When I’m not editing or writing, I enjoy reading literary fiction, especially J.M. Coetzee’s novels. I have a shelf full of them. The Booker-winning Disgrace is my favourite. It captures the dilemma faced by South African whites in the late 1990s as the balance of power shifts. Like Coetzee’s other books, Disgrace is important for its theme and its limpid prose is striking.

James Thurber’s dog stories are a guilty pleasure. His witty tales about canines manage to be both funny and poignant and thus reward re-reading. During my free time, I also like to watch screwball comedies, such as Bringing Up Baby and The Awful Truth, while drinking vin rouge. Cary Grant gives stellar performances in both of these fast, wacky movies.

Come summer, I enjoy getting away to our cottage in the Gatineau with family or friends. We canoe, swim, and go for long walks among the tall pines, accompanied by our dog, who always carries a big stick. At the end of the day, it’s nice to relax on the verandah with a glass of wine or a beer.