Terry Peters
Top 10 Books


IQ by Joe Ide, Mulholland Books, 337 pages $30.40.
It is a welcome surprise to see a new author invigorate an already overloaded genre and that is exactly what Joe Ide does to detective fiction with his impressive debut novel. Isaiah Quintabe is unlike any character you’ve met before. His story of growing up in South Central Los Angeles is intertwined with the search for his brother’s killer. IQ’s history weaves through a case he has taken on concerning a murder attempt on a rap star and Ide skillfully keeps us intrigued on every level. Hopefully there’ll be a follow up released soon.

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen, Simon & Schuster, 512 pages, $39.
Anyone who has seen Bruce Springsteen perform live can attest to the staying power he has. Three hour long shows are the norm and when he is on stage you feel like he’s holding nothing back. Springsteen brings that same level of honesty to the pages of his memoir.  From his childhood through his first bands and on to the release of his first album he shares the trials of a young artist trying to get his first big break. The years of touring and struggles within the band are all told from the heart right through to his current life in this well written book.

The Pharos Gate by Nick Bantock, Chronicle Books, $34.95.
It has been twenty-five years since Nick Bantock drew us into the fantastic world of Griffin and Sabine. These unlikely lovers brought us joy and sadness, hope and despair as we took a voyeuristic look into their relationship through the incredibly clever presentation Bantock created.
In this final installment in their struggle to be together we are privy to their correspondence, once again provided through postcards, letters that we take from the included envelopes to open and read, and illustrated by the stunning illustrations Bantock produces.

M Train by Patti Smith Knopf Canada, 258 pages, $32.
Seated at her favourite table in her neighbourhood coffee shop with her regular order of black coffee and a notebook open in front of her Patti Smith shares her thoughts on writing, love, loss and those experiences that have shaped much of her adult life.
Smith draws us into her life, and with the ordinary references that we can all relate to, like the memory of a lost toy, the care of a pet, the joy of a remembered book, she leads us to new discoveries.
Her stories travel between the realms of poetry and journals, allowing us to witness her approach to her work.

Thug Kitchen: eat like you give a f*ck, House of Anansi Press, 212 pages, $31.95.
The minds behind Thug Kitchen first shared their enthusiasm for healthy eating through their blog before branching out with their first cookbook. The duo of Michelle Davis and Matt Holloway has created a cookbook like you’ve never seen before. Rude language runs through the pages as they challenge traditional thinking and place their food in real kitchens, not the wall-to-wall stainless steel enclaves that appear on TV cooking show.
Get ready for something completely different that will entertain and provide an impressive range of delicious recipes.

Works by Tom Kundig Princeton Architectural Press, 300 pages, $88.
With imagination and ingenuity Tom Kundig has earned a special place in modern architecture. His take on modernism has transcended the cold, impersonal spaces so often presented as contemporary homes. Instead he has created visionary buildings that connect the interior spaces to the world outside in fascinating ways that make each one unique.
Many of the sites he has built on are blessed with incredible views and Kundig removes the barriers to them by incorporating amazing mechanical gizmos to move entire walls to open the space to the outdoors.    

Under the Harrow by Flynn Berry, Penguin Books, 222 pages, $22.
A planned weekend at her sister’s home is brought to a shuddering detour as Nora walks in to a murder scene. As she struggles with the loss of her sister Nora is fueled by a need for vengeance that goes back to an incident when they were teenagers. Berry has crafted a very skillfully layered novel that keeps its suspense to the final pages.

They Drew As They Pleased: The Hidden Art of Disney’s Golden Age by Didier Ghez, Chronicle Books, 208 pages, $54.
The 1930s was a fascinating era for Walt Disney Studios. After hiring the best artists from all around the world Disney went a step beyond the establishment of an amazing talent pool and hired a group of concept artists. These men and women would be the talent to lead the way into the future.
The pages are filled with drawings of fantastic scenes and characters. Much of their work evolved into Disney creations but many of the drawings are seen here for the first time as original illustrations.