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The Finest Hotel in Kabul: A People's History of Afghanistan
by Lyse Doucet
The story of a hotel. The story of a nation. When the Inter-Continental Kabul opened in 1969, Afghanistan's first luxury hotel symbolised a dream of a modernising country connected to the world. More than fifty years on, the Inter-Continental is still standing. It has endured Soviet occupation, multiple coups, a grievous civil war, a US invasion and the rise, fall and rise of the Taliban. History lives within its scarred windows and walls. Lyse Doucet, the BBC's Chief International Correspondent, has been checking into the Inter-Continental since 1988. And here, she uses its story to craft a richly immersive history of modern Afghanistan. It is the story of a hotel but also the story of a people.
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Try Hard: Creative Work in Progress
by Max Kerman
Funny, conversational, and relatable, "Try Hard" is for anyone looking to make sense of their own creative pursuit or bring more creativity into their life, offering a framework for how to do it and where to begin. Let's say you see a familiar musician from a globe-trotting, touring band hanging out at your local coffee shop, reading the newspaper and typing away on his laptop. This doesn't look like a musician at work. He seems approachable enough, so you ask him what exactly he does all day. With a grin on his face, he admits the job might not be what you think. So you take a seat, and ask him every question you've ever had about how it all works: the nuts and bolts of writing a song, preparing for a show, marketing a band, and the day-to-day business of a creative life. With each answer--none of it about talent--you realize this musician is a bit of a...try hard. And the mystery of being a creative person isn't actually mysterious at all: it's just exploring ideas with an enthusiastic and determined curiosity. Over and over.
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Sorry, Not Sorry: An Unapologetic Look at What Makes Canada Worth Fighting for
by Mark Critch
Known for his sharp-witted skits on CBC's 'This Hour Has 22 Minutes', Mark Critch uses his keen observational skills to explore Canadian identity and the new wave of Canadian patriotism. "In Sorry, Not Sorry", Critch delves into the heart of what it means to be Canadian at a time when national pride is on the rise. Examining everything from the historical decision of Newfoundland to join Canada, to the modern-day implications of the Freedom Convoy, and the evolving symbolism of the Canadian flag, he reminds us of where we came from, and of the many reasons Canada is worth fighting for--elbows up!
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Theory of Water: Nishnaabe Maps to the Times Ahead
by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson
In this inventive work, Simpson draws on Nishnaabeg origin stories while artfully weaving the work of influential writers and artists alongside her personal memories and experience-and in doing so, reimagines water as a catalyst for radical transformation, capable of birthing a new world. "Theory of Water" is a resonant exploration of an intricate, multi-layered relationship with the most abundant element on our planet-one that, as Simpson eloquently shows, is shaping our present even as it demands a radical rethinking of how we might achieve a just future.
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Soft as Bones: A Memoir
by Chyana Marie Sage
A poetic memoir as intricately woven as a dreamcatcher about overcoming the pain of generational trauma with the power of traditional healing In candid, incisive, and delicate prose, Chyana Marie Sage shares the pain of growing up with her father, a crack dealer who went to prison for molesting her older sister. In revisiting her family's history, Chyana examines the legacy of generational abuse, which began with her father's father, who was forcibly removed from his family by the residential schools and Sixties Scoop programs. Yet hers is also a story of hope, as it was the traditions of her people that saved her life, healing one small piece in the mosaic that makes up the dark past of colonialism shared by Indigenous people throughout Turtle Island.
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How to Breathe Water
by Sharon Butala
A road trip through the prairies prompts acclaimed writer Sharon Butala to unearth the stories of the natural world around her, and at the same time revisit her own personal histories. After an isolating and demoralizing year during the COVID-19 pandemic, a friend invites Sharon Butala to join her on a road trip - together they will drive the thirteen hundred kilometers from Calgary to Winnipeg, stopping as they please along the way. Sharon, relieved for a change of scenery, is keen to see again some of the locations that have been significant to her life on the prairies, including the ranch she lived on for thirty-three years with her husband before his death. But along the way, the sites they visit - landmarks of Indigenous history, sites where her ancestors struggled to eke out a living - prompt Sharon to unearth her own personal history. She sifts through memories of a difficult childhood, of traumas deeply buried, of relationships both complicated and gratifying. Taking stock of the people and places she has lost and left behind brings her to the ultimate confrontation - with mortality - which she explores with uncommon wisdom and frankness.
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Kihiani: A Memoir of Healing
by Susan Aglukark
Profoundly honest and moving, "Kihiani" is the uplifting story of an Inuk artist's journey to healing and self-discovery Born in Fort Churchill, Manitoba, but raised in Arviat, a predominantly Inuit community on the western edges of Hudson Bay, Susan and her six siblings grew up in a humble but loving home. But while living in Rankin Inlet, when she was eight years old, Susan's life was disrupted by a life-changing event, a distinct separation that created a schism inside her for many years and from which she continues to heal. At fifteen, she started writing poems that spilled out of her, and when Susan had the choice to leave her community, she grabbed it like a lifeline. Eventually, Susan was approached by a producer at CBC who was making a compilation album of Arctic artists and years later signed with a major label for her third album, This Child. The disruption and milestones, the turmoil and joy, the devastation and healing--this is Susan Aglukark's story of discovering her Inuk self.
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Queers at the Table: An Illustrated Guide to Queer Food (with Recipes)An anthology of essays, comics, and recipes that reveals the dynamic and transformative relationship between queerness and food. Food has long played an important role in queer culture. Lesbian- and queer women-run feminist restaurants, cafes, and coffeehouses have been safe spaces for queer and trans folk where gender norms can be challenged and where female authority is legitimized. During the AIDS epidemic, gay men and their allies centered food as an expression of collective care for those who needed it most. And queer and trans folk have asserted themselves in a restaurant culture largely controlled by white cisgender men. "Queers at the Table" celebrates the various intersections between queers and food.
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Walking with Beth: Conversations with My Hundred-Year-Old Friend
by Merilyn Simonds
In the spring of 2021, Merilyn Simonds asked her friend Beth Robinson if she'd like to go for a walk. Simonds had just turned 70, still active, still writing, but entering what struck her as a mysterious, even frightening stage of life. Beth, a smart, vibrant woman who'd held a job until she was 99, lived on her own and was as awake to the world as a person half her age. Who better to ask what might come next? During three years of weekly walks, the conversation between the two women only deepened, as they opened up about their heart-felt passions, the lingering influence of their pasts, and their hopes and fears for the future.
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