Book Review: Side Effects by Lorin J. Elias

By Caprice Hogg

This book was not what I expected it to be, as I have previously researched the enhanced creativity of individuals who regularly access parts of their right brain. Before reading this book, I did not realize that we all have strong biases towards the right or left in multiple areas of our lives. These biases are exhibited throughout art history, all the way back to cave paintings and Mayan sculptures. The dominant hands are shown, not just in handwriting, but by the tools and objects that are portrayed. Cradled babies in all the Madonna representations show a bias to cradling on the left side. Why is this? It is biological and across species. In portraiture (even in selfies), the left cheek is most often shown. The left side of the face shows emotion, and the right side of the face is more emotionally controlled. If a person wishes to be seen as impassive and wants to hide their emotions, they can choose to show their right cheek in a photo or portrait.

We are also influenced by our assumptions on our perceived source of light. Our mind makes us feel that we look better if the light is coming from the left, and this bias actually informs many of our buying decisions when looking at advertising. There are also clear biases when we perceive and look at art. Arranging objects from left to right will be more aesthetically pleasing to most of the population. Our natural tendencies to normally turn or look to the right impacts many things in our environment, from driving rules to architecture to where signs are posted. The world is mainly designed to take our human biases into consideration, even when we have little or no idea we even have such biases.

Let’s not forget the debate regarding the difference between left- and right-handed individuals. For many years, it was thought that right handed individuals were superior and much of the material world was developed with this in mind. It is not always easy being left-handed in a world that was designed for the majority—right-handed people. Yet, left-handers excel at sports, especially fast-paced ball sports and combat sports. Left-handed gymnastics is viewed as being more beautiful. In the title of the book, the author is not referring to side effects from pharmaceuticals, but rather “the side effects from our lopsided brain.”

“We can leverage our emerging knowledge of these side effects to optimize the images we use for our social media, dating profiles, decisions about seat selection, or even advertising campaigns.” This book can help the reader to become more conscious of our human tendencies that few individuals are aware we have. Knowing our biological tendencies can help us to make better decisions in our life overall. Or perhaps this knowledge can just make our lives easier and more fulfilling?

Book Review: The Emotional Brain by Dean Burnett

By Carly Smith

The Emotional Brain is a nonfiction book by neuroscientist Dean Burnett that explores the world of human (and sometimes non-human) emotions. With an immense amount of information spanning over 300 pages, the book covers a variety of topics including memories, communication, relationships, and the brain itself.

The cover page says: “Lost and Found in the Science of Emotion” which, at first thought, may seem like an oxymoron. Emotion and science are rarely thought of as going hand in hand, but readers learn that science cannot exist without emotion and emotions are a well-studied (yet still mysterious) topic of scientists. Burnett discusses the ways in which emotions relate to, and are pillars of, our memories, dreams, perceptions of self and others, how we talk to and behave around other people, and new-age technology. While presenting readers with carefully sought out data related to the aforementioned topics, he makes personal connections to his experience of losing his father during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.

The book itself is broken down beautifully with a table of contents, index, and references section. The chapters are long and information is sometimes repeated across chapters or in the same chapter, but this is not a downside. it’s evident that Burnett has synthesized information so thoroughly that no stone was left unturned in the creation of the book. Each chapter boasts dozens, if not hundreds, of references to academic studies and articles. The book also includes parts of discussions with credible sources. Inserted between all these cold, hard facts and connections to his personal story are doses of humour. These little bits of quirkiness and wit lighten the mood and are a nice balance to the heavier subjects he broaches.

The Emotional Brain is suitable for readers seeking insight into why emotions exist. It is a good choice if you’d like to learn more about the role emotions play in your everyday life, both consciously and subconsciously. It’s not a light read or a binge read. I recommend this book to anyone who may desire or require a deeper understanding of theirs and others’ actions and reactions, moods,  and personalities.

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Will to Murder by Gail Feichtinger with John DeSanto and Gary Waller

By Tiffany Miller

Do you love true crime? Does the process of criminal justice fascinate you? Can you think of no better way to spend a weekend than binge-reading a story that feels like it couldn’t possibly be a true story about small-town America? Have you ever wondered how the University of Minnesota came to own a gorgeous mansion on the Lake Superior lakefront?

If you said yes to any of these statements, then Will to Murder is for you!
Last summer, I took my second tour of Glensheen Mansion. I was anxious to get there again because I had heard that they restored and opened the third floor of the mansion that was previously unopened for viewing. The mansion is not only a piece of art, but it’s also flabbergasting to believe that this place of beauty could be the scene of an insidious crime (a detail I remembered from my first tour of the mansion).

On my second tour of Glensheen, I waited for the guide to mention the murder but before I knew it, the tour was over and there was no mention of it. At the end of the tour, I asked the tour guide, “Wasn’t there a murder that took place here?”. The employee indicated that yes  there was a murder at Glensheen and it was previously part of the tour before the Congdon Family asked that the murder be removed from the mansion tour, but if I wanted more details, I could read about it in a book titled Will to Murder.  Naturally, I needed to pick it up.
The book was gripping, shocking and full of so much interesting history about the city of Duluth, the Glensheen family, and the economy of Northern Minnesota. Written by the lead investigator of the case and a career journalist, this book follows the story of the philanthropic, millionaire Gleensheen family and the shocking murder of the youngest Glensheen daughter Elisabeth Congdon and her night nurse Velma Pietila.

