I received two books for Christmas from Patrick; Zena Hitz’ “Lost in Thought” and Lars Mytting’s, “Norwegian Wood”.
Hitz book is subtitled ‘The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life’. From the dust cover:
“Hitz says our intellectual lives are valuable not despite but because of their practical uselessness. And while anyone can have an intellectual life, she encourages academics in particular to get back in touch with the desire to learn for its own sake, and calls on universities to return to person-to-person transmission of the habits of mind and heart that bring out the best in us.”
Lars Mytting’s book is subtitled ‘Chopping, stacking and drying wood the Scandinavian Way’. Myttling talks about his neighbour, Ottar.
“For a man who had suffered his way through a long winter, struggling against age and ill health, here at last was a job where things made sense again. Once more he was able to enjoy the feeling of doing something meaningful, and the sense of calm security that comes to the man who knows he is well prepared, he is early, he has time on his side.”
In New Glasgow, John Stewart had two new books on his coffee table.
John Tattrie’s, “Peace by Chocolate”, and Donald Savoie’s “Thanks for the Business”.
Both books are about entrepreneurs. “Peace by Chocolate” describes the incredible journey by the Hadhad family from war-torn Syria to Antigonish, Nova Scotia, where they have re-established their chocolate making business. In “Thanks for the Business”, Donald Savoie describes the Irving Oil business in Atlantic Canada. He explains why ‘ I hold the view that Atlantic Canada needs to look to entrepreneurs and the private sector to grow their economy ‘.
Closer to home, in Lawrencetown, Annapolis County, we have another entrepreneurial example of the den Haan family who emigrated from Holland. Today, they are the primary supplier of cucumbers and other salad products in the region. As seen from our home, the night sky is illuminated in the direction of their greenhouses.
Acknowledgements
Patrick Maher for his online selection of Christmas books. John Stewart for access to his holiday reading. Heather for her photograph of the night sky. Edward for bringing together the graphics.
References
Zena Hitz, 2020, Lost in Thought: the hidden pleasures of an intellectual life, Princeton University Press.
Lars Mytting, 2020, Norwegian Wood: chopping, stacking and drying wood the Scandinavian way, Abrams Image.
John Tattrie, 2020, Peace by Chocolate: the Hadhad Family’s remarkable journey from Syria to Canada, Goose Lane Editions.
Donald J. Savoie, 2020, Thanks for the Business: KC Irving, Arthur Irving and the Story of Irving Oil, Nimbus Publishing.
Ernest Blair Experiment 
Hi Bob Good to hear of your reading and that you’re having a good Christmas.
I’m managing to catch up on a bit of reading…..gripped with Stanley’s Livingstone search at the moment but looking forward to reading The Wild Places by Robert MacFarlane that Theresa sent me for Christmas, along with an audio book subscription. It will be interesting to see how that works out and when I’ll ever find time to listen. I do love my Kindle though so all techno not bad.
Regards to Heather and have a good and safe New Year
Phil Dr Philip Dearden Professor Department of Geography University of Victoria PO Box 3060 Victoria, BC Tel 250 721 7335 (work).
http://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/geography/people/faculty/deardenphilip.php
On Tue, Dec 29, 2020 at 2:28 AM Ernest Blair Experiment wrote:
> maherrv posted: ” I received two books for Christmas from Patrick; Zena > Hitz’ “Lost in Thought” and Lars Mytting’s, “Norwegian Wood”. Hitz book is > subtitled ‘The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life’. From the dust > cover: “Hitz says our intellectual lives are v” >
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Thanks, Phil. Today it is the Winter Bird Count. Sunny but minus 12.
Birds are huddled around the feeder. Best to you and family for 2021.
Bob
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