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My Favorite Books Read in 2022, #’s 4 & 5

We dip into the Top 5 today, and we also see the return of Jennifer Haigh with a second offering on this list. We also see a book of essays (the first and only non-fiction to appear this year) written by one of my favorite filmmakers,

Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley#5) Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley – With insightful, and introspective care, Polley chronicles some of the most difficult moments throughout her life and how they affected its trajectory. The challenges she focus on for her first book of essays are largely health issues, but sometimes brought about by the stresses and extremes she underwent as a child actor. Polley is unapologetic in her writing, yet she is also unflinching as she exposes her own neuroses, or drives, which sometimes come across as alienating. What always comes across, however, is the exploring, intelligent mind of a thoughtful, independent woman.

Mercy Street by Jennifer Haigh#4) Mercy Street by Jennifer Haigh – Jennifer Haigh has accomplished something remarkable in her latest novel, Mercy Street, about an abortion clinic in the heart of downtown Boston. By focusing on a variety of characters connected in some way to the clinic, their connections, however tenuous, and their lives, she lifts a potentially charged topic out of the political and grounds it securely in the personal. Haigh’s main character, Claudia, counsels patients at Mercy Street, the aforementioned clinic. Through her we meet a number of women, many quite young, who visit the clinic, but we also become involved in the life of Timmy, her pot dealer, one of his other clients, Anthony, and Anthony’s vaguely sinister online friend Victor, who goes by the name of Excelsior11.

The stories threads seem very disconnected at first, but they closely and skillfully weave together to tell a tale that is compassionate, even as it explores behaviors and beliefs that could potentially lead to violence. Haigh’s characters are unique and three-dimensional — it’s hard to put them into a single category. It’s a quick read, and a compelling one, and is a terrific addition to her strong body of work.

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My Emm Gryner Top 40! #’s 11 – 15

Sorry, it’s been a while, but I’m finally getting back to my Emm Gryner Top 40! What brought me back to it actually was the sudden burst of my #2 song into my brain tonight while watching “Wanderlust” on Netflix. And what song was that? Well, you’ll just have to wait and see, because I’m only hitting #’s 15 – 11 this time out. And it’s a great mix of enchanting pop duets, and gorgeous heart-rending ballads. And an Emm classic thrown in. Check ’em out!

#15 – Symphonic (AsianBlue)

Symphonic is a classic Emm Gryner pop song… great lyrics about person who Emm calls symphonic and compares to the light of the moon, or all the lights on New Year’s Eve, a fantastic opening piano hook, and a soaring chorus. It kicks off Emm’s outstanding album, AsianBlue and sticks in your head for days. Pop gems? Or emotional ballads? Emm shines with both.

#14 – Sunrise Sometime (Gem and I)

Couldn’t find a video for the studio version featuring Sass Jordan, but enjoy this gorgeous live version featuring Stephanie Martin singing with Emm.

Gem and I, Emm’s 12th studio album is a collection of duets and it makes a strong return in the Top 15 with two numbers in this batch. And Sunrise Sometime features the bluesy rock & roll vocal talents of Sass Jordan as a delightful counterpoint to Emm’s clear, pop belt. It’s a perfect blend for the lyrics too, that talk about doing through hard times, but knowing that there’s a sunrise on the horizon sometime. There’s a melancholy lilt underlying a great pop song, with beautifully arranged strings powering the chorus. Sass Jordan is a Canadian artist who never really found a lot of cross-over success in the U.S. but found international notice with her 1992 album, Racine.

#13 – Underlake (21st Century Ballads)

It’s always a struggle for me to decide if Emm is the master of the pop hook, or a craftsperson extraordinaire of the piano ballad. Clearly, she is both. The slowly-paced yet deliberate piano chord progression that opens the gorgeous Underlake, leads to a gentle explanation in verse that lays out the situation before sweeping into gorgeous musical and lyrical poetry. There is love in Underlake, but it doesn’t come easy, and the tempestuous couple is struggling to make it work. “Every day, in the ocean of your gaze, I try to get brighter, remember love. Every day, like a shipwreck under lake, I want you to raise me.” It’s heartbreaking in its beauty.

#12 – Gold Soul of Rock ‘N Roll (Gem and I)

Emm reached new heights of pop perfection on Gem and I, her album of duets, as this rollicking, mid-tempo, piano-driven number clearly attests. Pairing up with Nova Scotia artist Joel Paskett, whose clear tenor matches Emm’s beautifully, allows this great song to just lift you up. The verses channel Elton John at his best, then leaps to great heights at the top of the chorus with some soaring harmonies, before gently settling you back down to the ground again. It’s one of those great songs that just plants a smile on your face. It’s the third of four cuts from Gem and I to make the Top 40.

#11 – Visiting Hours (21st Century Ballads)

21st Century Ballads offers a lot of beautiful songs, but Visiting Hours, the closing track, leaped out at me early and has stuck with me for the long haul. The intro boasts a gorgeous, descending piano lick before Emm’s hushed, husky vocals sing to a loved one who is dying. She’s there for them, “I’m not leaving you, I’ve frozen this moment.” The chorus lifts the melody into her upper register briefly before settling back into a peaceful and loving resignation. And the gorgeous reverb on the repeating piano lick as the song fades is both heartbreaking and beautiful. When my mother was in her last weeks, I would play this song and allow it to wash over me, comforting me in its beautiful and simple message. Just listening to it now while I wrote this synopsis filled me with emotion. It’s the final track form 21st Century Ballads on this list, and it wraps up the Top 20, just missing the final 10.