In 1971, an intruder entered Glensheen mansion, stole a basketful of jewellery, smothered heiress Elisabeth Congdon to death with a satin pillow, and bludgeoned her night nurse Velma Pietila. The prime suspects were Marjorie Congdon, the adopted daughter of Elizabeth—a charismatic sociopath, narcissist, and arsonist—and her husband, Roger Caldwell.

Will to Murder brings readers behind the scenes of Minnesota’s infamous double murder. Written by the lead investigator, Duluth Police Detective Gary Waller, St. Louis County Prosecutor John DeSanto, and former Duluth News Tribune crime reporter Gail Feichtinger, this book captures the decade-long investigation, legal proceedings, and court trials to bring justice to the Glensheen family. You won’t believe this story is true, and you will grow such a deep admiration for the police detectives and prosecutors who committed decades of their lives to serve justice and protect society from two pathological criminals—you won’t be able to stop reading.

Book Review: Revolutionary Demonology by Gruppo di Nun

By Shan Powell

Content warning: sexual content, graphic descriptions of death and gore

When I saw the listing for Gruppo di Nun’s Revolutionary Demonology, I was intrigued. Gruppo di Nun “is a collective of psycho-activists based in Italy, dedicated to organizing forms of covert resistance to heteropatriarchal dogma.” I can get behind that…or so I thought. I’m not certain what I was expecting, but it isn’t what I got. Maybe I was hoping for something more introductory in scope. Maybe an illustrated text, like some others I’ve reviewed from MIT Press. Instead, I received a brick of a book, drenched with footnotes, and a hefty bibliography.

This book is far more academic than I expected. My understanding of demonology comes from a mixture of pop culture, White Wolf roleplaying game books, Sumerian mythology, and Christian boogeymen (I was raised in a Christian cult which believes in literal demons and devils). This book isn’t really any of these, although it touches upon them (and many more).

I think that to understand each of the sections of Revolutionary Demonology, close reading is necessary. I suspect that only someone with the appropriate backgrounds will be able to read this quickly. This anthology requires concentration, a good dictionary, and the patience to look up a lot of cited works. I wonder how much of this could be attributed to being a work of translation. This book was originally written in Italian, and I do not know Italian. That being said, fun can still be had by reading pages out of sequence and at random.

I enjoyed, but didn’t quite understand, this rather cyberpunk quotation pulled from “Ritual: Every Worm Trampled is a Star:”

The energetic decay of patriarchal temporal structures takes the form of a gradual and unstoppable feminisation of civilisation. Domesticated femininities turned monstrous haunt the nightmares of the declining West, in the form of rebellious androids, synthetic hormones, and painful initiatory scars adorned with glittering silicon implants.

Other parts I do understand, although I don’t hold them as truths. I enjoyed the poetic conceits of “Stilla Maris:”

We all bear upon our bodies traces of all ancient catastrophes that life went through during evolution. Being born is analogous to our far-distant ancestors’ traumatic origins as lifeforms emerging from the sea, and the penetrative sexual act is a ‘true regression to the ocean.’

Ok, I see what the authors are getting at and it’s an interesting concept.

Other sections of the book read like black metal or death metal lyrics. This is excerpted from “My Son, Do Not Abandon Me:”

The shreds of your disembowelled body continue to writhe in despair on the cross of creation, repeatedly pulsating in their dance of death as the eggs of countless parasites hatch, burrowing into the swellings of your belly.

If you follow the Left Hand Path and want to get deep into its philosophy, this book is for you. If you want to flip through randomly and find interesting little snippets out of context, you might enjoy this too. Just don’t expect light reading.

Thank you to MIT Press, a division within Penguin RandomHouse Canada, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Power of Thank You by Joyce Meyer

By Jamie Maletta

Joyce Meyer is an American New York Times bestselling author, Bible teacher, and the face of Joyce Meyer Ministries, a Christian non-profit organization from Missouri. Joyce has written numerous books, guiding readers to work through various circumstances from a place of faith. According to the Joyce Meyer Ministries website, Joyce has written 130 books, with a number of those translated into 155 languages, over 37 million copies distributed worldwide free of charge, and millions of copies sold. Needless to say, I think she’s a big deal.

I love self-help books, and when I first chose something by Joyce Meyer, I had no idea her approach was rooted in Christianity. What’s funny is, I actually chose a different Joyce Meyer book (Authentically, Uniquely You), and happened to be sent the wrong title. It also sat for some time in my (always seemingly large) TBR pile before I picked it up. I believe that sometimes certain things or circumstances come to people when they need them most. Beautiful mishaps, one might say. I’ve been on a pretty significant personal journey lately, and not only was this not the original book I had chosen, but when I did pick it up and begin to read, it was during a time I needed to read those words most, months after I’d actually received it in the mail. I believe this was no coincidence.

Joyce explores the many benefits of thankfulness, being grateful, being generous, and expressing and feeling a sense of gratitude and contentment, and what that all means from a place of faith. She often pulls quotes and stories directly from the Bible and perfectly manages to “bring it back to the basics,” explaining how thankfulness, gratitude, generosity, contentment, and the like can be dated back to Biblical times and were always held with importance (and still should be). Joyce discusses how this way of being (or the lack of it) can affect your everyday life, and how powerful these traits are. She doesn’t skip over the fact that life can be hard, and there are times when thankfulness can feel more difficult, but she also addresses such situations with understanding and reason.

