Books we’re reading and loving in November: The Notebook dives into the history of notetaking on paper

Each week, Globe and Mail staffers and readers share what they’re reading now, whether it’s a hot new release or an old book they’re discovering for the first time. Tell me about a book you loved and we might publish your recommendation. Fill out this form, or send your book recommendation to Lara Pingue at lpingue@globeandmail.com

See our full 2023-2024 archive of book recommendations

The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper

I read a rapturous review of The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen, and I had to pick it up. I’m a dedicated notebook user (in fact, I’m currently writing my own book about journaling) and I love learning the histories of everyday objects. Allen does not disappoint. The book tells the fascinating stories of notebooks, from the very first notebook (a wooden tablet) recovered from an eighth-century BCE ship, medieval account books, Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks, scientific notebooks, to the contemporary Bullet Journal Method, which helps users track and organize tasks. Eye-opening.

– Globe reader Julie Rak, Edmonton

Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AISupplied

Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, Yuval Noah Harari

In Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, historian Yuval Noah Harari examines the doomsday scenarios projected by computer futurists. Will artificial intelligence erase millions of jobs? Yes. Should we be worried that industrial-scale electronic surveillance will continue to erode privacy? Yes again. Is any of this new or have we been heading this way since the pharaohs? Not new. With Nexus, Harari delivers a sociological polemic that’s peppered with humour, and he begs us – begs us! – not to make the same mistakes again.

-Globe reader Myles Kesten, Toronto

Safety in Bear Country, Heather Paul

Safety in Bear Country by Heather Paul tells the fictional story of Serena Palmer, who works at an institution for individuals with severe developmental disabilities. When a patient under her watch dies tragically, she runs away to Australia. This is a story about the monsters of our own making that seek us out, prey upon us, or need our help. It is written in a mystical, almost poetic prose that weave together the quirky events in Serena’s disjointed life, like a fine jigsaw puzzle. While the main theme is a journey to the self, it’s also a New Age love story, a tribute to what the New Age defines as the mystical, emotional, romantic lure within our culture and our times that maybe we all secretly want. Just thinking about it makes me want to go back and read it again.

-Globe reader Graziano Galati, Collingwood, Ont.

Outsider Art in Canada, Linda Rainaldi

Outsider Art in Canada by Linda Rainaldi is a much-anticipated book about Canadian self-taught artists. From the West Coast to the Maritimes and the Territories, the book starts with a historical account on how the term “outsider art” was coined, its manifestation in the United States and its association with the European “Art Brut” movement founded by French artist Jean Dubuffet. Featuring around 40 Canadian artists, the book offers colourful illustrated examples of each artist’s work complimented by research, biographies and in some cases personal anecdotes. A separate chapter on Indigenous art is also offered for discussion. Self-taught artists reflect on their daily lives through their art by sharing their struggles, triumphs and personal experiences. I enjoyed this book’s thoughtful, reflective and non-academic tone. It’s definitely worth savouring in small chunks just to appreciate the unique artistic legacy each artist has to offer.

-Globe reader Paul de Guzman, Vancouver

Slow Horses, Mick Herron

Mick Herron’s Slow Horses series revolves around Slough House, where washed-up MI5 agents are sent to languish in obscurity in the hope that they’ll quit the service. I love Herron’s intricate plots and darkly funny narrative, blending espionage with character-driven drama. These agents, dubbed “The Slow Horses,” each have unique backstories and are led by the vulgar, slovenly and hilarious Cold War spy Jackson Lamb. I recommend reading the books in order before watching the television adaption.

-Globe reader Peter Cech, Burnaby, B.C.

A Little Life, Hanya Yanagihara

Hanya Yanagihara’s sophomore novel A Little Life is a difficult book to recommend to others. Both devastating and beautiful, it offers readers portraits of life so intimately portrayed, so uniquely detailed, so painfully felt that its 832 pages feel not excessive but necessary – they capture the great expanse and bland mundanity of living. To articulate what this story is about, I paraphrase one of its protagonists, Willem: This is a book about what we choose to seek from the relationships that make up our lives. And I do recommend it, wholeheartedly.

