#a handmaid's tale of alberta

[askovertherainbowblog]

Do you ever feel like your government is actively working to institute a theocracy right under your very nose, and all anyone can seem to do is tweet? (I’m not knocking the art of the well-placed tweet, by the way. Case and point the account pictured above.)

Here’s what’s going on in my part of the world, which is Alberta (Commonly known as the bible belt of Canada):

The recently elected UCP (United Conservative Party #UnderHisEye) has, by its inaction, effectively canceled a work group dedicated to eradicating the insidious and abusive practice of “reparative” therapy for LGBT+ persons. Minister of Health Tyler Shandro has claimed on twitter that he told the group they were welcome to continue meeting. However, according to Emma Graney of the Edmonton Journal, his office released a statement that “The working group has disbanded with the change in govt.” AKA, they’re pretending the group (which included a survivor of conversion therapy) doesn’t merit focus because conversion therapy/torture “doesn’t happen here.”

If you dig a little deeper, you’ll see this simply isn’t true. Of course, nobody is coming right out and calling their services conversion therapy. That would be bad PR. The practice is couched in the language of soul-searching, healing trauma, and respecting individual faith. Alberta survivor Kevin Schultz was undergoing private faith-based counseling to realign his sexual orientation as late as 2007. Journey Canada, formerly Living Waters, which claims to help folks “experience Jesus in their sexuality” (kinky?) still operates across Canada.

If anyone is in doubt, the Human Rights Campaign and the Canadian Psychology Association can shed light on why conversion therapy/counseling of any kind is deeply damaging and can even be life-threatening.

The previous NDP government at least gave the appearance of caring about the LGBT community. The UCP gives the appearance of wanting to give the appearance of caring. In any case, I kind of wonder, why not just oh I don’t know BAN CONVERSION THERAPY AS IF WE WERE A CIVILIZED 21ST CENTURY SOCIETY? The UCP certainly hasn’t shied away from taking bold action on controversial issues (eg. lowering minimum wage for minors like a bunch of literal cartoon Scrooge McDucks).

This conversion therapy fustercluck is one move in an alarmingly swift series of policy change plans the UCP has begun rolling out since April of this year. They have also pledged to remove key protections afforded to GSA’s (Gay-Straight Alliances, common “safe space” organizations for LGBT students found in secondary schools). This means teachers could, at their own discretion, be permitted to notify parents if their child joins a GSA. This would obviously defeat the whole purpose of GSA’s and put children at greater risk of abuse at home.

When urged to consult experts on why this was such a monumental mistake, and questioned about the purpose of his party’s decision, premier Kenney had this to say:

"I think it would be very rare [for parents to be notified]," Kenney said. "Probably only [when] dealing with very young kids or kids with unique emotional and mental health challenges."

AKA, he has no idea what the repercussions could be and is speaking in “likelihoods” like some kind of fiendish gremlin under a bridge, desperate to grant you three wishes whose loopholes will ruin your life. (PS: Back in 2006 Kenney bragged about working to repeal a spousal law that allowed gay men to visit their dying partners in the hospital during the AIDS crisis. So that’s the attitude we’re dealing with here.)

If you’re curious about what other draconian policies the UCP has lurking just around the corner you can read up on their full platform, which includes such gems as scrapping the carbon tax, pausing the K-12 curriculum review, pushing for more private health care options, and something ominously called the “climate war room.”

If you, like me, are having some serious Handmaid’s Tale flashbacks right now, you’re not being overdramatic. The erosion of minority and women’s rights at the hands of backsliding democracies worldwide is not some fad. It’s a real thing that is happening all around us while shiny apps are being pelted at us as a distraction.

So let’s move on to what can actually be done. Before I list some ideas, I want to cover a few key points. We’re often advised, as constituents of a district or riding, to take action by writing to our political representatives! Here’s why I think that’s a waste of time: the current political climate is extremely polarized. It’s a buzzword because it’s true. If your MLA is conservative, and you write them a letter urging them to see things your bleeding-heart liberal way... well, why would they care? You’re not even a part of the voter base they’re targeting, and they know it. They don’t need your support. Alberta voters skew overwhelmingly right-wing already.

My advice is to follow the money.

A PAC (Political Action Committee) is an organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates them to campaigns for or against candidates or legislation. Shaping Alberta’s Future is a PAC whose stated aim is to promote a conservative Alberta with Kenney at the helm. In 2018, they raised a whopping $170,000 in two weeks to fund UCP ads. Their financial disclosure documents are pretty lengthy and can be confusing if you don’t know what you’re looking for. That’s why I’ve broken down the info into a list of the major 5-figure contributors, all (you’ll be bowled over with shock to learn) men, most of them members of the Motor Dealership of Alberta for some reason.

For those of us who live in Alberta/Canada, that means we can do the following:

HERE is a link to a form letter addressing major donors to Shaping Alberta’s Future, politely urging them to bring matters of LGBT youth safety to the government’s attention.

HERE is a link to a list of specific donors, their contact information, and contribution amounts. This info can be filled into the indicated sections on the above letter.

Simply print, sign, and mail the letters to the addresses provided. Postage should be fairly inexpensive but if it’s an issue, take a photo of your signed letter and Canada Post receipt and I’ll etransfer you the value of your postage (within reason, guys!). If you can’t access Google drive, I’ll copy the letter to you by whatever method you prefer.

If you’d like to add information to the above list, or offer a correction, please message us or email askovertherainbowblog@gmail.com.

Additional things you can do (from anywhere):

Spreading the word always helps. Set up an email list or reddit thread. If you’re Albertan, print ten extra letters and ask a few friends to sign them. Pride month is just around the corner: bring a sheaf of letters with you to a parade and throw them in the air like confetti. (You’ll probably get some free condoms for your trouble; nice!)

Donations are not possible for everyone but if they’re possible for you, Youthsafe.net has a list of organizations that could use your support.

Stay vigilant. Read full articles covering both sides of the issues you’re investigating, and investigate in turn the veracity of your sources. Read posts from people you don’t agree with and, as infuriating as it is to have your person-hood invalidated by pseudo-scientific doctrine, pause to digest other points of view before formulating a vitriolic response. I’m not advising moderation (fuck moderation) but I am advising strategy.

