A shortened version of The Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary’s definition of empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts and experiences of another. Empathy is being aware of another person’s feelings, experiences and emotions. It is the ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences by imagining … Lire plus
Sharon Maas, the author of The Last Agent of Paris, was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1951 and following many years of international travel, settled in Germany where she married, studied, worked and raised children. Now retired, she continues to write from her home in Ireland. Among her many published novels, The Violin Maker’s Daughter … Lire plus
I have been hosting a book club for the last five years, firstly at The Saint Lambert Library and, since 2022, at Maison Desaulniers, the home of the Saint Lambert Council for Seniors. While not a strict necessity for everyone, book clubs can offer valuable social and intellectual benefits. As in most book clubs, we … Lire plus
I felt it was important to create a sequel to my original blog, Our Library—Food for the Soul due to the many favourable comments and questions from my readers. Many were wondering if there is mention and attention brought to the names of the three women, Elizabeth Wallace, Edith King and Olive Cormier who initiated … Lire plus
In the November 2011 edition of the magazine Lambert, I wrote an article called “Food For The Soul” on the Saint-Lambert Library, its foundation and early history. I have taken the liberty to reprint it as my blog. From its modest beginnings in the early part of the twentieth century to the present, the Saint-Lambert … Lire plus
Heather Marshall is a Canadian author living near Toronto. Before turning to writing, she worked for several years in politics and communications. She published her first novel, Looking For Jane, in 2022. It dominated the charts and was selected as one of The Globe and Mail’s Top 100 books of 2022 and CBC’s best Canadian … Lire plus
In the past year, I discovered and thoroughly enjoyed reading these two novels: The Invisible Bridge and The Flight Portfolio by the author, Julie Orringer. Orringer is an American novelist born in 1973 in Miami, Florida. She received her BA from Cornell University and her MFA from The Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She has received many … Lire plus
Whatever novel I read, I can imagine the characters and their personalities. I hear their voices. Reading is an exercise in empathy, an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while. The Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary’s definition of empathy is the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the … Lire plus
A text by Judith Turcotte Can one become addicted to reading? I believe so. You may not be an avid reader, perhaps an occasional one. However a book of fiction or non-fiction opens our minds, reduces our stress and so much more. Readers have higher empathy, better social ability. They gain the ability to see … Lire plus
By Judith Turcotte Having been educated in both French and English, I cherish reading in both languages. What I have always found fascinating is exchanging books with friends and discussing them afterwards. I have now been hosting a Book Club since the Fall of 2022. We meet every month from October until June. Everyone contributes … Lire plus