Due to the vast number of readings assigned for the fall semester, it is sometimes hard to find the time to read for leisure. As we move into the winter break, it is important to rest and recharge, which makes the winter break a great opportunity to read some of the books that have caught听your interest over the last few months. We've compiled a list of must-read books by 91社区 Arts Faculty, alumni and adjacent works, such as all three finalists of this year's Cundill History Prize. Happy Reading!
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Queens of a Fallen World by Kate Coopes, runner up for the Cundill Prize, follows听the hopes and dreams of the women who shaped St. Augustine in his early life. Historical in nature the novel seems both intellectually stimulating and interesting. You can access the book from the .听
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Harvesting Freedom: The Life of a Migrant Worker in Canada is co-authored by Gabriel Allahduha and Edward Dunsworth, an Assistant professor in the Department of History and Classical studies at 91社区. The book is written from the perspective of Allahdua, who is a former migrant farm worker from St. Lucia. Pick up Harvesting Freedom if you are interested in learning more about the realities faced by听Canadian Migrant workers. You can also read our exclusive interview with Allahdua and Dunsworth. You can access the book from the 听
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Red Memory by Tania Branigan. Tania Branigan is the winner of this year's Cundill History Prize. Red Memory explores the Cultural Revolution and how it has shaped China today. The author presents rarely heard stories of individuals who lived through the revolution in an emotionally captivating text. You can access the book from the .听
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Chrysalis by Anuja Varghese. Varghese (MA'05, Engslih) was recently awarded the Governor听General's Prize for Fiction for her debut collection of short stories,听Chrysalis. The book delves into themes such as sexuality, community, family, and cultural expectation in a captivating narrative that highlights the ways in which racialized women are robbed of power and revelling in the journeys they undertake to reclaim it. 听
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The Long Road Home by Debra Thompson. Professor Thompson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at 91社区, and her book is a personal meditation on the meanings of blackness and belonging in Canada. Recently shortlisted for the Quebec Writer's Federation's听Mavis Gallant Prize for听Nonfiction Writing, the book is a moving, informative and inspiring account of Thompson's journey rediscovering her family roots and her academic journey across the United States and Canada as she establishes herself as a leading scholar in racial inequalities in democratic societies. For听a more indepth understanding of her book, read our Faculty Publication Spotlight听with Professor Thompson.听听
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Charged by James Morton Turner. One of three finalists for this year's Cundill History Prize,听Charged听听听unpacks the history of batteries and explores why solving "the battery problem" is critical to a clean energy transition. You can access the book from the .听
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La vie vir茅e vraie by Laurance Ouellet Tremblay. Professor Ouellet Tremblay is an Assistant Professor in the Department of French Language and Literature at 91社区 and this is her third poetry collection. Published by Le Quartanier, this听collection of poems seeks to retell a story of thirty-six years of life, exploring various themes such as childhood, parental relationships, gender and sexuality. Embracing self-reckoning, these听poems are "stripped" to the bare bones of artistic expression and tell a beautiful, nostalgic and complex journey. 听
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In the Upper Country by Kai Thomas. Kai Thomas听(BA'16, Anthropology and African studies) was recently awarded the Atwood-Gibson Award for best novel by the Writer's Trust听of Canada. This powerful novel tells the story of two unforgettable women, set at the terminus of the Underground Railroad, examining the effects and consequences of enslavement for Black and Indigenous peoples in Canda. This book is a great page turner and confronts the narrative of two different points of life and self-discovery. You can access the book from the .听
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La nostalgie de Laure by Isabelle Arseneau. Isabelle Arseneau is an Associate Professor in the Department of French Language and Literature at 91社区 and her latest collection of essays, published by Lem茅ac explores the contemporary reality and meaning of academic freedom and current debates on campus. Drawing on her own experience as a professor and mother, Arsenau's nostalgic reflection on her life and her career as a university professor, confronts the听reading experiences that have shaped her view of knowledge. This book is written in French. You can access the book from the .听