Personally, this book put a lot of things into perspective for me. Things I was aware of, and deep down thankful for, or maybe even presently aware I was thankful for, but life’s distractions had just pulled me away from the conscious thought of being thankful daily. I sometimes find myself forgetting just how grateful I should be, and how blessed I am. This book felt like a bit of an epiphany, like the wake-up call I needed, and I’m going to put what I’ve read into practice. I look forward to exploring what else Joyce has written.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: All In by Mallory Ervin

By Jamie Maletta

You may have read my last review of Mallory Ervin’s Living Fully. I’ve never been so moved by a book, and I may just recommend it to everyone, forever. I’m not kidding. I, of course, ran to purchase her second book, All In, which pairs perfectly with the first. All In is the workbook accompaniment to Living Fully, and it maps out how to organize your wants and goals for the future in a healthy way.

With gorgeous and colourful pages, designs, and quotes, you’ll automatically find yourself in a happier mindset just flipping through the gorgeous interior. Mallory dives into the concept of visualizing things into your life, and what that really means. She speaks about clearly articulating what it is you truly desire and creating a visual representation of that in your space. The chapters contain workbook-style pages where you can create lists, mottos, or mantras. There are photos throughout, and also a reflection space to work through the chapter’s teachings. I often find that these topics of manifesting, visualizing, and creating vision boards are frequently thrown at us at such a high level that we go in with an idea of what a finished product looks like but without the tools to create something that can and will truly function. This is where Mallory sets herself apart. She’s created a space to teach the inner work needed to navigate the creation of a realistic vision of the life you’ve always wanted, from a realistic place, explaining step by step how to uncover your deepest desires at their root.

I will not lie, I could not bring myself to write on those beautiful pages, but with each task or reflection, I was able to get incredibly clear on what I truly want for the future, with the ability to cut out what would never serve me. This book is a nice and light read that you can work through as you see fit, and around whatever schedule you may have. I highly recommend reading Mallory’s first book Living Fully (I’m obsessed), then following up with All In within a reasonable time frame while everything’s fresh in your mind.

Whether you’re soul searching or just looking for a good read, Mallory’s books will not disappoint!

Book Review: Living Fully by Mallory Ervin

By Jamie Maletta

I’ve personally had a tough few years, and through therapy and soul searching, I really wanted to immerse myself in something good, something that would light my fire again. Finding Mallory Ervin’s Living Fully came to me exactly when it was supposed to.

Mallory writes this book from her own personal experiences of hitting rock bottom, and then committing to coming back to who she really is in order to begin living fully. This book isn’t a memoir but more of a commitment to help others who have found themselves lost after trauma, addiction, loss, or some other wrecking ball event. Its aim is help them rebuild themselves from a solid foundation. I have read more self-help/motivational books than I can count, and I can absolutely and confidently say: this one is different. THIS is the book I’ve been searching for.  

Mallory has a way of speaking directly to the reader. She builds a connection through the pages unlike any book I’ve read before. Part 1 (chapters one through six) is appropriately named “The Wake-Up Call,” with Part 2, “Staying Awake” (chapters seven through twelve), really focusing on mindset and the work that’s going to be required. Lastly, Part 3 (chapters thirteen through eighteen) is named “Living Fully,” and guides the reader toward how they can achieve this life in a sustainable way. These chapters brought to light the things that I’ve been struggling with, and why I’ve maybe looked the other way or called them something they weren’t.

Mallory recounts her successes, her missteps, the coping mechanisms she was using, and the beginning of her road to recovery, all the way to living fully. She really gets into the nitty-gritty of things, and although she speaks of her own journey, somehow she’s written words that speak directly to the reader and their own struggles, regardless of what they may be. Her process is founded in faith, but spiritual or not, I completely believe this book can be beneficial to anyone on a journey to finding their true and best self.

This book could honestly be read as a three-part self-help program (and one I’d pay good money for). The things I was able to reflect on and work through surpassed all my expectations, and I completely recommend this book to anyone and everyone interested in something such as this. A 20/10 for me!

Book Review: Oh Crap! Potty Training by Jamie Glowacki

By Jamie Maletta

If you’ve raised a toddler, or are raising a toddler, you’ve likely read up on the do’s and don’ts of potty training. Maybe you’ve read the various books, asked friends for advice, or scoured the internet for all the tips and tricks. From my own personal experience, I think you’re going to find a lot of information— and even more opinions— on the topic.

I, of course, was one of those moms who set out on a journey to find the perfect potty training plan. I asked experienced friends for advice and was told I absolutely needed to check out Jamie Glowacki’s Oh Crap! Potty Training book/program. I was skeptical, but the book had rave reviews, and so I loaded up my Kindle and began reading. From someone who followed this book and managed to potty train in under two weeks based on Jamie’s method, here’s my review:

My first recommendation: read Chapters 1 through 10 one to two weeks before you begin potty training. These chapters set the foundation for what you’re going to need to know in order to potty train your little human. It covers topics such as the readiness of a child, appropriate and ideal ages to potty train, how you might be contributing to potty training resistance, potty training regressions, myths and misconceptions, what to do and what not to do, verbal and (mostly] non-verbal cues, the issues you’re most likely to run into, getting your partner on board with the plan, and mentally preparing yourself to take on this journey with your child. Additionally, within these chapters, it walks through the seven steps and blocks of potty training Jamie has created to master this skill. If there’s something that absolutely should be known and covered prior to taking the leap, it’s in these first ten chapters.

