“Frederick’s greatest fear was self-knowledge, the screaming reproach of guilt from a demon waiting for release the moment he lowered his guard. His only protection now was the fog and inaction.” 

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Gillian Smith-Clark, Editor-in-Chief​

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Book: Frederick Douglass, A Novel by Sidney Morrison

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Sidney Morrison’s novel is a beautiful blend of fact and fiction that offers a nuanced and thoughtful glimpse into the character of a brilliant, complex and often conflicted man.  Historically, the book provides a realistic window into 19th century democracy, the abolitionist and suffragist movements and a journey through the antebellum era and the civil war to the aftermath and reconstruction. A poignant and important read for those seeking to better understand both history and The United States as it is today.

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Megan Kee, Communications & Marketing

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Book: The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King
 

“For an individual, one of the definitions of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again in the same way and expecting different results. For a government, such behaviour is called...policy.”

 

"While reading about the historic injustices committed against Indigenous people across North America is not the easy breezy Winter read most people might want, Thomas King has humour, wit, and flow in his writing that makes this book impossible to put down. If you’re interested in expanding your mind, without the heaviness usually associated with non-fiction, this is the book for you. This book provides an account of the history of indigenous rights and treaties in North America, including the portrayals of Indigenous peoples in popular media and how this has skewed what we know and believe about them. My copy has hundreds of underlined quotes that I come back to again and again."
 

 

Abbigale Kernya, Managing Editor

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Book: Dog Songs by Mary Oliver​​

 

Mary Oliver is one of my favourite poets, constantly delivering echoes of life in her poetry collections. Dog Songs has been my constant companion this winter. It’s short, compact, and utterly comforting in this time of seemingly never-ending night. ​

 

Oliver writes a collection of poems detailing her life intertwined with her canine friends—going from poems about life and laughter, to grief and heartache about losing someone you love, and how to navigate life without them. ​

 

Dog Songs is a beautiful, complex understanding of the human condition in a simple, short poetry collection. Oliver takes the gravity of life and the nuances of pain and offers a world where dogs can talk back and walk this life with you, even in the loneliest of nights. 

 

It also has the prettiest illustrations by John Burgoyne littered throughout the book, which is definitely a bonus.
 

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Mikaela Brewer, Contributing Writer

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Book: Light Boxes by Shane Jones 

 

"Almost a year ago I read a short novel called Light Boxes (Shane Jones), recommended to me by a creative writing peer in 2019. It had been on my TBR list for four years. Similar to the way we listen to sad music to cry harder when we're hurt, I opened this book longing for language that would crack the numb ice of depression & isolation. And it did exactly that. "Light Boxes" haunts me, and by haunt I mean it continues to remind me that I'm alive. It's vivid, poetic, and much like a fable, allowing it to be stretched to reach any reader. Through stunning allegory, metaphor, and symbolism, the story weaves together how a close-knit community experiences perpetual February with where/how they find/build the strength to fight back." 

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Gillian Smith-Clark, Editor-in-Chief​

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Book: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

 

“There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness.”

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“Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.”

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"Okay, it may take you all winter to read. But... The Count of Monte Cristo is the perfect tale to curl up with and get lost in during the long, dark months of January. Dumas skillfully weaves masterful storytelling together with a complex plot and intricate characters amidst the political turmoil of post-Napoleonic France. The 1250 page-turner begins as 19-year-old Edmond Dantès, a young idealist from humble beginnings, is about to realize his dreams, become the captain of a ship and marry the woman he loves. Jealousy, politics and circumstances intervene however, and the young Dantès is ruthlessly framed, arrested and convicted of treason. The story that follows is full of philosophical depth – plot twists and turns, and a powerful commentary on the impact of adversity on the human spirit. Key themes are the corrosive power of greed, envy and revenge, the nature of happiness and ultimately, transformation and redemption."

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