Tales from the SilenceEdited by James BowPublished by Endless Sky BooksReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$26.99 ISBN 9781998273225 James Bow spawned a stellar idea for an anthology. The fantasy and science fiction aficionado and communications officer (most Canadian writers have a day job) not only created a fictional universe, “Silent Earth,” he also bravely invited ten other sci-fi, fantasy and YA writers to share this post-apocalyptic ...
Metis Matriarchs: Agents of TransitionEdited by Cheryl Troupe and Doris Jeanne MacKinnonPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Michelle Shaw$34.95 ISBN 9781779400116 As I read Métis Matriarchs, I couldn’t help thinking of the old adage that history is written by the victors. Or, as the editors Troupe and MacKinnon put it: ”Until recently, historical scholarship of the Canadian Prairies has privileged the masculine…” T...
Where the Cherries End Up: A Memoirby Sandra RamberranPublished by Wood Dragon BooksReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$19.99 ISBN 9781990863769 “You have not lived until you have shared a staff room with ten other women, sharing information about male genitals …” British-born Sandra Ramberran writes in Where the Cherries End Up: A Memoir. This quote exemplifies the brazen author’s honesty and matter-of-fact confessions in her tell-all...
Nobody from Nowhere: A Story of Leadership, Resilience, and Legacyby Dale W. BottingPublished by Benchmark PressReview by Sally Meadows$24.95 ISBN 9781927352526 There are so many nuggets of wisdom about leadership–and indeed life itself–in Dale Botting’s mesmerizing book Nobody from Nowhere, it’s hard to know where to begin. Both a memoir and career guide, this book challenges outdated views of what many people think leadership ...
In the Light of Dawn: The History and Legacy of a Black Canadian Communityby Marie Carter, Foreword by Afua CooperPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$36.95 ISBN 9781779400468 Canada’s multicultural history is diverse and complex, and at times its narratives have been erroneously rendered. Take Black Canadian history, for example. Take the Dawn Settlement, a historical abolitionist community at the end o...
Walking with God through Anxiety and Depression: A Personal Guideby Jerald WallPublished by Jerald WallReview by Sally Meadows$16.99 ISBN 9780994799562 If you’re seeking a quick and easy read with simple, straightforward strategies for overcoming anxiety attacks and depression, look no further than Jerald Wall’s new book Walking with God through Anxiety and Depression. As the title promises, scattered throughout the book–in fact, ...
My Tarzan Tree and Other Farm Boy Memoriesby Doug CameronPublished by Cameron NarrativesReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$25.00 ISBN 9781738687749 I grew up in small-town Saskatchewan and thus am familiar with folks who congregate daily at “coffee row” to remember the good old days, tell amusing stories, share gossip and passionately discuss current events. I continually thought about coffee row while reading Swift Current-area writer Do...
Homegrown Radicals: A Story of State Violence, Islamophobia, and Jihad in the Post-9/11 Worldby Youcef SoufiPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Toby A. Welch $29.95 ISBN 9781779400611 How do you sum up a book as comprehensive as Homegrown Radicals? It’s challenging as it covers so much in its 250 pages. The world after September 11, 2001, is such a different place than it was the day before. The story of the years...
kôhkominawak ocihcîwâw: Our Grandmothers’ Hands – Repatriating Métis Material Artby Gregory Scofield, Historical Overview by Sherry Farrell RacettePublished by Gabriel Dumont Institute PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$65.00 ISBN 9781988011226 In Gregory Scofield’s introduction to Our Grandmothers’ Hands: Repatriating Métis Material Art, the multi-genre Métis author, academic and bead-worker immediately demonstrate...
Transforming Pain into Purpose: My Story of Mental Illness, Addiction & Redemptionby Allan KehlerPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Toby A. Welch $19.95 ISBN 9781778690495 Everyone you meet is going through something. Everyone has a story. Those are two facts I try to focus on when I meet people. Transforming Pain into Purpose is a literary reminder of that – you never know what struggles someo...