I highly recommend reading the chapters to follow throughout the first three to five days of potty training. Any and all questions not answered in the first ten chapters will most likely be covered here. These are the Q&A type things you may be wondering (and honestly, will want in your back pocket). These chapters cover such topics as prior attempts at potty training (if this isn’t your very first attempt), being “kind of” potty trained vs. fully potty trained, the child who just isn’t getting it, the child that has morphed into a mini monster during the process (and what the heck to do), dealing with daycares and caregivers, the difficulties that may come with potty training children under twenty months or over three years, and the “reset” when things aren’t working or you’ve found yourself deviating from Jamie’s plan for one reason or another.

Lastly, the book covers “Special Circumstances” in Chapter 17, where there may truly be a valid reason for potty training struggles, which is outlined based on various circumstances. Upon finishing these chapters, you should be fully equipped to get started and master this potty training journey!

I took this potty-training business quite seriously, and took Jamie’s advice to heart as I read through each chapter. What I will say, as a disclaimer, is I felt Jamie mom-shames a bit for those of us who’ve waited until after age three to potty train. Whatever your reasoning for waiting may be, I disagree that it’s going to be this big power struggle after age three, as long as you, as the parent, are being consistent in your training. So I ask you to please not take this aspect of her book to heart, because the actual training and program is really very good.

If you give this book a go, and commit to the program, I truly believe any parent and any able-bodied/able-minded child can be successful with their journey to being potty trained. Believe in yourself, believe in your child, and take everyone’s opinions with a grain of salt.

Book Review: Letters of Note: Grief by Shaun Usher

By Evan J

Grief is a collection of letters compiled by Shaun Usher. The book belongs to the Letters of Note series, a collection of small books of collected letters, compiled by Shaun Usher about topics such as war, mothers, cats, and more.

Each letter in Grief was written by a person of historic importance, such as Audre Lorde, Kahlil Gibran, Helen Keller, Virginia Woolf, Albert Einstein, and Abraham Lincoln. The letters are predominantly addressed to a friend or family member of the famous figure, often about the recent loss of a mutual acquaintance. And as expected, the variation of content, of distress, and of tact is remarkable. Many letters speak to spirituality and the brevity of the spirit’s time in the body, such as Benjamin Franklin’s letter “A Man Is Not Completely Born Until He Be Dead.” While other letters, such as the letter written by Eung-Tae Lee—written around 1586 and discovered on her husband’s tomb during an archeological excavation in South Korea in 1998—are burdened by that denial stage of grief, the widow pleading for her husband to visit her in a dream and offer guidance on how to live without him.

So what is this book for?

Grief can cause life to feel like treading water in an ocean. Every second, you’re just trying to stay afloat. And it is the ocean, so it is polluted with scraps of garbage floating by every so often, but there is rarely anything of use, rarely anything to help you stay afloat. Every so often, you pass by a giant ship, something named The Brothers Karamazov, or Hamlet, but the ship is so large, the walls of the hull so tall that, in your tired state, it’d be impossible to climb aboard, so you don’t even try. All you’re really looking for is something small and easy to grasp—a lifebuoy ring, maybe even an inflatable dingy, something you can tip yourself into without a struggle. Something to give you a break from the sharks nipping at your toes. And this book, Grief, that’s what it is: a raft, something to help a grieving person, to help someone treading water. The book is not meant to be a rescue, but it can be a little bit of assistance; a little floatation device helping a person out of the ocean of grief.

So what should you do with this book?

You offer it to someone who has recently experienced a loss. But first, you read the book yourself. You earmark the pages you think that a grieving person might benefit from reading. You annotate the pages with your own comments. You make the book one part historical and one part personal. So that when the book reaches the grieving hands, that person knows that you’re not just handing them a book of letters, you’re offering to hold their hand and read along with them.

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Earned Life by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter

By Caprice Hogg

In this book, the author states that we all have a certain amount of regret, and advises us how to avoid these regrets and live with more motivation, confidence, and aspiration. “Our official policy on regret in these pages is to accept its inevitability but reduce its frequency. Regret is the depressing counterweight to finding fulfillment in a complex world. Our primary theme is achieving a life of fulfillment—what I call an earned life.”

While the advice is very good, I found it difficult to relate to the examples the author used. Goldsmith is a life coach to major CEOs and large management teams. He used many of these influential people as examples to show how they made difficult decisions. Since many of these stories were from extremely wealthy people in elite positions, the decisions they were making were not what many of us encounter in our daily lives. For most people, this is not the realm where we reside and our daily decisions regarding our jobs, finances, and family life are greatly different from these stories. It does, however, give us a look into that world and Goldsmith states that it is helpful to look at your heroes to see how their choices allowed them to succeed. I feel that there is a large discrepancy from that type of lifestyle to perhaps that of a single mom or a teacher who has a fulfilling job but is making a low income.

Still, no matter what our life story is, Goldsmith’s advice is valuable. His recommendations are applicable to each one of us. “We are living an earned life when the choices, risks, and effort we make in each moment align with an overarching purpose in our lives, regardless of the eventual outcome.” At the end of each chapter, there are exercises that help the reader ponder their own life and examine where changes can be made. Some exercises struck a chord with me, and I probed a few deep thoughts that I uncovered as I went through the exercises.