Pursue local involvement. It’s tough to sit in front of a news cast in rural Canada and watch women in Alabama have their reproductive rights stripped from them, knowing a small donation to the ACLU is probably the most you can do short of upending your life to go on a march, and that won’t even move the needle much. But everyone, everywhere where voting happens, can march into a town hall and make their voice heard when it comes to the bullshit in their own community. The people around you want to get involved; they’re just not sure how to do it. Give them a means and they’ll stand beside you!

xoxo

[thefashioncomplex]

Yvonne Strahovski wears Alberta Ferretti at the 76th Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills on January 6, 2019 (Jon Kopaloff/Getty)

[she-is-wearing]

Alberta Ferretti

[toongrrl-blog]

Karen Wheeler Playlist Part Six

“Johnny Get Angry” Joanie Summers

Karen just wants Ted to show he cares (or to know he cares), he doesn’t seem to be bothered up much, one wonders if he even had the passion for the Reagan Revolution that took place earlier in the 1980s or even as a member of Nixon’s “Silent Majority” because he doesn’t seem to get angry or hot and bothered, the guy doesn’t care when he isn’t bemused. At this point Karen wants the caveman sung about in the song she must have listened to in her youth (also look for the k.d. lang cover). Speak of the devil....

“Miss Chatelaine” k.d. lang

The famously butch k.d. lang femmes it up for performances of this song that refers to the Canadian homemaking magazine award of the same name (an award she won in real life). A Chatelaine is the owner of a chateau (along with her husband) and is used to refer to both the matriarch of a large estate (and even a sewing accessory used in the 19th and early 20th centuries). Like Karen, k.d. is wondering how she got here, how did the androgynous cowgirl from Alberta and a vivacious and intelligent babe end up representing an aspirational image for homemakers? Also I can see k.d.’s look in the video being her wedding day look.

Fun Fact: The magazine even published pieces by The Handmaids Tale writer Margaret Atwood which just makes the viewing of Karen’s “I’m glad you stood up to those shitheads” speech to Nancy in Season Three. 

“Ones On The Way” Loretta Lynn

It’s hard to find something for Karen from the Coal Miner’s Daughter (she seems to be more appropriate for a Joyce Byers playlist) but I found one about a Midwestern homemaker who laments the lack of access to the Pill, her far from glamorous life away from White House glitter and the jet setting of Jackie O and Liz Taylor, the career mobility of Raquel Welch and Debbie Reynolds, and the that the changes demanded by the Women’s Libbers marching down Fifth Avenue hadn’t made it to Topeka where she is juggling the multiple needs of young children and the last minute plans of her husband who brings his army buddies home. Despite Karen clearly planning the number of pregnancies, one could see her listening to this song and thinking “I hear you sister” while Ted snores on his Laz-E-Boy, Nancy helps Mike with his campaign in D&D, and Holly was barely a glint in her parents’ eyes. By 1983, Karen is a bored and frustrated housewife for whom it feels like the progress made by women like the Joyces and Ives Sisters of the world feel light years away.

“You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” Dusty Springfield

It’s been told to be that Dusty Springfield seems to be a singer that Karen would enjoy listening to and her mournful, passionate vocals match Karen’s personality. Karen is also refusing to be categorized, at least she’s backing up Nancy’s desire to be taken seriously for the investigative and writerly gifts she brings to the table and Dusty was a woman who refused and fought against being categorized. All women who deserve to be seen for their natural, messy, beautiful glory.

“Confident” Demi Lovato

Another woman of passion and song. Like another period piece beauty queen (Joan Holloway), Karen is a very strong, vivacious, intelligent woman who has never been taken seriously for her brains and doesn’t see why they should choose between their lipstick and their brains and they also refuse to make themselves smaller for the men around them (or even if they do, they manage to shine past the mens’ lack of sparkle). Unlike Joan, Karen has two daughters, who she will surely teach to not back down in the face of shitheads.

[aois21]

September 22, 2018

Here is the top literary news of the week:

Using Young Adult Novels to Make Sense of #MeToo

Sunrise Comics 81-Year-Old Owner Closes Store After Almost 40 Years

Library digitizes over 6,000 photos from Pirkle Jones/Ruth-Marion Baruch collection

Book clinic: an alternative guide to Irish literature

Inside Susan Sontag’s Extensive FBI File

Tronc in 'early stage' discussions about sale to McClatchy newspaper chain

FT/McKinsey reveal 'varied' shortlist for £30k Business Book of the Year

Ankeny's new bookstore features thousands of used books and a smattering of new ones

Grammy Museum-funded digitization project brings rare Charles Ives performances to the world

Why Are Book Margins Stuck in the 1990s?

Haruki Murakami withdraws from alternative Nobel prize

Target Responds to Publisher Complaints, but Redactions Persist

Amazon’s new small-businesses play is panned as pandering

Film option to Delargy debut bought by Zucker/Prodigy

DON’T WRITE A BOOK ABOUT CANCER, AND OTHER ADVICE

Library of Congress Launches OFFICIAL Congressional Research Service Reports Portal

Rumford Public Library's display of banned books will stay

George Orwell archives added to Unesco Memory of the World register

Pascal Pictures Acquires Uzma Jalaluddin Novel ‘Ayesha At Last’

Smith, Power and Berry win Forward poetry prizes

THE CHALLENGES OF CREATING A COVER FOR A FORGOTTEN MODERNIST CLASSIC

Is young adult literature too dark?

New York Review of Books Editor Is Out Amid Uproar Over #MeToo Essay

Man Booker 2018: Daisy Johnson becomes youngest ever author shortlisted for prize

OUP offers free dictionary access to UK state schools

Pennsylvania to end prison book donations, forcing inmates onto pricey eBook platform

Alberta book publishers to get $300,000 boost from province

Digital scholarship rescues ethnographic cookbook from oblivion

PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT THE “RISE” OF AFRICAN SCIENCE FICTION

B&N Opens Prototype Store in Maryland

OECD international survey of scientific authors

Man Booker judges: 'submissions needed more editing'

New chapter for Newtonville Books as it turns 20

Sexy ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Costumes Just Hit The Internet, And This Is Your Reminder To Please Don’t

GARRARD CONLEY AND SJ SINDU ON THE MAINSTREAMING OF QUEER IDENTITY

The Oxford English Dictionary is opening its gates to teenage slang—via Twitter

Arrested for fact-checking: Kazakh court fines Ukrainian journalist after police break up media workshop

Audiobooks Are the New Ebooks, Except They Might Keep Growing

Rebecca Rosenblum, Max Wallace nominated for $10K Vine Awards for Canadian Jewish Literature

Mukherjee wins Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize

Chief Justice Maraga launches bench book for criminal cases

$4.8 MILLION IN GRANTS GO TO "SAVE AMERICA'S TREASURES"

Wizards, Moomins and pirates: the magic and mystery of literary maps

Tales of people forgotten by the ‘development’ narrative

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[tabloidtoc]

Closer, June 29

Cover: Neil Diamond having the sweetest time of his life 

Page 1: Contents 

Page 2: The Big Picture -- Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Sardinia on the set of 1968′s Boom! 

