By Eileen Daniel
Janice Nightingale started visiting Rossland in the mid-90s, attracted to the skiing.
In 2003, she and her husband bought their home and realized just how amazing the community and area was. Janice considers herself lucky to have met many incredible residents of Rossland, both long-term and recent.
Janice has always enjoyed the surprised looks on people’s faces as they realize all the options Rossland has to offer them.
She has come to the realization that the range of services and opportunities in Rossland are what attract and retain the people in the community.
Her appreciation for the community and its history of being a cohesive community is what inspired her to become a councillor, beginning in 2018. Although it has reduced the time she has to read library books, being a member of council has only reinforced her perception that Rossland is, will be, and always has been, an incredible community to be part of. Janice hopes that this “Books of My life” interview introduces some new authors and reading adventures to readers.
1. What is your earliest reading memory?
Being read to by my parents before bed. To this day, I still read at night in bed as part of my end-of-day routine, even if it’s just a few pages. I think reading to our children is one of the most amazing things we can do for them. Developing their imaginations, their love of language and the power of words sets them up to be readers for life!
2. What is your favourite childhood book?
My very favourite childhood book was Cowboy Dan. I made my parents read it to me so many times, I can still recite the beginning from memory. I’m sure they could, too! When I got old enough to read to myself, my favorite books included Black Beauty, the Dr. Doolittle series, and The Arabian Nights.
3. What book do you read over and over?
I own two books by Robert Ludlum that he wrote as spoofs of the espionage genre, which I quite enjoy as mind-clearing entertainment: The Road to Gandolfo and The Road to Omaha. They are such well-crafted spoofs, that it wasn’t until I was at least half-way through The Road to Gandolfo that I realized the fictitious Secretary of State’s name was Warren Peace…I’ll leave you to ponder that.
4. Name the last book that made you laugh.
Marley and Me. When I read it, I had a dog whose early life and behaviour had been incredibly similar to Marley’s. I laughed so hard, because I could relate to the experiences, the bed shook, and I woke up my husband. I also really loved another dog book called The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. A super book if you want to see the world of Formula One racing through the eyes of a border collie.
5. Name the last book that made you cry.
Marley and Me. (Spoiler alert) The dog died! I cried so hard the bed shook, and I woke up my husband again. I wasn’t then, nor ever really, ready to consider my life without my funny, unpredictable, glued-to-my-side boy who provided me with so much unconditional love. I still miss him every day. I’m told there is a site where you can check out books and movies to see if you are setting yourself up for grief. It’s called www.doesthedogdie.com. And yes (second spoiler), it happened to me again at the end of The Art of Racing in the Rain. Sigh, I’m such a softy.
6. Name one book everyone should read.
The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It is so well written, so compelling, the characters felt like people I knew, and I could not put it down. I read all night, which happens very rarely for me.
The other books I would highly recommend are the books by Lynn Truss, starting with Eats, Shoots & Leaves. I’ve alwssays enjoyed language, and she makes grammar funny and accessible, rather than onerous. Who on earth laughs at a book about grammar? That’s how well written they are.
7. Name a book that changed your life.
The Birth Order Book by Kevin Leman. My cousin recommended it, and it explained so much about our extended family dynamics. It made me realize there were issues outside of anyone’s control, including mine, that can affect how people act and treat you. It’s not the be-all-and-end-all of human behaviour patterns, but it was the beginning of my journey to not feel responsible for everything around me that didn’t go smoothly for others.
8. What books might people be surprised to learn you love?
I love historical narratives. Two of my favorite books in the last couple of years are Endurance by Alfred Lansing, the story of the Shackleton exploration to the South Pole, and The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake by Samuel Bawlf, a PHD thesis about the circumnavigation of the globe, and the evidence left behind and still visible today, by Francis Drake at the behest of the Queen of Spain. It is truly riveting reading and made me feel like I was there experiencing those voyages with the people who actually made them.
9. What genre would you read if you could only pick one? Why?
I could never pick a single genre. I am a voracious reader, and I will read almost anything. I would say that the only genre that doesn’t appeal to me is Sci-Fi, however, I have read some very well-crafted books in that genre, so I would encourage people to expand their horizons and try something new. The joy of libraries is that the librarian can help you choose something, and the commitment is minimal.
10. What is your comfort read?
Oooh! Total guilty pleasure is a historical bodice ripper. I’d rather read a book than turn on the TV, but those historical romances don’t require a significant amount of intellectual effort, and IMHO, provide just as much escapism and entertainment as anything else you can spend time doing.
11. Name one book you couldn’t finish.
There are two books I couldn’t finish. One was another PHD thesis on the logging industry in British Columbia and evolving policies surrounding forest tenures and logging practises. The ever-changing acronyms did me in!
The other book I had difficulty finishing, but recently revisited and conquered, was My Life by Bill Clinton. I found him as mesmerizing to read as he is to listen to while giving a speech, but when he got to the part of his life after he was first elected to public office, his book initially was too heavy and far into the weeds on policy and the process of passing laws in the various houses of government. I revisited the book at that portion of Clinton’s life this summer, and perhaps not surprisingly, found the policy and process discussion much more riveting this time!
If you are interested in participating in Books of My Life, contact the Rossland Public Library at rplpublicrelations@gmail.com.