I do not feel that the advice in this book is anything revolutionary, but it is valuable reading it in a new context. “The secret to living an earned life: It is lived at the extremes. You are maximizing what you need to do, minimizing what you deem unnecessary.” This helps us to examine our life and hopefully discontinue being on autopilot with our decisions. He discusses inertia and how sometimes the act of doing nothing at all squashes our successes. Who doesn’t need those types of reminders once in a while? Goldsmith offers step-by-step guidance to follow our dreams by simply reminding us that any step towards our goals is a step in the right direction. Action and avoiding inertia are key.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: More Than a Mom by Ashley Carbonatto

By Jamie Maletta

I’m easily persuaded by Instagram recommendations (or should I say “bookstagram?”). You’ll often find my reviews stem from a book I’ve randomly come across via Instagram stories, and honestly, they rarely disappoint.

Ashley Carbonatto’s More Than a Mom is no exception. As many moms will tell you, motherhood can be all-consuming, and often we wake up one day and can’t remember who we are outside of being “a mom.” The sleepless nights, picky eaters, meals, snacks, baths, appointments, more snacks, extra-curricular activities, homework, housework, relationships—the list goes on, and it is a lot. So, what do we do about it?

Ashley’s book reads a little like a blog, a little like a how-to, and provides some actionable steps to maintain your sense of self throughout this beautiful and hectic journey we’ve found ourselves in. She shares her story about stepping away from the corporate world into full-time motherhood, the struggles of taking on this new title, and how we often downplay the title of being “just a mom.”  

The second chapter titled “Surviving not Thriving” dives into who we were, are, and that feeling of being “stuck” in this new journey, like we’re coming up short on all fronts. Throughout the book, Ashley walks us through various areas of our lives and how to improve them: from self-doubt and anxiety to unsolicited advice, bettering your relationship with your significant other, making new friends not only in motherhood, but in adulthood too, living with intention, and how to truly find and maintain your sense of self along the way. Ashley approached these topics with personal stories, some humour, and a sense of understanding, with some suggestions and ways of overcoming whatever you’re working through - all of which I find necessary when reading a self-help or motivational book.

Personally, I found the beginning of the book a little heavy on her personal stories and the feeling that I was reading a blog vs a book. However, once I reached the halfway point things picked up, and I found myself wanting to read more and more. The second half of the book felt a little more relatable, with more fun ideas and actionable steps that I could see myself taking and able to envision what those outcomes could look like for me. I felt motivated to make some changes and take some risks in my life and journey to learning who I am outside of motherhood upon finishing this book.

The feeling of optimism and excitement for what the future holds is exactly what I want out of a self-help or motivational book. It’s my favourite genre for this very reason, and Ashley’s More Than a Mom is one that I’ve added to my personal toolbox, and would recommend to any mom wanting something more for herself. We all deserve to be the best versions of ourselves, and taking care of ourselves is taking care of our families and loved ones around us.

Book Review: The AfterGrief by Hope Edelman

By Caprice Hogg

Hope Edelman’s The AfterGrief will help anyone who has experienced grief or loss. The author did extensive research and interviewed people who have suffered all types of grief. She published their stories along with her own story of loss after her mother passed away from breast cancer when Edelman was only a teenager. While I could not personally relate to many of these stories, it was helpful to read about others and to better understand their process of healing. When some of us are paralyzed by grief, it can helps to know that we are not alone. The book offers ways to not “let go” of your grief, but to find ways of living with it. “Grief can only be supported. It cannot be fixed.” She speaks of the importance of talking about your loss and sharing your story in order for healing to occur.

Edelman differentiates between new grief and after grief and explains that time does indeed change our experience. Very little information has been written about the “after grief”—the period that follows the initial grieving process. This book gives people a way to deal with their pain long after their loss has occurred. The after grief can hit at times that are least expected and our emotions can be overwhelming.

Edelman asks questions such as “how do we allow a major loss in the past to inform us, to guide us, even to inspire us, without letting it consume our identity?” Her answer: “We decentralize it. We wait and watch and allow for other life experiences to accumulate over the long arc. We actively search for meaning.” This book gives hope to those who are suffering. 

Grief does not go away. It does not heal itself, but with time and effort, it can be less of a burden. Our grief can eventually turn into something beautiful, something precious. It takes tremendous effort, but it can be done. Meaning can be found, and while the loss will always be present, there are ways that we can honour those who have passed on by turning our pain into something that brings value to our lives. It can be a difficult process to revisit those memories and especially our most painful moments, but the result will allow us to experience joy and happiness in our life again. This part of the process can only happen in time, and it cannot be rushed.

I highly recommend The AfterGrief to anyone who has experienced loss or trauma. It helps to put the pain we feel into a new perspective. It gives the reader a sense that we are not alone in our pain, and it also gives us hope. There are techniques we can do to help ourselves get through grief and look forward to feeling joy again.

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: A Molecule Away from Madness by Sara Manning Peskin

By Danielle Szewc

Many of us are affected by degenerative cognitive disease and mental illness, whether it be a family member or a friend. We also know that DNA, proteins, and vitamins are essential to life. However, a single DNA base pair mutation, a misfolded protein, or the lack of a specific vitamin can impair the brain’s natural functions and cause Alzheimer’s and other degenerative cognitive ailments that affect those we care about.

As a reader who has always been deeply fascinated by neurology and molecular biology, Sarah Manning Peskin's A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain hits the mark on what it set out to be—a narrative that a simple change in or lack of essential molecules can lead to molecular dissonance along with personal and familial struggles.

