It’s that time of year again! Winter Break means it’s time to cozy up with a fuzzy blanket, a hot chocolate, and a good book. Every year, Team Options loves to take a minute to share what we’ve been reading. If you’re in need of inspiration and a new book, you’re in the right place!
Monika, Educational Consultant
I have been reading a non-fiction book called Agent Sonya by Ben McIntyre. It tells the (much!) larger than life story of a communist German-born spy who infiltrates societies across Europe and Asia, only to settle in a tiny British village. There, she transmits secrets about the development of the atom bomb in between baking scones. It feels like fiction; it is such a wild ride.
Kate, Writing Coach
Over the past few weeks, I have been reading Small Island by Andrea Levy. This novel is set during and post WW2 and details the injustices faced by Jamaican servicemen and women in the UK. Narrated by three main characters, Levy’s novel compellingly presents a picture of the challenges and prejudices faced by so many during this period. Prior to reading this book, I knew very little about the unique relationship between Britain and Jamaica; I look forward to watching the film adaption with Benedict Cumberbatch later in December!
Melinda, Founder/President
Every year, I carve out two days, just before Christmas, and spend them baking our cookie gift baskets to give to our nearest and dearest. Each year, I pick a signature cookie. This year, it is cookie number 70: Neapolitan Cookies from Sarah Kiefer’s 100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen. Other favourites from this book include Cookie 9, Brownie Cookies; Cookie 60, Espresso Cheesecake Bars; and Cookie 92, Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Filling. I’ve had this book for over a year now, but I keep finding new and exciting treats to bake. It’s a great winter boredom buster.
Melodie, Office Manager
At my local library, I signed out The Bielski Brothers by Peter Duffy. It’s a true story about three brothers in Belarus whose family members were led away (to their eventual deaths) in 1941. Before finally emerging in 1944, the three brothers lived in dense forests and defied the Nazis by saving the lives of 1200 Jewish people—as many as Schindler’s list!
Megan, Writing Coach
I recently finished reading The Autobiography of My Mother by Jamaica Kincaid. Told in exquisitely poetic prose without a single line of dialogue, this novel tells the story of Xuela, the daughter of a Carib mother and a half-Scottish, half-African father, living on the island of Dominica. Despite her relatively loveless life that began with the death of her mother in childbirth, Xuela is a powerful female narrator; she is inspirational in her unwavering self-love. I highly recommend this book.
Ali, Writing Coach
Hamnet and Judith by Maggie O’Farrell tells the fictional story of Shakespeare’s domestic life, from his years as a Latin tutor trying scrape together a living to the real-life death of his young son, Hamnet. Through this book, I learned that ‘Hamnet’ and ‘Hamlet’ were considered interchangeable names in the 16th century—I have enjoyed discovering connections to Shakespeare’s famous play, Hamlet, as I read.
Kara, Educational Consultant
I am currently reading two books tied to local geographies: Margot Griffiths’ Angel Hair is set in 1950s-60s Victoria and weaves a rich and beautifully written story of a local family trying to maintain a veil of “normalcy,” yet nothing is as it appears. Griffiths has an incredible way with words, which makes every page a true pleasure. I am also enjoying The Living by Annie Dillard, a historical novel that tells a story of the Coast Salish people’s first encounters with colonial settlers in greater Bellingham, WA.
Happy reading and happy holidays!