Page 4: Remembering Bonnie Pointer 

Page 5: How to get financial help, new details of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s life together 

Page 6: Hellos & Goodbyes 

Page 8: Picture Perfect -- Angela Kinsey flips pancakes with Mickey Mouse on her Disney+ cooking show Be Our Chef 

Page 9: Alec Baldwin wearing a fake beard on Match Game, Andy Cohen and Steve Harvey and Bevy Smith on Celebrity Family Feud, Martha Stewart with a Pomegrante Martha-rita

Page 10: Give Your Kid a Hug! -- David Beckham and daughter Harper, Mario Lopez and son Santino 

Page 11: Chrissy Teigen and John Legend and kids Luna and Miles, Savannah Guthrie and daughter Vale 

Page 12: Steve Martin playing the banjo 

Page 13: Maggie Q and her bird Angel, Sylvester Stallone and daughter Sistine, Jane Seymour and her painting of a lily 

Page 22: Cover Story -- Neil Diamond good times never felt so good -- a health setback can’t keep this beloved singer-songwriter from living his best life 

Page 26: Duchess Kate Takes Charge -- Kate Middleton sets the record straight after an unexpected attack in the British press 

Page 31: Spot the Difference -- Jaime Camil and Izzy Diaz on the TV show Broke 

Page 33: Horoscopes -- Cancer Chris O’Donnell turned 50 on June 26

Page 34: Entertainment -- Matthew Rhys on Perry Mason, Kevin Costner on Yellowstone, In the Spotlight -- Lynn Whitfield 

Page 36: Movies -- Jon Stewart on Irresistible

Page 37: DVDs, Books, Music -- Bob Dylan on Rough and Rowdy Ways 

Page 38: Television 

Page 40: Great Escape -- Julianne Nicholson on Banff, Alberta, Canada 

Page 44: The right way to disinfect, Bette Midler 

Page 46: Cherry Jones -- A Southern Charmer -- the star of 24 and The Handmaid’s Tale talks about her films, family and passion for helping others 

Page 50: Secrets of All About Eve -- the fireworks and drama of this classic film were not limited to what viewers saw on-screen 

Page 52: Julia Roberts -- why she left Hollywood -- the actress set her sights on a new home and life away from L.A. 

Page 54: Ellen Burstyn -- making peace with my past -- the actress reflects on her life’s difficulties with wisdom and understanding 

Page 56: Style -- shape-up for summer -- Brooke Burke 

Page 58: My Life in 10 Pictures -- Mark Wahlberg 

Page 60: Flashback 

[womenofcolor15]

EMMYS 2019: Zendaya, Ava, #Exonerated5, Regina King, Viola Davis & All Your TV Faves Bring The GLAM On The Red Carpet

The stars aligned at this year's EMMY Awards held at the Microsoft Theater in L.A. to honor the hottest television stars of the year. The red carpet was filled with melanin and we've rounded up all their looks. More inside...

  Each year, the Television Academy brings all the hottest television stars under one roof for a celebration of all the TV shows that kept us entertained throughout the year. The 2019 EMMY Awards went down at the Microsoft Theater where tons of celebs stepped out to soak in the festivities, whether they were up for an award, there to show support for a co-star, or there to support their own show.

Our girl Zendaya killed it in her new role on HBO’s “Euphoria,” however, the series didn’t scoop up any nominations this year because it premiered after the EMMYs eligibility had already passed. We def expect to see the show scoop up nominations next year because it was one of the most watched and talked about shows over the summer.

The 23-year-old actress/activist served up old Hollywood glam in a sexy emerald Vera Wang gown that showed just enough skin, yet elegant at the same time. She went back to her red tresses and the soft waves were a perfect touch to complete her look.

The #Exonerated5 def deserved to be in the building as their docu-series shook the world when it premiered on Netflix. The Exonerated 5 (formerly known at the Central Park 5), including Antron McCay, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Korey Wise and Yusef Salaam - hit the carpet alongside "When They See Us" director Ava DuVernay.

"When They See Us" star Jharrel Jerome nabbed his first EMMY for his portrayl of Korey Wise.

The fab directress - who was nominated for two awards - kept with her signature fairy godmother look when she hit the carpet in a sparkly, jeweled Reem Acra gown.

"When They See Us" star Asante Blackk - rocking custom Tommy x Zendaya - brought his mother Aiyana Blackk along his date.

FUN FACT: " The Handmaid’s Tale" actress Samira Wiley is Asante's aunt!

Three-time EMMY winner Regina King served up goddess vibes in custom Jason Wu.

EMMY winner Viola Davis - who was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - pushed through in black and white Alberta Ferretti gown. Come though 'fro!

The fab actress was accompanied by her husband Julius Tennon, per usual. She's currently filming The Suicide Squad, which is expected to be released in 2021.

Mahershala Ali - who was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie - kept it dapper in Zegna Couture as he posed with wife Amatus Sami Karim on the carpet.

The "True Detective" actor has been nominated for two EMMY awards total. 

If you haven't heard, Mahershala has landed the lead role in Marvel Studios' upcoming Blade reboot.

#BlackLove was in the building for the awards festivities.

Two-time EMMY winner Sterling K. Brown got dressed up in a Brioni suit and his wife/actress Ryan Michelle Bathe rocked a blue off-the-shoulder Zac Posen gown as they posed it up together on the carpet.

"Empire" star Terrence Howard says he's retiring from acting after he wraps up filming the final season of "Empire." He was tapped to present an award alongside his "Empire" co-star Taraji P. Henson.