Peskin, an assistant professor of clinical neurology at the University of Pennsylvania, compellingly writes about the medical and biological factors involved in degenerative cognitive diseases. She divides the book into three distinct areas: mutations in DNA, misfolded or misaligned proteins, and the presence or lack of small molecules such as vitamins and environmental toxins. She relays the history of medicine, and molecular biology in an eloquent fashion while detailing the problems that the doctors and biologists of the time faced while trying to determine the causes of these degenerative diseases, some of whom even faced embarrassment by peers.

A Molecule Away from Madness skillfully and artfully explains scientific processes in an easy-to-understand manner and is an impeccable read for those new to the subject or those who are knowledgeable and would like to know more from a humanized case study perspective. I enjoyed the fast-paced writing style of the woven stories of each disease—outlines from a patient and family perspective which moved into the historical and scientific perspective of discovery, experimentation, and application. Peskin writes in an easy-to-follow manner and has anecdotal humor. Those who have read Oliver Sack’s books are sure to enjoy A Molecule Away from Madness.

Thank you, NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami

By Fayth Simmons

In Novelist as a Vocation, acclaimed long-time writer Haruki Murakami lends the reader an intimate glance into the purpose and process behind the art and science of storytelling. Functioning as a sort of instructional memoir, Novelist as a Vocation allows Murakami to showcase his thoughts regarding the factors, both innate and practiced, that he feels have allowed for his continued success within the realms of writing and publishing. With a career spanning over four decades, he has gathered a wealth of knowledge pertaining to the inner workings of the industry and has developed an understanding of what he feels constitutes a successful methodology towards writing a novel.

Using thematically categorized essays to deliver his thoughts, Murakami touches on topics important to the writing life in an objectifiable way that is succinct but not without empathy. Taking care to note that his thoughts are personal to his own methods and style of working, he shares insights relating to his daily writing practices and overall lifestyle while ruminating on the trajectory of his career thus far. He describes what he feels are the common denominators of the typical writer, and places emphasis on the time-consuming and oftentimes intangible aspects of the nature of writing.

Murakami’s delivery is thoughtful and well-aimed towards the aspiring writer, though, they should not be considered limited in its potential reach towards a less specific population. His musings on identity, purpose, and language speak to universal longings and considerations. This is a purposeful work rooted in a strong sense of personal awareness by way of Murakami, and the result is both insightful and enlightening.

Exploring the nuances of his career, he translates and projects his summations onto the page in a humble way that resonates. He is sensitive to the impalpable hurdles that face those wishing to express themselves through the stylistic imagery of the novel, as it exists as a physical vehicle of refined communication. Murakami describes the workings of such a vehicle, how he has utilized it, and how he has personally understood its function within the wider bounds of society.

Novelist as a Vocation is representative of Murakami’s reflections in such a way that so often epitomizes the memoirist form—each essay leaves the reader with a stronger sense of the writer behind the words and the context is extracted from within personal rumination and indirect instruction.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture by Sherronda J. Brown

By Christine McFaul

Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture is a new nonfiction book (published 2022) by Sherronda J. Brown, an American essayist, editor, and storyteller.

Brown begins with an introduction—to herself , to asexuality, as well as to the history and realities that underpin the topics explored throughout the book (“Asexual Realities,” “Compulsory Sexuality,” and “Savage Sexuality”).

Ten well-organized chapters follow, broken down by topic, and each introduced with the perfect quote to encapsulate the author’s point (shout-out to the beautifully chosen quotes, I am powerless to resist a great quote-game). The topics then unfold, working together to peel back inaccurate assumptions and long upheld systems that underpin much of modern society. A closer examination of topics like desire, acephobia, and even productivity provide a revealing peek behind the curtain of sexual politics.

Using a balanced mix of personal experience and research (to pick up this book is to be exposed to a plethora of brilliant writing and analysis on related topics; the footnotes alone create an excellent further-reading list), Brown centres the Black, ace (asexual) experience and in so doing introduces a rarely prioritized, but much-needed, perspective into the cultural zeitgeist. As a reader who has gotten out of the practice of more academic reading, I also want to express my appreciation for the fact that Brown did so by tempering any heavy dumps of information with strategic bolding, clear and accessible definitions of complicated terms, and the use of modern references.

At its heart, Brown’s work is concerned with the very concept of “humanness and who is allowed access to it.” In their exploration of this topic, Brown is as generous with her own lived experience as she is with their research and analysis. With what I would describe as having a readable academic feel, Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture is a well-crafted, bold, smart, and necessary read.

Note: I have written my review from the perspective of a white, cis-hetero woman. If my thoughts on Brown’s book have piqued your interest, I encourage you to check out further opinions from book reviewers with lived experience or to visit Brown’s website https://sherrondajbrown.com.

Thank you to North Atlantic Books for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Magic of Motherhood by Ashlee Gadd

By Jamie Maletta

Ashlee Gadd is the founder of the Coffee and Crumbs platform, a successful writer and author, as well as a co-host  of her Coffee and Crumbs podcast. I stumbled across Ashlee’s book The Magic of Motherhood via an Instagram story and quickly saved it to the top of my TBR wish list, not waiting long before caving and making my purchase.

