All posts by Pamela

About Pamela

Pamela is an Information Assistant at Vaughan Public Libraries. She loves reading all kinds of books including fantasy, historical fiction, mysteries and non-fiction.  |  Meet the team

Pamela’s Picks: Mrs. Queen Takes The Train by William Kuhn

Mrs Queen Take The Train

 

 

For last month’s Dufferin Clark Book Club I read Mrs. Queen Takes the Train. As the title suggests the story is about Queen Elizabeth Of England, who, feeling that she no longer has a relevant role in the modern world, takes an unexpected opportunity to slip away from her minders (disguised by a borrowed hoodie) and take a train trip to visit her beloved yacht Britannia which is moored in Scotland, a place that hold many happy memories. Her vanishing act leads to a chase by some royal attendants (a lady-in-waiting, a butler, an equerry, a girl from the stables, a dresser, and a clerk from the shop that supplies Her Majesty’s cheese) who want to bring her back before her disappearance causes a scandal. All ends happily and brings unexpected alliances, friendships, and even love between the various characters, including the Queen. It was an enjoyable light read and I would definitely recommend it.

Pamela’s Picks: The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

For Dufferin Clark’s Book Club last month this was the book selected and I really enjoyed it. It takes place in the city of Gabarone, Botswana, Africa where Precious Ramotswe opens up an agency and becomes the country’s first female detective. Her cases include a missing husband, a father who wants to know what boy his daughter is secretly meeting and a dentist who seems to have a split personality. This is a book in which the environment definitely plays a large part. I don’t know of any other book in which a crocodile is a murder suspect. There are many other interesting characters such as Precious’s secretary and assistant Grace Makutsi (who scored 97% on her exams at the Botswana Secretarial College) and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, proprietor of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, who eventually becomes Precious’s husband. If you like this book there are many more in the series to read.

If you like discussing books, you might like to register for Dufferin Clark’s Book Club. Upcoming books are A Month of Italy by Chris Brady on July 9 and Mrs. Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn on August 13. Books are provided by the library.

WWII – Liberation Of The Netherlands

,

WWII Liberation netherlands

 

This year on May 5 marks 70 years since the Netherlands were liberated in WWII. This has a personal connection to me since one of my mother’s older cousins was one of the Canadian soldiers who participated in this. Canada has a special connection to the Netherlands not only because of this but also because the Dutch Royal family stayed here during the war and Princess Margriet was born here in 1943. And it’s because of this tie that we have the Tulip Festival each year in Ottawa which was inspired by a gift of 100,000 tulips from Queen Wilhelmina in thanks for giving  her family refuge. There are not many veterans of this time left so it is particularly important to hear their recollections and give thanks to them and to the ones who sacrificed their lives to rid the world of an evil regime.

If you’d like to learn more about this historical event you may want to read the book On To Victory: the Canadian liberation of the Netherlands, March 23-May 5, 1945 by Mark Zuehlke  or watch the DVD Liberation Of Holland.