The Hollywood actor brought his wife Miranda Pak along as his date.

We see you Terrence.

"black-ish" actor Anthony Anderson - who was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - and his wife Alvina Stewart served up coupledom vibes on the carpet. The couple was headed towards divorce last year, but they have patched things up, and are all wrapped up in love again.

LGTBQ represented!

"Orange Is The New Black" actress Laverne Cox is always repping for her community. She accessorized her dramatic Monsoori gown with an Edie Parker clutch in honor of an upcoming civil rights Supreme Court Case named, Title VII. It's set for October 8th.

Hello sunshine!

Comedian Nicole Byer rocked this bright yellow Christian Siriano gown to let everyone know she was in the building.  Love the clutch.

As for another bright look...

"This Is Us" actress Faithe Herman won the EMMYs red carpet in a yellow, ruffled one-shouldered Mia Bambina Boutique dress, paired with Nina shoes and Macys jewelry.

The 10-year-old actress snapped it up with her "This Is Us" co-star Eris Baker. Cute!

There was more yellow on the carpet...

TV host Julissa Bermudez was in the mix to represent present Will Packer's "Central Ave" at the EMMY Awards, stlying in a yellow Fouad Sarkis Couture gown. Werk!

"Central Ave" will get a 5-week test run starting, November 4th on select Fox TV stations.

We're obsessed!

"This Is Us" actress Lyric Ross made her first EMMYs appearance in a strapless printed Rubin Singer gown and Kenneth Cole shoes.

Both Randall Petersons from "This Is Us" hit the carpet.  Stars Niles Fitch and Lonnie Chavis were the cutest in their suits.

        View this post on Instagram

                  #JoieChavis accompanied her little nephew, #ThisIsUs star #LonnieChavis, to tonight's #Emmys.

A post shared by TheYBF (@theybf_daily) on Sep 22, 2019 at 6:22pm PDT

Joie Chavis - who shares children with Bow Wow & Future - accompanied her nephew on the carpet.

"This Is Us" season premieres tomorrow, September 24th at 9/8c on ABC.

"Saturday Night Live" comedienne Maya Rudolph rocked a dress from The Vampire's Wife collection.

"Queer Eye" star Karamo Brown served up high fashion on the red carpet, rocking Versace from head-to-toe. The reality star posed it up alongside his "Queer Eye" co-stars Bobby Berk, left, Tan France, and Antoni Porowski. Their co-star Jonathan Van Ness was notably missing.

"Queen Sugar" Omar J. Dorsey hit the carpet in a tailored suit.

"SNL" star Kenan Thomas brought his wife Christina Evangeline as his date for the evening.

  Fab times!

In case you missed, see MORE of our EMMY coverage where Billy Porter makes HIStory, RuPaul rakes up another EMMY, Taraji P. Henson's pink and red flex, Niecy Nash's BOMB 'fit, Jharrel Jerome's first EMMY win and MORE.

  Photos: Getty/Instar/Backgrid

[Read More ...] source http://theybf.com/2019/09/23/emmys-2019-zendaya-ava-exonerated5-regina-king-viola-davis-all-your-tv-faves-bring-the-gl

[pass-the-bechdel]

La Femme Nikita s01e01 ‘Nikita’

Does it pass the Bechdel Test? 

Yes, four times.

How many female characters (with names and lines) are there?

Three (50%)

How many male characters (with names and lines) are there?

Three (50%)

Positive Content Rating:

Two

General Episode Quality:

Dated, and more interesting than good.

MORE INFO (and potential spoilers) UNDER THE CUT:

Passing the Bechdel:

The episode first passes precisely at seven minutes, with a minute-and-a-half conversation where Madeline explains to Nikita what Section One is, and talks about the power of femininity. It passes again, at twenty-five minutes, between Nikita and Carla, who welcomes Nikita to the building and introduces herself.  Not long after, Nikita and Madeline pass twice in quick succession during the prelude to a mission. 

Female Characters:

Nikita

Madeline

Carla

Male Characters:

Michael

Operations

Gideon Van Vactor

Other Notes:

Nikita, we’re reminded in the ending credits, is based on characters of the Luc Besson film of the same name.  While technically true, many of its elements are actually taken from this 1997 – 2001 series, the first TV adaptation of the film, which took several of the film’s throwaway characters and concepts and used them to create a foundation for both itself and the CW series. 

For those watching Nikita: Madeline (who is played by Alberta Watson, a.k.a. Senator Madeline Pierce in the CW series) is this show’s version of Amanda, while Operations is the closest thing to its Percy. Carla, despite the name, is more akin to Nathan, without the romantic element—she’s Nikita’s new neighbor, whom she meets not long after she’s assigned an apartment.  Michael is Michael. Division is called Section One here. Alex, meanwhile, is nowhere to be found: she was created for the CW show to fill the “new agent” role usually held by Nikita herself. 

Real-world groups Shining Path and Hezbollah are name-dropped, and described simply as anti-Western terrorist groups. It feels a bit eyebrow-raising, in a show that aired in 1997.

Carla, much to her mother’s chagrin, is a carpenter. Hers is a thankless character so far, but I like her.

The two other regular characters in the show, Birkhoff and Walter (Section One’s quartermaster) appear in the episode and have lines, but aren’t actually named within it.

Like the original film, La Femme Nikita is set during Nikita’s time with Division / Section One, making this episode feel, at times, like a pseudo-prequel to the Maggie Q version.

That said, this episode is not quite that, with several key differences that fundamentally alter the story. This take on Nikita is neither a killer nor drug addict when brought into the Section (she’s been wrongfully convicted of murder) and the series plays up her innocence in ways no prior or subsequent version of the story do. Second, Section One, despite being more openly dehumanizing and abusive than Division ever was—Madeline gives the game away early on, bluntly letting Nikita know that “they own you now"—is not presented as Nikita’s antagonist: the series’ chief conflict isn’t the fight against the Section, but the struggle to live as part of it.  And while other versions of the story consistently present Nikita (and Alex) as someone who lived within Division on her own terms, this version, at least at this point, is much more…helpless. Her only visible form or resistance in her two years in the Section (this first episode spans the time from her initial kidnapping all the way to her first kill) is a single quickly-foiled assault on Michael at the very beginning, some ineffective sniping, and her initial inability to kill, which gets taken away her by the end. While Operations notes at one point that Nikita lacks the discipline required to be a Section agent, we’re not afforded much opportunity to see that for ourselves, as her training is covered in the span of a montage, and the final cut of the episode gives us no context to determine how atypical it is. 

