Settle in for a good read, sip and nibble with these new books

Fall is my favourite time of year two reasons—new television shows and new books.

The former is not what it used to be thanks to changes in technology and the ongoing Hollywood writers’ strike, but thankfully, the latter continues to provide ample opportunity to crack a (book’s) spine, pour a glass or cup of something and settle in for a story.

And so, I present my my semi-annual book choices, paired with sips and dishes as we head into September.

Paradise for Cats: A Return to the Rainbow Bridge
Adrian Raeside
Harbour Publishing

While this could be seen as something for kids, if you’re a fan of Raeside’s illustrations or his comic strip, The Other Coast, this lovely little book will take less than a half-hour to flip through and enjoy. Gentle humour about a girl and her cat meeting at the Rainbow Bridge, with a touch of hope. Pair with your first pumpkin spice latte of the season, with your fur baby at your side.

Hollywood in the Klondike: Dawson City’s Great Film Find
Michael Gates
Harbour Publishing

We may be short on new movies for a while, so a look back at an “unexpected cinematic discovery” might tide film buffs over. Who knew that hundreds of reels of silent films were sitting under an old hockey arena in Dawson City? And how did this impact Hollywood during the Gold Rush? Pour a glass of your favourite local sipping spirit – whiskey, gin, vodka – and find out.

Alone in the Great Unknown: One Woman’s Remarkable Adventures in the Northwestern Wilderness
Caroll Simpson
Douglas & McIntyre

After abandoning the dream of living on a sailboat with her husband, the couple decides on another adventure: owning a remote lodge at Babine Lake. The adventure nearly derailed after the sudden death of her husband, this memoir tells a story of perseverance amidst environmental, animal, and other unforeseen challenges. You’ll be inspired to find a salmon and blueberry recipe of some sort.

Okanagan Eats: Signature Chefs’ Recipes from British Columbia’s Wine Valleys
Dawn Postnikoff and Joanne Sasvari
Figure.1 Publishing

To be released this month, a sneak peek reveals more than 70 recipes from chefs, bistros, bakeries, wineries, and tasting rooms from around the Okanagan including La Bussola, Fitz Winery and 19 Bistro, Phantom Creek, The Modest Butcher at Mt. Boucherie, and Wayne & Freda. As a bonus, the recipe and wine or craft brew pairings speak for themselves.

JAJ: A Haida Manga
Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas
Douglas & McIntyre

An utterly gorgeous book that blends a variety of visual art forms, iconography, and graphics to follow historical figures through time from the first contact between Europeans and Canada’s Indigenous peoples to mass resettlement. Even the interior book jacket is a stunning work of art. The only pairing needed here is a moment – or many moments –of quiet reflection.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.