A Way to Be Happy

About the Author:  Caroline Adderson is the author of five novels and three collections of short stories, as well as many books for young readers. Her work has received numerous award nominations and her awards include three BC Book Prizes, three CBC Literary Awards, the Marion Engel award for mid-career achievement and a National Magazine Award Gold Medal for Fiction. She teaches in the Writing and Publishing Program at SFU.

About the Book:  For one week I read one story a day from “A Way To Be Happy” by Caroline Adderson. It wasn’t a plan. I started, thinking the book would be my weekend read.  The first story was layered, disturbing but humane, with characters that lingered in the mind. I put the book aside to ponder.  Short stories are mostly too short for me, and I didn’t want to move on from these characters too quickly.

Picking up the book next day, I read the second story. It was centered around a hospital test/experience, with family memories fragmenting and kaleidoscoping back through a lifetime. Lots to think about there. And so it went, throughout a slightly extended week.

Each day I admired Caroline’s skillful story telling, presenting of unusual perspectives, and engaging, varied characters, but also profoundly appreciated her evocation of times and places of this amazing west coast I am lucky to call home.

PS: Caroline has led our “Writers Week” at the Readers and Writers Festival a few times in past years. We are lucky to have her back at this year’s festival, where she will talk about her writing and lead one of our half day writing workshops.