This makes this episode tricky to evaluate. On one hand, it is hard to consider this version of Nikita a badass, or at least a badass in the action heroine mold, when her reaction being kidnapped and erased by people who seemingly find nothing wrong with “no matter what state of mind you’re in, you have to be able to perform” is to attempt to obey them without question.  On the other, she’s a woman trapped in an abusive institution, and so one needs to be careful to ensure that critique doesn’t become criticism of women who choose / see themselves forced to remain in those.  At the same time, Nikita’s situation feels singular enough—she’s a trained spyssassin whose role within the Section is to risk her life until she’s killed, and who prior to that existence seemed content being homeless (and boy, there’s a lot that can be said about how that detail informs, or doesn’t inform, Nikita’s character)—that I’m not certain how useful the abuse framework is here. Especially since it’s not even clear that that’s the framework the show is using.

Take the scene where Michael takes Nikita out for dinner—the first time she’s been out of the Section in two years, we’re led to believe. Despite the lack of precedent for the situation, Nikita, with two years of training under her belt, suspects nothing, and when she says that she feels happy, there’s no indication that she’s telling Michael what he wants to hear, and every indication that she’s speaking earnestly.  When Michael, a minute later, tells her that dinner was simply the prelude to her life-or-death final exam, to be performed immediately and without preparation, she is distraught and betrayed (but notably, not enraged, or at least to the point of being dangerous—the episode never depicts Nikita as a danger to the Section) and more than anything, surprised that the people who kidnapped her and see her as “material” don’t care about her. This is not the reaction of a person who has thought about her situation, or who has learned the lessons of abuse.  It’s not even the reaction of someone who thinks that the relative stability and comfort of the Section is worth everything else, after years in the streets / prison. It seriously makes me question the thought the (uniformly male) writers and producers have put into this.

Still, I’d be willing to give the episode a three, despite this, if it weren’t for another scene, where Madeline explains to Nikita that “you can learn to shoot, and you can learn to fight, but there’s no weapon as powerful as your femininity”.  The idea is adapted from the original film (where the line is the superficially more badass “There are two things that are infinite: femininity and means to take advantage of it”) and the concept that one can weaponize femininity is essential to the lady spy genre and to the concept of femme fatales in general, but at the same time…the greatest weapon? Not her smarts, or the incorrect assumptions that come from sexism? If nothing else, femininity is too big, too complex a concept to be dropped out of the blue and left to stand without elaboration, and acting like it’s self-explanatory leaves behind only one possible interpretation: femininity, in this context, means satisfying traditional standards of female beauty and behavior. Amanda’s statement in Nikita’s version of the scene, “Sometimes vulnerability can be our greatest weapon,” manages to convey similar ideas without the essentialist and limiting  implications.  What’s more, where Amanda’s unambiguous status as a villain grants her statement the implication that it doesn’t need to be taken at face value, Madeline’s more indeterminate position within the narrative gives her’s the weight of truth. 

That said,there is an ambiguity to the production that makes an otherwise not-great hour of TV—it is seriously lacking in fun, and the action set pieces do not impress—somehow enthralling, even twenty years later. The marketing of the series bills it as a standard lady spy action fare—"The fatal femme you can’t take your eyes from” according to the DVD set back cover—but that’s either clearly not what they were actually going for, or their ideas of what that means are drastically different from mine. There are no easy answers to be found, and I can’t help but find that impressive.

Still, you could always read The Handmaid’s Tale instead.

[atlanticcanada]

Nova Scotia's Ellen Page among Emmy nominees

Toronto sound editor Claire Dobson has long loved "Fargo."

While studying film in university, she used to write papers about the impact the Coen brothers' 1996 comedic crime thriller had on her, particularly the ending. And the FX anthology series inspired by the movie was her favourite TV program before she landed a job as a dialogue editor on season 3.

On Thursday, her "Fargo" passion reached a peak when she scored her first career Emmy Award nomination for her work on the show. She's nominated, along with several other Canadian "Fargo" colleagues, for best sound editing for a limited series, movie or special.

"It's a bit of a dream come true, really," Dobson said in a phone interview.

"It's so well written, it's such a smart show and this season is so relevant right now. I'm still kind of getting over the fact that I'm nominated... I just think that the villain this year is really interesting and Ewan McGregor playing two characters was so unique and special."

Alberta-shot "Fargo" picked up a total of 16 nominations, with Canadians also competing in categories including best casting, sound mixing, hairstyling and non-prosthetic makeup.

Quebec director Jean-Marc Vallee, Toronto-born late-night comic Samantha Bee and Nova Scotia star Ellen Page are among this year's other Canadian Emmy nominees.

Montreal-born Vallee has a nomination for directing HBO's acclaimed limited series "Big Little Lies," which got a total of 16 nods.

David E. Kelley based the darkly comedic murder mystery on Liane Moriarty's bestselling novel. The star-packed cast includes Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Zoe Kravitz, Alexander Skarsgard, Adam Scott and Nova Scotia native James Tupper.

Quebec cinematographer Yves Belanger, who has worked with Vallee on films including "Wild" and "Dallas Buyers Club," also got a nomination. A number of other Canadians who worked on the show are competing in categories, including best picture editing, sound mixing and contemporary costumes.

Meanwhile, "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee" is up for best variety talk series, best writing for a variety series and best interactive program for its web content. Bee's "Not The White House Correspondents' Dinner" is also named in several variety-special categories, including best special, best directing, best writing and best production design.

Page got her second Emmy nod, as executive producer on Viceland's "Gaycation," which is up for best unstructured reality program, while Vice Media co-founder and executive producer Shane Smith got nominations in the best informational series or special and best documentary or non-fiction special categories.

"Being able to report on the forgotten stories, the under-reported issues or follow important investigations even when they are out of the news cycle is a real blessing," said Smith in a statement. "Now, more than ever, logical, non-political, non-partisan news is vital."

