Wîhtamawik/Tell Them: On a Life of Inspirationby Louise Bernice Halfe – Sky DancerPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$27.95 ISBN 9781779400840 Award-winning Saskatchewan writer Louise Bernice Halfe – Sky Dancer is renowned for her candid, Cree-infused poetry and presentations. Her latest book, Wîhtamawik/Tell Them: On a Life of Inspiration, braids memoir, poetry and essays to reveal where the author’s found inspiration and, I would say, contentment, after a tumultuous early start. In the eloquent introduction by the author’s daughter, Omeasoo Wahpasiw, the latter writes: “My mom dances with both her bones and the bones of our people, and when they poke and punch her with their insistent rattling, she does us all a favour, as painful as it is, and leaves them naked in the wind.” Until age seven, Halfe lived with her family in a log cabin on the Saddle Lake Reserve and practiced traditional Cree ways of life. She doesn’t pretend that it was perfect. Her father drank and was emotionally volatile (“His heart was a cave of stalactites.”). Her parents “stooked hay, picked rocks/in white farmers’ fields”. Halfe “learned to hunt, skin, and butcher game through non-verbal methods. [She] also watched [her] grandparents work…

A Line Runs Through It: A Story of Sexual Abuse, Addiction, and Redemptionby Niall SchofieldPublished by Wood Dragon BooksReview by Toby A. Welch  $22.99 ISBN 9781990863868 One of my goals for 2026 is to be a more empathetic person. Everyone is carrying something and learning to give people grace feels more necessary than ever. So when A Line Runs Through It landed on my bookshelf, I couldn’t wait to dive in. It’s a powerful reminder that everyone has a story, everyone struggles, and kindness costs us very little. But enough about me – this moment belongs to Niall Schofield. His memoir is gripping, tender, and emotionally disarming. I found myself laughing in some moments, crying in others, and picking my heart up off the floor and putting it back together in other parts. This is the kind of story that stays with you. What makes A Line Runs Through It work so well is Schofield’s vulnerability. He is unflinchingly honest about his past, his mistakes, and the choices that shaped his life. Rather than diminishing him, that honesty deepens the reader’s admiration. He has endured more in his first five decades than most experience in a lifetime, and he tells it without self-pity or pretense. …

Flying a Gooney Bird in Canada’s North: A Bush Pilot’s Adventuresby Dorrin Wallace with Deana J DriverPublished by DriverWorks InkReview by Sally Meadows$24.95 ISBN 9781927570883 I always marvel when someone can trace the trajectory of their life’s work back to a pivotal moment rooted in childhood. For Dorrin Wallace, who built his career as a bush pilot, trainer, and aircraft maintenance engineer, that moment was when he received a book about one of the world’s largest airplanes at age seven. Step by step, with a dash of serendipity, Wallace carved out his aviation career with intentionality and enthusiasm in his quest for an adventurous life. The title of the book comes from his favourite plane to fly, the Douglas DC-3, affectionately known as the “Gooney Bird.” With a folksy tone, the book details Wallace’s multifaceted career while paying homage to the many pilots and others in the aviation industry who were mentors to and sources of inspiration for him. With a large, colourful supporting cast of real-life characters, this book will pique the curiosity of many about Wallace’s perspective of life in the Saskatchewan aviation industry. Often learning the hard way–that is, through trial and error–Wallace has included amusing and…

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, and clearly demonstrates that from the time she was nine and a fellow student “put his hands down [her] knickers,” her body’s been controlled by others. Soon an older man was also taking advantage of her and other “young, maturing school girls” by offering to “put money in their training bras.” The quick cash allowed them to “buy sweets or single cigarettes from the local shop.” Born the eldest of six with an alcoholic father, Ramberran’s rape at age fourteen and the ability to drink “more than most women,” seemed to set the stage for several challenging decades among “the world of massage parlours, drugs, and sex.” School was something to be endured, and as a teen, “done with childhood games,” her focus turned to “chasing boys and being chased”—and she had an eye for…

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 is by realigning it to the fundamental heart of “stewardship” it should be. That conclusion, found in Dale’s epilogue chapter, comes from many years’ experience gained through his storied career in diverse sectors. Indeed, despite Dale’s insistence that he is a “nobody,” this book has the potential to impact the lives of many who are fortunate enough to have it come across their radar. I know, because I am one of them. Split into two parts representing the dual overarching realms of his career trajectory, this book delivers an incredible wealth of life and professional lessons learned, from the time Dale was a young boy exploring the meadows near his home to his current career as a globally recognized leadership coach. Part I of the book reads like a story as Dale shares his professional (and…

