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On Mink Mountain Bill MacDonald When Bill MacDonald passed away last year, Thunder Bay lost one of its most prolific and be- loved writers. Indeed, it will be a sad year when the holidays come around and there are no new MacDonald books to give to the readers on our list. Thankfully, though, we won’t have to worry about that quite yet—this year, we have the posthumously pub- lished On Mink Mountain. The novel tells the story of the narrator—referred to as “Ace”— and his friend Charlie, two writers who have come to a ski resort in order to work on their latest projects. During their stay, Ace and Charlie drink, eat, and exchange stories with the other guests at the resort. Like MacDonald’s other books, On Mink Mountain is light on plot, tension, and character development, and heavy on anecdotal, folksy yarns and mild humour—comfortingly predict- able and cozy, like a glass of warm milk in front of a fire, making it a perfect holiday read. - Amy Jones Holiday Crafts: 35 Projects for the Home and Giving Catherine Woram Find inspiration to create, make, and bake this holiday sea- son with Catherine Woram’s book Holiday Crafts: 35 Projects for the Home and Giving. With a little bit of everything in a variety of styles, Woram’s projects are easy to follow with full-colour pictures and project templates. You may find that you already have some of the required materials at home, or you can use what you do have and add your own twist to these festive ideas. From paper snowflakes to cookie tree decorations, this book has projects for every level of crafting and baking, as well as projects suitable for children. So avoid the busy stores and cold weather, and make your own holiday gifts this year. - Lindsey Long Sleeping Giant Andrew Cividino Andrew Cividino’s ex- pansion of his short film, made two years ago, into a full-length feature is a text- book example of cinematic alchemy. The core of the story remains focused on three teenage boys sharing a listless summer on the shore of the superior lake. They wrestle and test each other, indulging in family picnics but also stolen alcohol, the wares of the resident drug dealer, and the sweet smiles and aching vulnerability caused by that teenage girl on the beach. Sleeping Giant does not take an easy path to explain these boys. We plunge right into their compelling stories, authentically portrayed by Jackson Martin and locals (and cousins) Reece Moffett and Nick Serino. The adults in their lives provide layered complications and further isolation. Filmed in our backyard with stunning cinema- tography by James Klopo and a throbbing score by Chris Thornborrow and indie rock band Bruce Peninsula, Sleeping Giant is one of the best films of 2015. - Michael Sobota South Atlantic Blues Scott Fagan Just as Scott Fagan was an absent father of Stephin Merritt (Magnetic Fields), his 1968 solo effort is near absent of definition. The fragile voice he handed down to his son somehow powers the entire album. Smashing together the sounds of the time, he fuses baroque pop, soul, psychedelic, and broken folk. Magically it all comes together. The arrangement of strings and brass breathe a dirty soul groove while the baroque pop sound gives it a ‘60s brightness and flowers. As a folk album it is often hidden, peering out from the odd track, refrained emotion breaking out of a loud, hesitant voice. If you’re a fan of lost gems of creativity, or a Magnetic Fields fan curious of family history, be sure to give this completely unique album a listen. - William Rutledge FRESH AIR IS BACK SALES EVENT –ON NOW– Hurry down to our stunning location at 710 BALMORAL STREET and take up to 50% OFF absolutely everything in store, including skis, bindings, boots, apparel, footwear and much, much more. TOGETHER WE GO FURTHER 710 BALMORAL Fresh Air were back walleye.indd 1 The Walleye 2015-11-20 69 9:50 AM