Other Canadians nominated for Emmys include Shawn Levy, a Montreal executive producer and director on Netflix's "Stranger Things," which got a total of 18 nominations. As a producer, he shares in the nomination for best drama series.

"The way it's been embraced by fans, critics and now the Television Academy has turned our world upside down," Levy said in a statement, "which is just the way we like it!"

Toronto-shot "The Handmaid's Tale," the much-heralded series based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 dystopian novel, picked up 13 nominations, including best drama series. A Canadian visual effects team is also nominated in the best special visual effects in a supporting role category.

"Nom-Nom! Congratulations to all!" Atwood tweeted.

The 69th annual Emmys will be staged on Sept. 17.

from CTV News - Atlantic http://ift.tt/2ulSnee

[science-doyourstuff]

Tagged by @thegoatthrone​, if y’all wanna do it I’ll tag you, or just say I tagged you, it’s cool. name: Taylor but I prefer World online. nicknames: T-Crow. 10th grade Drama teacher invented it and it stuck. height: ...5′2 :( orientation: Ahah! Hahaha! Ahahah!! ???????? nationality: Canadian favorite fruit: Watermelon favorite Season: In Alberta, Winter is cold, Spring is cold, and Fall is also cold. Let’s go with Summer. All two months of it. favorite Books: The Notebook, the Proof and the Third Lie by Agota Kristof is my favourite, but it’s one of those things I will love privately and recommend to absolutely nobody because it’s edgy as all hell. Others (recommendable) include The Hot Zone by Richard Preston, Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk, Maus by Art Spiegelman, The Wars by Timothy Findley. on my list of books i really want to read there’s: TBH I’m a “read the same books over and over again” kind of person, but if someone gives me a copy of a book, I’ll usualy read it. The Handmaid’s Tale I’ve meant to read for forever. Basically everything left that I haven’t read by Osamu Tezuka. favorite flowers: Sunflower, rose favorite scent: My house when it’s clean :3 favorite animals: Foxes, deer, wolves, crows. coffee, tea, or hot cocoa: Tea, but I’ll drink them all! average sleep hours: 10. I have a HGH deficiency that causes me to feel fatigued basically 24/7, but it’s mitigated if I get a lot of sleep. cat or dog person: Dogs. (Both are good) favorite fictional person: Sigma Klim :( I’m so invested. Also Dr. Kiriko from Black Jack.  number of blankets you sleep with: 1 duvet cover and nothing else. dream Trip: Disney worl! blog created: 2010 number of followers: 350+, of those, there are probably only about 30 who aren’t spam bots.

[silentauroriamthereal]

So, @keep-calm-and-watch-sherlock tagged me in a thing. Here’s me doing the thing! 

1. I’m stealing this one. Rec a fanfiction you’ve read recently (not a fandom classic, ideally something new to discover) I don’t really do recs, not my department, sorry! 

2. Favourite flower? I have a few! Red roses, white magnolias, white orchids, purple lilacs, hanging wisteria. :)

3. What does your favourite thee-course dinner consist of? Ooo. That’s tough! It would depend on the cuisine! I really like shrimp in almost any form, I love sushi, Indian, Greek, basically every Asian and Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cuisine, and dessert is never remiss, of course. :P

4. You could be supporting actor/actress in a tv show/ film of your choice. Which one do you choose and what role would you like to play (p.ex. passer-by, murder victim…)? HMM. I’d love to play anything opposite Benedict. He’s so amazing! Obviously a character who gets to kiss him for some reason, haha. 

5. Favourite book? I have a few, again. Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion (JRR Tolkien), Watership Down (Richard Adams), A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving), The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood), 1984 (George Orwell), The Shell Seekers (Rosamunde Pilcher), Lost Horizon (James Hilton), A Severed Wasp (Madeleine L’Engle), The Wind-up Bird Chronicle (Haruki Murakami), Kafka on the Shore (Murakami), Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (Murakami), Dance dance dance (Murakami). Those are some of them. :)

6. What’s your favourite tv show (not counting Sherlock)? Westworld, Broadchurch, Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, NCIS & NCIS: LA. 

7. Which countries have you already visited/lived in?

Lived in: Canada (Winnipeg, Montréal, Québec City), USA (New York, Atlanta), Germany (Berlin).

Visited: Canada: most of the major cities except Hamilton - actually, not most of Ontario, but huge expanses of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC, Québec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia (including Cape Breton), a goodly bit of Prince Edward Island, and mostly just St. John’s in Newfoundland. None of the territories, and as I detest winter, that probably won’t change! USA: I think I’ll list cities rather than states: New York, Atlanta, Baltimore, DC, Nebraska, Bloomington (IN), Minneapolis/St. Paul, Philadelphia, Wichita (KS), Grand Forks (ND), Fargo (MN), Winston-Salem (NC), large swaths of South Dakota, Montana, Maryland, rural Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, upstate New York. North Dakota, Minnesota, etc. Mexico: Puerto Vallarta. Ireland: Galway, Shannon, Ballina, Enniscrone, Sligo, Athlone, Dublin. Northern Ireland: Belfast, Giant’s Causeway. Scotland: Gretna Green. England: Liverpool, Chester, Cambridge, Oxford, London. Germany: Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Leipzig, Freiburg-im-Breisgau, Dresden, Köln, Düsseldorf, Karlsruhe, Füssen, Schwangau, etc. Czech Republic: Prague. Austria: Vienna. France: Paris. Syria: Damascus, Aleppo, Al-Hasaka, Palmyra, Deir-ez-Zur, Homs, Sednayah, Daraa. Jordan: Amman, Petra, the Dead Sea, Mount Nebo. 

8. Favourite city? Toss up between New York, Berlin, and Québec City. 

9. If you could choose one song/album as the soundtrack for your life, what would it be? Nope, way too hard. I’m not big on singular favourites, heh. I’m either too complex or too fickle. Maybe both. :P

10. How and when did you discover Sherlock (BBC)? I saw Benedict in Star Trek Into Darkness and was utterly, utterly captivated by him. It’s not the most complex or interesting script ever written, but he was so charismatic, with such strong stage presence that he stole every scene he was in. I went to see it again the very next day because I just had to see him again. I sort of knew he was a Thing on the internet but I hadn’t discovered it or crossed paths with it at all. So then I sought out Sherlock and devoured the first two series in about ten days, was wrecked by TRF, and got sucked back into writing fanfic after a successful escape from the clutches of Harry Potter some 7-ish years earlier. Lol. I’ve now written more Sherlock fanfic than Harry Potter fanfic, and it’s taken me awhile to catch up to that! 