The Magic of Motherhood really gave me the Chicken Soup book collection vibes. Each chapter is written by a mother, sharing her unique experience of motherhood. Some stories were cheerful, reminding me that childhood passes all too quickly. Other stories met me in the hard stuff that comes with raising these beautiful humans, while others told stories of the struggles of conceiving and bringing a baby into this world. No matter your journey into motherhood, or your perception and experience through the chapters of this beautiful phenomenon, each story is something you can relate to in varying degrees, reminding us that we aren’t alone.

As a mother of an (almost) three-year-old, I find myself in the trenches of toddlerhood. All any of us want to do is to raise kind, confident, and happy humans, and there’s no “how-to” book that gets passed along to you as you leave the hospital to prepare you for what these next years will bring. The Instagram reels, the perfectly coordinated photos, and the organic bento box lunches sometimes can leave us feeling like we have it all wrong.

Ashlee’s collection of essays truly digs into the nitty gritty of the things we just don’t see online—the life we left behind when we became mothers, the village it takes to raise children (that may or may not have ever showed up), the version of ourselves our children need, and the amount of grace we absolutely need to be giving to ourselves. There’s a little bit of everything, and as each chapter covers a different topic by a different author, it’s easy to pick this book up and set it back down (a mom must-have).

Whether you’re new to this journey, are in the middle of it all, or are a seasoned veteran of this thing called motherhood, I believe this book is one that can be enjoyed by all. I’m definitely interested in checking out more of Ashlee’s writing, what the podcast is all about, and if there are more books on the horizon! 10 stars for me!

Book Review: Ontario Wildlife Photography by Noah Cole

By Meredith Grace Thompson

Noah Coles’ photography is concerned with conservation as much as it is with aesthetics. His latest photography book, Ontario Wildlife Photography, focuses on the wildlife of Ontario and is structured very purposefully to tell a specific story: wilderness being encroached upon by human life and human waste. Breaking his book down into distinct sections, Coles explores everything from birds and mammals to fish and spiders. Each photograph is stamped with the animal’s classification and the date and location of the photograph. They are further accompanied by a micro-essay explaining something about the photo, either how it came to be or something about the animal it contains. Coles’ photographs are beautiful and engaging, with the viewer finding themselves beside and with the animal in question in an intimate yet discreet way. The colours are natural and almost muted without the use of extraneous filters to create light where there is none and colour where there was little.

A photography book in our current hugely over-saturated and image-based society is a difficult feat. In the same way that the camera forever changed the landscape of painters by taking away their steady source of income in portrait painting, the ubiquitous nature of the high-quality phone cameras we carry around constantly and the common nature of over-sharing images from our lives as well as the easily available editing software that exists to make even the most amateurish photograph appear more professional creates a strange pressure for professional photographers.

Portrait photography and high fashion photography where the image is highly manipulated is one thing, but the kind of nature photography that Coles is capturing here is becoming almost commonplace, begging the question of what makes it stand out. His photos are undeniably skillful and his presence near the wildlife in question without causing them distress is perhaps where the main aspect of his skill lies. His lack of photo manipulation is to be commended and stands in stark contrast to the photos which populate so much of social media, making them a unique commodity in book form. The photographs in this book are strong, and the micro-essays describing each are interesting and engaging, carrying a unique “I voice” behind the camera, yet the format of the book is severely lacking. With large block photographs set on the top half of each starkly white page, each the same size and shape, and a block of black text set in ragged right underneath each image, the format does nothing to highlight the talent of this photographer.

Noah Coles is clearly an interesting voice in the contemporary landscape of nature conservation and wildlife photography. His photos luxuriate in the everydayness of his subjects, without intruding on their habitat or space. He manages to get photographs where the subject is often looking directly at him—a raccoon gazing pensively into the camera; a fox pausing to almost say hello—without ever anthropomorphizing them. By including photographs of humans assisting in conservation and clean-up efforts in the “Mammals” section of the book, Coles does not shy away from the fundamental and inherent connection between humans and nature. We are part of nature, after all, inextricably linked to every aspect of it. Noah Coles’ book shows ways that we can more harmoniously live together.

Thank you Dundurn Press for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Banksy by Alessandra Mattanza

By Caprice Hogg

“His dream is a city full of graffiti where graffiti is not illegal, a city where everyone can paint whatever they want, with walls of fresh paint with millions of colors, short sentences, verses of interesting words, messages to read, often political, but at the same time ironic, of love, peace and hope for a better world.”

With these ideals, Banksy has become an iconic figure all over the world. This fascinating book not only gives an in-depth look at Banksy’s paintings but also at his philosophy on art and life. Banksy’s work is very political but shines a light on the elitism of the art world. His medium is the stencil, which results in stunning lines, shapes, and compositions. Yet, graffiti art painted in public spaces is illegal art—unless you are Banksy in which case that graffiti becomes incredibly valuable, and institutions have made money off of his work.

“Street art guarantees each individual the opportunity to reassert himself in the face of privileged art which has long been considered the only “true art” which for generations has been accessible only to a small elite.”

Banksy believes art is for all and that everyone should be able to see and appreciate all art, which is why his work is in public view. 

Banksy likes to “keep it real”. His paintings often portray rats and homeless people; those who are not normally seen. His work takes a political stance on many important issues and truly makes one stop and think. Isn’t that the purpose of art? One of his most controversial paintings was sold at Sotheby’s and the instant the auction hammer struck, the painting began to shred itself. Once again, this is Banksy’s comment on the fickle art industry. 

