Those who know me well are aware that I am an avid reader and that I just love books. As well, I have made it my personal mission to put books in the hands of people: my children and stepchildren, husband, extended family, students, friends, even prisoners, and more! For me, reading is not just a hobby, it is a true passion that brings me a lot of joy – and I’d like to suggest some titles of interest to share that joy through a whole range of authors and themes.
To help me select the books you will read about here, I was inspired by the Indigo Reading Challenge, which offers “21 new ways to read in 2021.” (Indigo is Canada’s largest bookstore chain). Using this list to choose your next reads may help you discover new authors – or renew with forgotten ones! You can find the downloadable list of categories here. On Indigo’s website, you’ll also find suggestions for each category – or you can start with the titles below!
If you feel like being transported to other times and places, let me suggest some works of fiction. John Grisham’s first novel and courtroom drama, A Time to Kill (1989), deals with a black man accused of murdering the two white men who raped his daughter; it brings all kinds of tension between the black and white members of the community of Clanton, Mississippi. If you prefer historical fiction, one recent title that stands out is Canadian author Esi Edugyam’s Washington Black (2018), winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize that year. It tells the story of 11-year-old Washington Black, a slave in a Barbados sugar plant, and his flight to America to survive. Finally, to ‘travel’ all the way to Nigeria and plunge into a tale of loss, family, and friendship, pick up a copy of The Death of Vivek Oji (2020) by Akwaeke Emezi (they/them), author of the well-received Freshwater (2018). It was long-listed for the 2021 Aspen Words Literary Prize and the 2021 Dylan Thomas Prize.
If you enjoy reading non-fiction, then there are many options to choose from. An upcoming book will certainly resonate with many of us in Canada (and perhaps inspire our American neighbours and beyond): Neglected No More: The Urgent Need to Improve the Lives of Canada’s Elders in the Wake of a Pandemic by André Picard, to be published March 2, 2021. Mr. Picard is a Canadian journalist and columnist for the Globe and Mail. This may prove necessary reading! Finally, Haben, The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law (Haben Girma, 2020) is a memoir that everyone should read. Ms. Girma is an excellent example of determination and perseverance, and we can all learn from her. And a last one: to those who wanted to visit Taiwan this year (and won’t), here is a book that can take you there: Two Trees Make a Forest by Canadian British Taiwanese author Jessica J. Lee (2020). Between March 8 and 12, you can find out how it fares in this year’s edition of CBC’s Canada Reads competition.
Would you like more suggestions? Just drop me a line at j14intoronto@yahoo.ca.