11. Do you have a favourite place to write fanfics: Just at home on my laptop, though I can write anywhere if the need arises. I prefer quiet and to be alone, if I can choose. 

Not tagging anyone because I need to go to bed, but I didn’t want to ignore the tag. :)

[thefashioncomplex]

Yvonne Strahovski wears Alberta Ferretti at the 76th Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills on January 6, 2019 (Frazer Harrison/Getty)

[rickmoya]

the books I read in 2017

Way better this year, thanks to no school after May.

Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson

Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine

The Elephants of Style, Bill Walsh

Scrappy Little Nobody, Anna Kendrick

The Indian in the Cupboard, Lynne Reid Banks

The Rise of Writing: Redefining Mass Literacy, Deborah Brandt

Dirty Jokes and Beer, Drew Carey

Dead Birds Singing, Mark Talbert

White Teeth, Zadie Smith

Screwball, Alberta Armer

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling

Words Fail Me, Patricia O'Conner

The Moves Make the Man, Bruce Brooks

Best. State. Ever., Dave Barry

Good Job, Brain!, Karen Chu et al.

Tell Everyone: Why We Share and Why It Matters, Alfred Hermida

Multimodality: A Social Semiotic Approach to Contemporary Communication, Gunther Kress

Media Convergence, Graham Meikle and Sherman Young1

Eleanor and Park, Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl, Rainbow Rowell

Carry On, Rainbow Rowell

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Newt Scamander

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie

Ghosts, Raina Telgemeier

Endymion Spring, Matthew Skelton

All I Know About Animal Behavior I Learned in Loehmann's Dressing Room, Erma Bombeck

Wonder, R.J. Palacio

Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life, Chris Kohler

My Favorite Band Does Not Exist, Robert T. Jeschonek

It Started With Goodbye, Christina June

36 Views of Mount Fuji, Cathy N. Davidson

I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl, Gretchen McNeil

Less Than Zero, Bret Easton Ellis

There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom, Louis Sachar

Almost Transparent Blue, Ryu Murakami

The Crossover, Kwame Alexander

MARTians, Blythe Woolston

The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling

I Am Number Four, Pittacus Lore

The Adventures of Dr. McNinja Omnibus vol. 1, Christopher Hastings2

Open Ice, Pat Hughes

The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas

Athlete Vs. Mathlete, W.C. Mack

Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher

The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You, Lily Anderson

We'll Laugh Again, Art Buchwald

Skink: No Surrender, Carl Hiaasen

Hungry Monkey, Matthew Amster-Burton

Geek Love, Katherine Dunn

Live Right and Find Happiness (Though Beer is Much Faster), Dave Barry

Charmed Life, Diana Wynne Jones

When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, George Carlin

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J.K. Rowling3

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz

The Nerdist Way, Chris Hardwick

American Band, Kristen Laine

Do Bananas Chew Gum?, Jamie Gilson

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, Samantha Irby

The Baseball Codes, Jason Turbow

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling

Major Crush, Jennifer Echols

I Hope I Screw This Up, Kyle Cease

Music Lessons, Stephanie Stein Crease

Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack!, M.E. Kerr

Navajo Afterglow, Melvin Eisenstadt

Notes from an Accidental Band Geek, Erin Dionne

Saxophone for Dummies, Denis Gabel and Michael Villmow

Losers Take All, David Klass

The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading, Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance

My Custom Van, Michael Ian Black

The Upside of Unrequited, Becky Albertalli

Stargirl, Jerry Spinelli

The Book of Basketball, Bill Simmons

italics: read it before bold: read it to my kids in bed

This is where I finished my research and writing for grad school. From here forward, it’s almost all new YA, with some essayists and nonfiction sprinkled in.

I know that I read more comics than this, but I guess I didn’t write them down.

This is the British edition that I bought from a second-hand shop in London, so I’m claiming that I’d never read it even though it’s not so different.

I also did the Book Riot Read Harder challenge, and I did OK. Missed four, or possibly three because I feel weird Googling the sexual preference of authors.

[memoistore]

Yvonne Strahovski In Alberta Ferretti Limited Edition – 2019 Golden Globe Awards

Nominee Yvonne Strahovski joined her ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ costars at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards this evening (January 6). The actress looked like the belle of the ball in custom Alberta Ferretti Limited Edition. The gown embodied a princess sentiment with its delicate pleated fabric and powder blue hue. Lorraine Schwartz jewels increased the whimsical […] from Red Carpet Fashion Awards http://bit.ly/2Fc3RHl via IFTTT

[justinetracey70-blog]

Margaret Atwood (Writer Of The Handmaid's Tale).