-Globe reader Jessica Robinson

Charlie Chaplin vs. America, Scott Eyman

When Charlie Chaplin’s satirical takes on capitalism turned political, U.S. government agencies — including the FBI — began to take notice. Scott Eyman’s Charlie Chaplin vs. America is a fascinating insight into the life of one the great artists of the early 20th century, pulling back the curtain on this dark period of Chaplin’s life. Powerful forces tried to drive Chaplin out of popular favour – and the country – using his affairs with younger women as cover. Eyman offers insight into how populism, puritanism and realpolitik can and still do function behind the scenes in the not-so-open world of our big friendly neighbour to the south.

-Globe reader Don Rubin, Toronto

James, Percival Everett

In his latest novel James, author Percival Everett reimagines The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn through the eyes of slave Jim. Huck and Jim (who refers to himself as James) float down the prewar Mississippi of the 1840s. As James reveals that the enslaved Black people deliberately speak “slave talk” to fool their white masters, the story goes from sometimes painful, to terrifying, to downright hilarious. Being familiar with the American classic isn’t a prerequisite for enjoying James. Although many original characters reappear, events soon take an original and startling new direction. James stands on its own.

-Globe reader Patricia Fry, Port Credit, Ont.

The Game of Kings, Dorothy Dunnett

How to describe nobleman Francis Crawford of Lymond of 16th-century Scotland? Unbearably erudite, fatally good looking, skilled both on battlefield and in court, hunted by both Scots and the English. In The Game of Kings, Lymond returns to Scotland with his name and reputation in tatters after being found guilty of treason five years earlier. Nobody can be sure of his endgame, only that chaos is sure to follow. The late Dorothy Dunnett was a master storyteller whose books are known for historical accuracy. The six volumes of the Lymond Chronicles can be very funny (one chapter involves a drunk pig) but are not for the faint of heart. Alliances shift, the writing can be obscure and the texts are peppered with middle English, French and Latin quotations and mythical allusions. (Relax, the story stands without translation.) Your reward is a romp through Europe (and Russia, and Turkey) of the mid-1500s. In the end, Lymond, his family and his loves command your heart and mind – and keep you reading past midnight, desperate to find out what happens next.

-Globe reader Elizabeth Carson, Victoria

When You Least Expect It, Lorna Schultz Nicholson

Adult readers may shy away from reading young-adult fiction, perhaps believing it to be full of angsty romance and fantasy quests. That’s a shame because they’re missing out on When You Least Expect It by Lorna Schultz Nicholson. This is a book that transcends adolescence. It’s the story of Holly, an elite teenaged athlete, who is shattered when she’s cut from the national rowing team. The story follows Holly through one life-changing summer as she fights to put her dreams back together, aided by a coach with a tragic secret. Themes of family, loss, perseverance and triumph – as well as some awesome rowing scenes – help create a sports story that is both moving and inspirational. This is a gripping, emotional read.

-Globe reader Jean Mills, Guelph, Ont.

Fate is the Hunter, Ernest K. Gann

I was delighted to discover Fate Is the Hunter, Ernest K. Gann’s memoir about his fascinating career as a pilot in the early years of American commercial aviation. Fasten your seat belt as Gann recounts his hair-raising experiences, close calls and incredible luck in the skies. During the Second World War, Gann was a pioneer in flying the Air Transport Command route to ferry bombers, soldiers and material across the North Atlantic Ocean. Postwar, Gann flew extensively in South America and Southeast Asia. Gann’s writing style draws the reader into each anecdote; he is utterly forthright but also subtly humorous; and his description is vivid. This is a five-star memoir.

-Globe reader Derek Wilson, Port Moody, B.C.

All Fours, Miranda July

In what has been dubbed ‘The First Great Perimenopause Novel,’ Miranda July’s All Fours follows an unnamed 45-year-old woman intent on a fresh start. Leaving her husband and child behind, she embarks on a cross-country road trip, which is quickly derailed after she locks eyes with a handsome stranger. She settles into a motel, spends $20,000 renovating it and begins a lustful obsession while grappling with stream-of-consciousness existential questions. Her sexual exploits are sometimes uncomfortable to read, but her shameless journey to self-discovery is also refreshing. The witty, earnest prose will keep you reading through the cringe.

-Globe editor Aruna Dutt

The Globe 100: The best books of 2022

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