2 Books Like Bush Runner

Who knew that an entire book about a piece of embroidery could be so fascinating.

I stayed in a small hotel in Bayeux pre-pandemic and, on a whim, strolled over to the small museum that holds this 1000-year-old, massive, 200-foot-long tapestry telling the story of the Norman Conquest. I saw for myself the intricate embroidery, the artistic flair, the comic details, and the horror of war, spread out like one of today's graphic novels. When I heard about this book on CBC radio, I had to get myself a copy. I'm so glad I did.

It reads like a novel, not an academic work, although I suppose it is.

It takes the tapestry section by section and weaves a story out of history that is quite remarkable. The characters come alive. It is almost like watching a movie in your head. And to think it was all embroidered by a… show more.

At first I thought this was likely to be another grim book about climate change, but I loved Vaillant's earlier "The Golden Spruce" so I decided to give it a try. What a great read this is! Above all I liked the graphic, hour-by-hour description of the apocalyptic 2016 wildfire close to Fort McMurray and Canada's oil sands and Vaillant's interactions with all those involved with battling it, from firefighters to local business owners and wealthy oil executives. He lets these individuals speak for themselves and is not judgmental. But a picture emerges of a society that has profited so much from the lucrative oil sands (huge profits for the oil execs and shareholders, comfortable rancher homes, Skidoos, long vacations and gas-guzzling pickup trucks for the people of Fort McMurray ) that its members find it easier just not to think about the industry's effects on the world's climate, rather… show more.