Lögberg-Heimskringla - 14.01.2005, Side 12

12 » Lögberg-Heimskringla » Friday 14 January 2005
* Pharmacist: V. T. Eyolfson 1 ! L C K %
Store Hours: Mon. - Sat. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Fri. 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sun. noon - 4 p.m.
^ Box 640, Arborg, MB ROC 0A0 Ph: 376-5153 y
PHOTO: LINDA BJARNASON
A small, informal gathering of friends from Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club (LEIC) of Cal-
gary met Jean Arnason Wednesday, December 8, at the Midnapore Beverly Centre. Hosted
by Kelly Flemming (above) and Iris Torfason, the party was to welcome Jean home from
her recovery at the Rockyview Hospital. Jean was delighted with the friends who took time
to visit with her and tour her new home. Everyone who attended contributed something
to the dessert table which all enjoyed with their coffee. A singsong of Christmas carols in
both Icelandic and English followed. At 94, Jean still participates in the LEIC as much as
she can. For more stories on recent LEIC events, visit “Online Stories” at www.lh-inc.ca.
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Gunnars breaks new ground in
latest short story collection
Any Day But This
by Kristjana Gunnars
Red Deer Press, 280 pages,
$29.95 CDN/$21.95 US
reviewed by
Lillian Vilborg
L-H Editor Emeritus
WINNIPEG, MB
This fine collection of short
stories marks a crossroads for
both Kristjana Gunnars and the
characters in her stories. Sev-
eral of the stories take place
on the Sunshine Coast, where
the author now lives, others
are centred in Alberta where
she once lived, while others
are located in Vancouver and
environs, a city she must al-
ways pass through to reach her
home.
The characters in the sto-
ries are often facing a tran-
sition in their lives, some
life-altering event. It may not
be a large event, but it is one
which influences their view of
the world and their place in
it. They are men and women,
young and old, and somewhere
in between.
The characters are thought-
ful, in the sense that we hear
thfeir thoughts, their observa-
tions as they mull over their
lives standing at bus stops, sit-
ting in libraries, driving, jog-
ging down the street.
And we the readers are
pulled hard into their lives, as
Kristjana Gunnars describes
their surroundings, their things,
in intricate detail. We see the
chairs they sit on and find out
where they might have been
purchased, we read a list of
items at a garage sale table,
right down to the verse on one
of the sale items. Everything is
in very sharp relief — even the
authors that some of the char-
acters are reading.
This style of writing seems
to be a transition for Gunnars.
The description in heightened
detail is in distinct contrast
to her other works, such as
Zero Hour, The Prowler, The
Rose Garden, Night Train to
Nykdbing and The Substance of
Forgetting. In this memoir and
novels, her language is spare,
and the reader’s imagination
fills in the spaces between the
words.
Any Day But This is a
“can’t put down” read. From
Martha, at thirty-two, preg-
nant and wearing dresses “that
looked like tents,” to John Hen-
ry, whose daughter says he runs
“like spaghetti on somebody’s
fork,” the characters are com-
pelling. The way that they deal
with the events in their lives is
often instructive. They are not
all likeable, but they are inevi-
tably interesting and often have
a quirky sensi.bilily.
ARE YOU 'PR.OUD OF YOUR ICEÍANDIC HERUAGE?
Do you vjant to see it preserved for your
children and grandchildren?
Are you a member ofyour local lcelandic club?
Don't know where they are or who to contact?
Check out our website at www.inlofna.org
or for more information, contact Rosa in our INL office.
Telephone: (20/1) 642-5897 email: inl@mts.net
Ifyou don't have a club in your area
but are interested in forming one, please call the INL office.
WOULDN'T YOURAMMAAND AFI BE PROUD?
Visit us on the web at http://www.lh-inc.ca