Possessions

Possessions: Their Role in Anger, Greed, Envy, Jealousy, and Death
by Boris W. Kishchuk
Published by DriverWorks Ink
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$19.95 ISBN 978-1-927570-42-5

I love games: card, word, trivia, etc., and I’ve usually been fortunate to have someone in my circle who also enjoys a friendly but spirited competition. Why share that in a review of Saskatoon writer Boris W. Kishchuk’s latest nonfiction title, Possessions: Their Role in Anger, Greed, Envy, Jealousy, and Death? Read on.

In the preface to this exquisitely-researched book Kishchuk writes that he’s wondered “why people kill each other,” and he wins my attention. This text examines “the psychology of possession”. The author investigates our desire to possess from myriad angles, including religious and economic reasons, and presents numerous diverse examples of how the human penchant for possessing has led to crime, brutality, murder and war. At the end of this page-turner Kishchuk reveals that his original title idea was The Curse of Possessions. He could have called it Read This and Never Lose at “Jeopardy” Again!

Kishchuk’s previous titles demonstrate his eclectic range of interests: Long Term Care in Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Crown Corporations, and Connecting with Ukraine. Possessions is “more reflective in nature,” and I greatly appreciate the way this author reflects and how he’s organized his fascinating stories/examples. The breadth of information presented is humbling, from religious beliefs regarding possession to biographies of those who used what they possessed – ie: wealth, knowledge, generosity, or power – for good, ie: Mother Teresa, Bill Gates, and Alexander Fleming.

Chapter 2 considers “Greed and Possessions,” with examples of both personal and corporate greed. Regarding the former, the author includes stories about Bernard Madoff and Imelda Marcos – see what I mean about range? – and corporate avarice is represented by the likes of Bre-X and Nortel.

You know those news-makers and historical Canadian or international events that you feel you should know more about, but never take the time to research? I have several on my list, and reading Possessions has filled many of those gaps. In succinct, interesting, and easy-to-read stories – rather like sound-bytes – I learned (or-relearned) about everything from the Columbine High School shootings to ethnic cleansing and genocide in Cambodia.

Chapters 5 and 6 are phenomenal: the Crusades … The Troubles … the Islamic State … the Roman Empire … the Vikings … the Mongol Invasion of Europe … the British Empire … World Wars … The Aga Khan … Jim Crow … Putin … Ghandi … Mandela … Louis Pasteur … Robbie Burns, etc. Who knew that the Viking era only lasted for 300 years (780-1080), or that at one time the British Empire occupied or controlled “over 90 of the world’s 203 countries,” or that during the Jim Crow era of racial segregation in the southern US, “it was understood that white motorists always had the right of way at street intersections”? Boris W. Kishchuk. That’s who.

Possessions is a concise, fast-paced education. I feel enlightened. Now if I could commit all this information to memory, Wally – my partner in life and opponent in TV “Jeopardy” – would never beat me in a game again.

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