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 Doug Cameron’s memoir, My Tarzan Tree and Other Farm Boy Memories. This 1945-born author is obviously a storyteller at heart, but more than that, he’s done what many people talk about doing—writing a book about their life—but few accomplish. Cameron’s light and informal tone; the emphasis on his rural upbringing (near Alcomdale, Alberta); and rambling reminiscences of boyhood escapades with eight siblings, cousins, and friends reads like coffee row conversation: I could even imagine Cameron’s coffee mates nodding in recognition as they stirred another spoonful of sugar into their coffee cups. Cameron, who had a significant career in agricultural science (he was employed at Ottawa’s Agriculture Canada Research Station, and worked globally), has culled his varied childhood experiences into an easy and pleasurable read. He says that he’s “always wanted to write about [his] boyhood days…

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 someone is trying to survive.  I couldn’t put Transforming Pain into Purpose down; I devoured it in one sitting. (It’s a medium length book, clocking in at 130 pages including the resources at the back.) Kehler’s story kept me drawn in from the first chapter. What an interesting journey he has been through! His life has been touched by sexual abuse, alcoholism, anxiety, manic episodes, self-harm, depression, loneliness, gambling, suicide, shame, and bipolar disorder, among other things. A romantic at heart, I loved reading about how Kehler met his now-wife, a strong, compelling woman named Tanya. I won’t spoil the story for you but I will say they didn’t meet on a dating app like most couples these days. Kehler’s writing is simple yet powerful. He conveys what he is trying to say with as few words as possible…

Building Bridges: A Big City Mayor reflects on Leadershipby Donald J. AtchisonPublished by Wood Dragon BooksReview by Michelle Shaw$19.99 ISBN 9781990863745 “So, what’s it like to be the mayor?” This is a question that Don Atchison gets asked a lot. He was Saskatoon’s Mayor for four consecutive terms (2003 to 2016) and, before that, served three terms as a City Councillor. So, he wrote a book. As he says: “If you aspire to be a carpenter, a doctor, or a farmer, it’s not difficult to find information about the role…It’s much more difficult to find out what it would be like to be a city counsellor or mayor. As a result, many people run for public office without fully understanding what they’re getting into.” But this is not just a book about leadership. It’s also a memoir detailing Atchison’s own journey from a young sport-loving boy from the prairies, his life as a businessman (his family owned a menswear store in Saskatoon) and his life in public office. What shines throughout the book is his love for Saskatoon. Although he was at times a somewhat controversial figure, I don’t think anyone ever doubted his commitment to the city. Many people…

Loved Beyond Compare: A Journey of Miracles and Resilience During a Wicked Warby Dr. Jane Amana EkongPublished by Living Water PressReview by Sally Meadows$24.99 ISBN 9781990863455 It was with great anticipation that I received Dr. Jane Amana Ekong’s memoir Loved Beyond Compare for review. I love reading about other peoples’ faith journeys, and Dr. Ekong’s story promised to be inspirational. I was not disappointed. From the opening chapter, Dr. Ekong’s compelling writing drew me in through her vivid imagery and frank stream of consciousness. From the miracle of her birth to the “chaos, uncertainty, and fear” of living through the Nigerian Civil War, to the challenges she faced while getting her education, to navigating hurdles as she raced towards her wedding and marriage, this book is bursting with stories of how God kept His promise, as referenced in the opening chapter, to keep her and her family safe—and thrive—under seemingly impossible conditions. Sprinkled liberally throughout her book are stories of miraculous healings, prophetic warnings, visions, divine encounters, and the kindness of others who crossed her path. There are Scripture references, judicious use of bible stories, and wise spiritual tenets that punctuate the life lessons she learned. Dr. Ekong doesn’t shy away from…

A Life in Piecesby Jo-Ann WallacePublished by Thistledown PressReview by Brandon Fick$24.95 ISBN 9781771872560 Jo-Ann Wallace’s A Life in Pieces is a stunning memoir, brimming with wit, intellect, and poignancy. Wallace, who passed away in June, has left behind a book of gems, thirty short essays that map her life from childhood in a Montreal suburb to grad school in Toronto, onto years chairing a large English department at the University of Alberta, and her final chapter of life on the west coast. Wallace was a longtime academic, but she was also a poet, which is evident in the way these essays move associatively, back and forth in time, back and forth into ancestry, imagining, remembering, and questioning the life she lived, and the lives she did not. It is a challenge to select essays to highlight because each one offers something to ponder. Most start conversationally with an anecdote, then expand, retract, expand, like an accordion. “Whimsy” moves from the childhood memory of Wallace’s parents watching the Jimmy Stewart movie Harvey, about a man’s imaginary rabbit friend, to her own imaginary friend, to a friend’s distaste for “whimsy,” prompting her to theorize that beneath that “disavowal of whimsy” lies…