This book gives readers a look at the Banksy phenomenon—despite his fame, no one actually knows what he looks like. He has a small group of friends that help him maintain his anonymity. His paintings pop up across the world and no one knows where the next one will appear. Part of his allure is the mystery that surrounds him. He is thrilled when a painting pops up and no one is really sure if it is an authentic Banksy painting. The paintings create a stir and get people talking. If the paintings are from other graffiti artists, they are just as important to him as his own work. 

One of the main themes in this book is that art cannot be stopped, as ideas cannot be stopped. Banksy’s paintings show his ideals for pacifism, peace, justice, and freedom. He tries to give a voice to those who are often overlooked.

For any art lovers who want to enjoy looking at good paintings that are thought-provoking, this book is for you. I love how Banksy’s paintings push the boundaries on what is considered “good art” by the fine art establishment. 

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté, MD with Daniel Maté

By Erica Wiggins

Content warning: Inherently this book is about trauma. Various topics are discussed with real-life examples included. Ensure you use caution when reading.

The Myth of Normal is the first book from Dr. Gabor Maté in over ten years. It explores causes of illness, the myths around what makes us sick, how dangerous our understanding of “normal” is, and how we can move towards health and healing. Maté is a bestselling author, renowned speaker, and sought-after expert. His books have changed how addiction, stress, trauma, parenting, and ADHD are thought about and helped to shift the conversation around these topics.

“In the most health-obsessed society ever, all is not well.”

Maté gets right into it, drawing you in with surprising statistics from around the globe and right here at home in Canada. It is fascinating. Through each chapter, we are given not only the facts but also real-life stories that help us to connect to these facts. Maté writes in an eye-opening, relatable, and accessible way. One of the topics covered is pregnancy, labour and delivery, and c-sections. I have never had children, but this opened my eyes to all the questions and concerns that surround this event. I found it incredibly informative.

“Trauma, until we work it through, keeps us stuck in the past, robbing us of the present moment’s riches, limiting who we can be.”

Maté discusses how women traditionally are taught to stifle their feelings, to hide how they are really feeling, to be quiet and well-behaved. While I know I have personally felt like this at times in my life, it felt like my feelings were validated. This is a societal norm that needs to be changed. I found myself nodding and reading out facts to those around me, compelled to share what I was learning.

“What joys have you denied yourself out of a belief that you don’t deserve them, or out of a conditioned fear that they’ll be snatched away.”

There are so many quotes that I want to pull from this book. This one made me stop, set the book down and really think about what this means. How true this is in my daily life and how my own thinking needs to be changed. Maté includes a self-inquiry exercise which gives you questions to ask yourself weekly. These chapters resonated with me and almost felt like the questions were directed to me personally. I loved that he spoke about what is happening, moved through the stages, and provided solutions.

This book is informative, highly researched, and thought-provoking. Maté leads us through nature, human development, culture, and how we can become whole. It is an intensive read, and I would recommend a pen and paper handy to make notes. While not everything was for me, I believe there can be something valuable for everyone in this book and it is one that I will return to. There are great exercises that helped me change and reframe my thinking. The standout for me—the vulnerability of the author. Throughout the book, he discusses his own trauma and reactions. It is helpful to know that this expert is still working to become whole and can fall into the same traps as anyone else. It helps to normalize trauma and its effects. 

I would highly recommend that you read this book—taking care of yourself in doing so.

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Dream States by John Lorinc

By Carly Smith

In Dream States, John Lorinc chips away at the opportunities and obstacles that future urban settings will bear, whether deliberately or inadvertently. With an abundance of useful examples and sound quotes from expert sources, the book exposes readers to the benefits and detriments of the use of smart technology in current and future cities. Dream States starts with an introduction to a “smart community” that was, at one time, a possibility in a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario. Lorinc then moves into a brief history of technology’s role in urban development around the globe, and finally settles into the bulk of the book, which examines how technology’s evolution affects the evolution of urban areas. The book covers topics like data collection, data usage, surveillance, technological advancements related to automated systems, and the politics surrounding smart technology in urban planning. Finally, Lorinc comes full circle to connect much of the information presented in the book to the initial example of Toronto’s once-possible smart community.

It is obvious that, from start to finish, Lorinc worked meticulously to gather applicable, credible information to support the content. Dream States includes a table of contents, index, and bibliography, all of which are helpful, considering the breadth of information presented to the readers. Lorinc’s writing is detailed and academic; if readers are unfamiliar with certain topics, it would be valuable to jot notes and flag specific pages to revisit. I appreciate that Lorinc offers both the pros and cons to the potential outcomes that may arise as a result of incorporating more and more smart tech into urban development. There were parts, however, that felt convoluted, and at times, over-described yet lacking connection to the topic at hand. This may not be the case for all readers, though, especially those with a stronger grasp of technology and its place in urbanism.

Dream States delivers a takeaway for all readers, whether they absorb the book in its entirety or pick and choose different segments. Whatever readers desire to learn from this book, it is important to know that it is not a light read and can almost be treated as a textbook. In fact, I found myself thinking repeatedly while reading, “This would be the most interesting textbook a teacher could add to a syllabus”. It will help skeptics of smart technology understand why it is beneficial while offering a perspective of caution to those who feel like new age technology should be automatically included in all new urban developments. Finishing the book does not mean you will finish thinking about a future utopia in the age of smart technology.

Thank you to Coach House Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.