HEALTH-CARE BOOKMARKS

THE OLD MOON IN HER ARMS

In her new book The Old Moon in Her Arms: Women I Have Known and Been (Nimbus Publishing), author and former Halifax poet laureate Lorri Neilsen Glenn weaves together, in lyrical prose, fragments, pivotal moments and images from the making of her life.

“Time can create distance, even from ourselves; no straight line connects then and now. This collection is a kind of ana, a collage of story, anecdote, and reflection that gathers up a woman’s life to try to make sense of it. What and who matters? Why? Here the reader will find a kaleidoscope of prose pieces, mixtapes and mash-ups of earlier writing, journals, letters, online conversations, and more,” she writes in the book’s prologue.

“Like both memory and the moon, what’s written here aims to shed what light it can, bringing it home to now.”

Guiding her exploration is the Cree concept of wahkohtowin, the kinship in all of creation, and the elliptical path of the moon. Neilsen Glenn celebrates connection, wonder, and curiosity in her new book.

“Each morning I carry into the day ancestors, my birth and immediate families, friends and acquaintances, those who taught me, loved me, pushed me, hurt me, inspired me. I carry my strengths and sorrows, faults and quirks. If I knocked on your door today, you wouldn’t believe

how many women would be standing there. And tomorrow? A slightly different group,” she writes.

“As for me, I want to take stock: Who and what have created the person I am? What learning awaits? And so I write. If writing is a long goodbye, it’s also where I often find the answer to “what’s next?”

THE LUNENBURG FARMERS’ MARKET COOKBOOK

In their new book, The Lunenburg Farmers’ Market Cookbook: Homegrown Recipes for Every Month of the Year (Nimbus Publishing), food and gardening writer Elisabeth Bailey shares the joys of using local ingredients and the strong sense of community they find at their local farmers’ market.

Bailey and their family live in Lunenburg and attend the market that started in 1984. Drawing inspiration from the long-time market, Bailey brings together more than 60 seasonally inspired recipes and celebrates the delicious food available year-round in Nova

Scotia.

With photos by food stylist Alyssa Valletta, the monthby-month cookbook features profiles of Nova Scotian farmers and suppliers and advice on how to create a good farmers’ market experience.

The cookbook offers reimagined classic Nova Scotian recipes such as sesame soy scallops and Lunenburg market chowder as well as dishes inspired by international cuisine, such as Indonesian goat curry. Bailey also provides vegetarian dish recipes including mushroom and caramelized onion pie, and a variety of desserts from no-churn raspberry ice cream to chocolate rum bites.

■ Join author Alex Pugsley on May 1 at 6 p.m. at The Local on Halifax’s Gottingen Street for the launch of his new book, The Education of

Aubrey Mckee (Biblioasis). Pugsley will speak with CBC Ideas producer Mary Lynk. Jazz music will follow after the book launch.

■ Congratulations to Nova Scotia illustrator Sydney Smith. He won the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award for illustration, making him the first Canadian winner. The biannual award, presented by the International Board of Books for Young People, is the highest international recognition for authors and illustrators of children’s books.

■ Celebrate Canadian Children’s Book Week from April 28 to May 4. For more information visit: bookcentre. ca/book-week. The shortlists for the 2024 Atlantic Book Awards and 2024 Nova Scotia Book Awards were jointly announced earlier this month. For more information about the wonderful books on the shortlists visit: writers.ns.ca/ award-news/book-awardsshortlists-2024/.

■ Afterwords Literary Festival will host a provocative talk exploring the life, times, and legacy of 2024 Nova Scotia Heritage Day honoree William Hall on May 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Halifax Central Library.

Dalhousie University professor Asha Jeffers will moderate the conversation with special guests Sylvia D. Hamilton, Jacob Sampson, and Ajay Parasram. They will discuss the complexity of a Black war hero fighting for British colonialism and delve into difficult questions: How do we celebrate and honour war heroes in the 21st century? How should we think about marginalized people fighting on behalf of colonialism? Graphic illustrator Bria Miller will capture the conversation in images in front of the audience.

The event is free, but registration is encouraged for those attending: https:// www.canadahelps.org/ en/charities/afterwordsliterary-festival-organisation/ events/i-will-take-the-chanceexploring-the-life-of-williamhall-vc/.