Bear | 
pickClassic Canadian literature. Winner of the Governal General‘s Award. The 70s really were a different time, eh? But this was more than a novella about a librarian who had sex with a bear. It felt so deeply… lonely. The writing is amazing. Yet it is about a woman who has sex with a bear and it still won a GGA. Which I find most fascinating. Maybe that tells you just how great the writing is though.
#Alphabetgame
Going with the novel referred to as Canada's "Lady Chatterley's Lover." The premise of the book is weird and potentially off-putting, but Engel's story of a young librarian's remote research trip is nuanced and thought-provoking. And for a slim volume, packs a punch!
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
so-soIt is with good reason that this is a Canadian classic. It's beautifully written and poignant. Just one question: why a bear?
pickWhat a wonderful, strange little book. Archivist Lou is sent to a remote island to catalogue contents of a home and library that been bequeathed to her institute. Once there, she discovers there's also a bear to tend to. Over the summer, Lou and the bear develop a relationship. By the time fall arrives, Lou is a different person. There is sex but within the logic of the story, it makes sense. 🤷 It's like Where the Wild Things are for adults. 🐻😁
So around litsy I see Canadian littens sharing how this is required gradeschool reading there and I see it has won the highest literary award there and yet goodreads has no ratings, no cover image, not even the publication date. What gives? I'm intrigued at the way it seems to be censored from goodreads- they have plenty of other smutty books.🧐🧐🧐🧐
so-soI have to admit, #canlit‘s most notorious novel really surprised me. Most reviews you see online will focus on the “zomg librarian has sex with bear!!!?!!!!!1!!!11” aspect of the book. But there‘s actually a lot of beautiful nature and identity stuff in here. Engel‘s prose is excellent. This is SO uncomfortable and dare I say relatable that I can‘t bring myself to call it a pick.
My two current reads are the most notorious novel in all of #canlit and a childhood favourite. Getting whiplash from the contrast between these two.
In this book, there is a librarian who has relations with a bear (OMG I just noticed the arm around the bear on this cover.) Some reviews I've read have found deeper meaning to these events but it's a bit uncomfortable for me as the reader! Luckily the internet exists so I can read these funny reactions before I write my review. https://imgur.com/gallery/uf3YE
Based on the recommendation of @Lindy on Reading Envy Episode 107, I ordered this book. How could I resist with this description:
"A mousy, timid librarian is summoned to a remote Canadian island to inventory the estate of Colonel Cary, who, she learns soon enough, had any number of secrets."
pickControversial, taboo, uncomfortable: Bear is all of these things, but that does not overshadow its refined writing and subtle message about a woman coming to terms with herself without a “man.”
"And yet, the novel is about a librarian fucking a bear in the same way that Lolita is about some pedophile."
Um. What the actual fuck?
#SentencesThatIActuallyJustRead #LitsyAfterDark
pick#November 12 One Word Title - #Bear by #MarianEngel is definitely a unique #book about a woman who falls in #love & has an #intimate relationship with a #bear. This book also won the #GovernorGeneralAward. #AngieBookishNovember #bookchallenge #CanadianLiterature #canlit #canadianauthor #bearlove #bookstagram #LitsyFeature #onewordtitle
pickExcellent book. I love brief novels and this one of the better ones. Fascinating observations on gender and sexuality. Must read.