Once again we return to our Thus You Want My Task series, in which our company talk to guys which are actually worked with in good jobs and inquire concerning the fact of their job and also for advise on how males can stay their aspiration. Last opportunity our company observed Alfie Allen's killer turned abuse sufferer turned just-about-palatable antihero Theon Greyjoy in Activity from Thrones, he and also his sibling Yara (Gemma Whelan) were setting sail off along with monster Queen Daenerys. In the event you loved this informative article and you desire to obtain more info about please click the following web site i implore you to go to our website. My child selects his pre-order today, our company are going to see if he one of the fortunate ones, I made a decision back I will expect an activity like DA inquiry to follow out, as well as provide Sony as well as MS an odds to deal with the problems. I directly can certainly not wait for the 1st video game to release that has Pro" criteria to play, or even to just participate in online in some manner ... Consoles along with as a lot of problems otherwise more than a Personal Computer ... I'll stick to the Personal Computer as well as the genuine perks they deliver ... right up to the mods and also potential to replay a video game several opportunities with an other feeling to it alltogether. The video game appears stunning on Android as well as has a high-octane soundtrack to recommend you onwards. As well as whether Caraval is actually genuine or otherwise, Scarlett has to locate Tella just before the five evenings from the game are over or a risky cause and effect of effects will certainly be actually triggered, and her precious sister will certainly disappear forever. At the same time, activity conserve information is actually saved only on the device, and also may not be actually moved to additional devices or even the SD card as a back-up. There are lots of great pinball games for Android, yet Pinball Gallery is actually a bit different. I doubt I'll be the only one mentioning they were surprised that the Killzone programmer has managed to supply a video game along with such width, depth and also consistently satisfying gameplay. The creature hasn't already been actually observed since season 1, and also would certainly be actually a lot more mature if it performs return this period. Neither performs the view keep properly any more that those that take part in sports or even video games will stink at research studies, and also every year their vacancy coming from the lesson or even scarcity of talks would be condoned since they could either address their researches or even perform the field for some game or the various other. If you do not wish to or can't put in the additional effort after that just do not perform this as well as focus on an activity created PS4 as well as absolutely nothing else. I merely got your manual for my birthday celebration recently as well as I can not hang around to make up some meals off it. Clementine's missing a finger, the trailer presents her firing a zombie in the scalp, along with a developed boy contacted Javier (an all new personality) standing next to her saying they are getting closer to their target. Individuals who today participate in mobile phone traditional Canabalt as well as consider it lacking due to its simplicity do not know what the game is actually attempting to perform. Canabalt is everything about rate-- the excitement of being actually barely in control, as well as from paying for the gamer merely the easiest commands for survival. Along with pronounced reluctance the Queen opened up the gladiatorial Great Video games at Meereen with a symbolic handclap. This is actually one main reason why in tennis I experience I keep on boosting my video game as; I simply may certainly not condemn any person for my defeat in an activity. In a significant (as well as totally fracical) Facebook Live uncover, Activity from Thrones showmakers encouraged visitors to comment 'FIRE', which would certainly trigger a flamethrower to slowly disappear the ice protecting the release day. I doubt any individual has read my entire customer review for this manual, however if you have actually managed to read through throughout of this and you are actually still certainly not convinced to review this manual, I HIGHLY advise you to do therefore. I am so enthusiastic concerning this book and also I sense I are going to reside to adore this for years and also years to follow. The scientists discovered that certain circumstances enhanced direct exposure to fierce video games-- including situating video game consoles as well as personal computers in children's bed rooms, and permitting older brother or sisters to share video games along with younger ones. All-time low pipes is that this is actually a must read publication as well as I hope you are going to choose this up. This belongs to a set however may be gone through as a standalone without problems. I assured them that NOTHING I have ever made an effort off your blog has failed me, and I know that is going to be a success!! Remarkable: Attended high school at David Thompson Second, where he was on the golf team. Completed his jr hockey job with the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Grande Grassy field Tornado (2012-2014). Member of the B.C. U17 team. Observed the Canada Summers months Video games for baseball. For a book that professes to hinge on a wonderful war to the fatality, there is actually nearly no activity. Yet, with Master Tommen's surprise outlawing of the blessed ritual of test by combat, Activity of Thrones stunned us in much the same way Ser Clegane had stunned that cleric along with the easily removed foundation. Data Visualization Software (C) fotki.com" style="max-width:420px;float:left;padding:10px 10px 10px 0px;border:0px;">His passion is actually still certainly there, yet anxiety has actually turned this fresh man into something that triggers Rochelle to think about if reversing was the correct thing to carry out. As she kicks back right into a new video game along with brand new rules, oh yeah as well as along with a baby too - Rochelle starts to create a connection along with Bric that had not existed in the first video game they played. I do must give this publication some props, since this is actually the first time I have ever before must close a manual for 90 seconds if you want to frantically laugh. Inner demos provide our team a concept from exactly what the game resembled just before this first expose yet a great deal of work was actually put in to creating the finished expose. Listed below's every little thing you should know about the system, from the activities to find in the following weeks and months as well as the equipment that electrical powers it. Another approach is to fail to remember blending right into the game and also instead talk to players to endure an advertisement for online video game money.

[2soliddudes]

Obasan by Joy Kogawa 1981, 279 pages

“Obasan centres on the memories and experiences of Naomi Nakane, a 36-year-old schoolteacher living in the rural Canadian town of Cecil, Alberta, when the novel begins. The death of Naomi’s uncle, with whom she had lived as a child, leads Naomi to visit and care for her widowed aunt Aya, whom she refers to as Obasan (Obasan being the Japanese word for “Aunt” in this context). Her brief stay with Obasan in turn becomes an occasion for Naomi to revisit and reconstruct in memory her painful experiences as a child during and after World War II, with the aid of a box of correspondence and journals sent to her by her Aunt Emily, detailing the years of the measures taken by the Canadian government against the Japanese citizens of Canada and their aftereffects.”

THOUGHTS:

Róisín: This 👏Is👏What👏I’m👏Talking👏About. I think this list is finally coming into its own. This is a book I had not heard of before, that I absolutely flew through and I feel like it naturally confronted something in Canadian history/culture that should have more attention.

Katy and I rarely talk about the books while we’re both reading (kind of so we don’t influence each other’s interpretation but also because I have a bad habit of accidentally spoiling stuff) but this is one I’m glad we checked in with each other about. Both of us had the same impression of this book as a “quiet” book. It’s incredibly effective because of that. The events and terms of the internment of Japanese-Canadians are all the more unbelievable/horrific when stated plainly in this quietness. Naomi’s history is slowly revealed to the readers through memories, letters, and the actions of her almost silent Obasan.

Kathleen: I hate spoilers so much that I don’t actually read summaries of novels (Róisín and I going to the movies is always hilarious!), so I had no clue what Obasan was about when I started reading. The way the story unfolded was perfect, moving back and forth from the present to Naomi’s experiences as a child in WWII, broken up by beautiful poetic writing.

The book is a semi-autobiographical account of Kogawa’s own childhood, growing up in Vancouver and being sent to the internment camp in Slocan 12 weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, which makes it so much more devastating.

Róisín: This book is a total beauty. A meeting of interesting, heartbreaking, autobiographical topic and some of the loveliest writing we’ve met so far on this list. It’s got me super excited to read the sequel!

Kathleen: I thought it was quite interesting that this is one of the only books that we had to get on a waiting list for at the library, and it’s one we hadn’t even heard of. Glad to know other people are reading this amazing book!

VERDICT: Should it be on the 30 before 30?

Róisín: Yeah yeah yeah

Kathleen: Oh god yes.

NEXT WEEK’S BOOK: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood