SPRING (AND READING) IS IN BLOOM
Spring has arrived on campus. As the weather is always unpredictable this time of the year, here are some tried and true reading recommendations for the rain or shine. If you are like me though, you might find it a daunting task to decide what to read, given the myriad of options available.
Here are some books to read as the seasons change over in case you are bored with your class readings.
Winter — Olive
Love Lies Here by Rowan Jetté Knox
I highly recommend Love Lies Here by Rowan Jetté Knox. The story takes place in Ottawa and is about Knox’s transgender daughter’s transition from his perspective. The story is an important perspective and one that is not always portrayed in the stories of transgender people. I also think it will help garner acceptance for the trans community, especially in this current political climate where transgender rights are under attack by conservative politicians.
101 Essays That Will Change Your Life and the Way You Think by Brianna Wiest
101 Essays That Will Change Your Life and the Way You Think by Brianna Wiest is an amazing book to start off 2024. It provides meaningful, thought-provoking essays to help inspire. These essays help to set goals and spark ideas for self-improvement in the new year.
Denison Avenue by Christina Wong and Daniel Innes
Denison Avenue by Christina Wong and Daniel Innes is another book to read this year. The story is set in Toronto’s Chinatown and is the story of the gentrification of the area. It is the story of a Chinese elder and the way they experience aging as the neighbourhood they grew up in begins to shift and change. The story is interesting because it illuminates stories of ordinary people and neighbours in a way that portrays what you didn’t know about them.
No matter what genre or book you read I hope you are able to get cozy and read a book. I also highly recommend supporting a local bookstore. We are so lucky to have access to so many here in Ottawa like Black Squirrel Books, Perfect Books and Librarie du Soleil.. You should also get a library card and I highly suggest it because it’s free! It also allows you to use library computers, access movies, audiobooks and more.
Spring — Sydney
Consumed by Aja Barber
Spring means the return of sundresses and new bathing suits. Brands know this and take advantage of people’s excitement to sell more unnecessary goods.
To learn more about the need for collective change regarding fast fashion, students should read Consumed by Aja Barber. Not only is this book relatable and easy to read, but it also gives practical advice on how to navigate the world as a consumer when all the powers of marketing are working against you.
The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
Originally written in 1982 by Alice Walker, this visionary novel has recently been adapted into a movie, starring Halle Bailey. Given a second life in the spotlight due to this adaptation, the novel has stood the test of time. Written entirely in letters addressed to God and others the book questions the consolation provided by spirituality in distressing and turbulent moments.
Join Walker in her search for autonomy in this new light of spring.
Disappearing Moon Cafe by Sky Lee
Very few books apart from Disappearing Moon Cafe are able to span so many generations, continents and themes and remain relevant. Stretching from nineteenth-century British Columbia to late twentieth-century Hong Kong this book follows four generations of women who are Chinese immigrants to Canada. The women reckon the secrets kept by their ancestors as they struggle with what it means to be a racialized women in a strange country.
Murder, love, scandal and betrayal intertwine with history, race, and gender in this unforgettable story.
Correction: This article was updated March 28, 1:23 pm to correct the author’s credentials to Brianna Weist. An earlier version of this story attributed ‘101 Essays that Will The Way You Think’ to Paul Angone. The Fulcrum apologizes for this mistake.
