These are some reviews of this book I wrote. They’re mostly very good! Except for the members of Amazon.com’s Vine Program. My life didn’t meet their expectations at ALL. Unjoy!
Globe & Mail newspaper, Canada’s friendly non-neighbourhood national newspaper. October 30th, 2009.
“Some readers may shy away from Borel's openness, but this book is unique precisely because it is Borel.” READ IT
*****
Quill & Quire magazine, Canada’s publishing industry trade magazine. Chosen for their “15 Books that Mattered in 2009” list. Number 15… Worst of the best of the year! December, 2009.
“Borel has talent and charm to spare, a literary wunderkind in the making.” READ IT
*****
Marie Claire magazine, one of America’s eminent ladymags, “Need to Read” section, February, 2010.
“In her debut memoir, Borel unpacks a tragicomic father-daughter drinkfest through the finest French vineyards.” READ IT
*****
National Post newspaper, Canada’s other national newspaper, selected as one of their best books of the year, December 30th, 2009.
“The end result, not unlike drinking good wine, is entertaining and just a bit intoxicating.” READ IT
*****
The Mark, Canada's daily online forum for news, commentary, and debate. One of the “Ten Good Reads from the 2000s”, December 28th, 2009.
“I have some trouble with empathic embarrassment. Improv, live comedy, gymnastics, figure skating, awards shows--this is just a short list of things that result in a screaming pain through the centre of my hands. It's always worth it in the end, the jubilation and intense relief of seeing the person emerge safely on the side, if not entirely unscathed. The point being, I'm surprised I could even hold this book. And yet, I can't stop talking about it.” READ IT
*****
She Does the City blog, popular Canadian blog, October 7th, 2009.
“Corked is a hilarious and Dear Diary account of Borel’s journey into adulthood from undergrad to first-love melodrama.” READ IT
*****
Email from my friend Chris Howden, unpublished, November 6th, 2009.
Subject: Jesus, the expletive, not the deity.
>>> Chris Howden 11/6/2009 1:39 pm >>>
As in “Jesus, Borel, did you ever write a fucking amazing book.”
First of all, you wrote a book. I mean, you wrote a whole book. So that alone, to my undisciplined ass, is some kind of achievement tantamount to building your own Large Hadron Collider, producing the Higgs-Boson particle, and capturing it in a jar, and then letting children look at it for free, but also punching Vladmir Putin when he tries to grab it with his bearlike hand-things. So for that alone, you deserve to have the world’s best masseur drench you in wild honey and work your glutes.
*****
Eye Weekly
“With biting humour, unparalleled narcissism and tremendous heart, Kathryn Borel visits French wine country with her eccentric father Philippe to learn more about his unbridled passion. Among the revelations of their two-week sojourn are a personal tragedy and her father’s deepest, darkest secret. Corked is Canada’s funniest debut of the year; Borel is non-fiction’s new, boozy superstar.”
*****
Kirkus Reviews
"Borel deftly captures the confusing emotions that surround parent-child relationships. A fast-paced read with nuggets of wine trivia that will appeal to anyone who has struggled to understand their parents."
*****
Publishers Weekly
"Refreshingly unsentimental, grounded. . .in flashes of candor and humor."
*****
Booklist
"Borel writes with plenty of humor as her father's absurd perfectionism gives birth to many dramatically charged encounters with natives as the pair progresses about the French countryside."
*****
A mashup of some of the reviews from the Amazon.com Vine Program, 2009-2010.
“I am 100% certain the author is mentally unstable and requires medication ASAP. She is neurotic, gross, uncouth, depressed, and not fit to have a conversation with, let alone a two week trip."
*****