Braille Books Acquired Summer 2024

Welcome

Welcome to Braille Books Acquired. This quarterly newsletter contains a list of Braille books recently acquired by the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA). Previous issues are available at celalibrary.ca/braille-books-acquired.

In this issue:

Announcements

Award winners

Congratulations to these recent award winners whose books are available in braille in our collection:

Patrick DeWitt won the 2024 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour for his book The Librarianist.

Winners from the Indigenous Voices Awards include Alicia Elliott for her book And Then She Fell and Brandi Bird for her poetry collection The All + Flesh.

The Hugo Awards are one of science fiction and fantasy’s most prestigious literary awards. The 2024 winners include Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh for Best Novel, Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher for Best Novella and Imperial Radch by Ann Leckie for Best Series.

Recent delays in production of physical braille

Due to an unexpected delay in acquiring replacement parts for one of the braille embossers, there is a delay in producing embossed braille. The embosser has now been repaired. We apologize for the delays in sending you your books and thank you for your patience as we work through the backlog of requests.

New French braille books available

Thanks to our partnership with Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) we have added 794 French braille titles between April and June. We hope our French braille readers enjoy these new titles.

Upcoming holiday closures for the CELA Contact Centre

Our Contact Centre will be closed on the following dates:

Monday, September 2, 2024 for Labour Day

Monday, October 14, 2024 for Thanksgiving

Monday, November 11, 2024 for Remembrance Day

Our normal business hours will resume the day following the closures.

A note about dates

Although the majority of these books have been published within the last 5 years, there may be some books listed here which are older, but which were only recently added to our collection. To make this clearer for you, we include the date of the print version of each book at the end of its annotation.

Uncontracted braille

Customs and cultures

5822783 See It, Dream It, Do It: How 25 People Just Like You Found Their Dream Jobs by Colleen Nelson, by Kathie MacIsaac

From award-winning author Colleen Nelson, and literacy advocate Kathie MacIsaac, twenty-five profiles present a plethora of jobs, and people, making it easier than ever for young people to see their dreams and to live their dreams! Grades 3-6, Teen. 2023.

Friendship fiction

5746169 Weird Rules to Follow by Kim Spencer

In this novel for middle readers told in vignettes, Mia and her best friend, Lara, have very different experiences growing up in a northern fishing community in the 1980s. Grades 3-6, Teen. 2022.

Multi-cultural fiction

5947943 Rebel Skies (Rebel Skies) by Ann Sei Lin

Ann Sei Lin's enchanting and action-packed debut, first in a series, will sweep readers away to an aerial world of magic, danger and political intrigue. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim, Kalynn Bayron and the films of Studio Ghibli. Kurara has never known any other life than being a servant onboard the Midori, a flying ship serving the military elite of the Mikoshiman Empire, a vast realm of floating cities. Kurara also has a secret, she can make folded paper figures come to life with a flick of her finger. But when the Midori is attacked and Kurara's secret turns out to be a power treasured across the empire, a gut-wrenching escape leads her to the gruff Himura, who takes her under his wing. Under Himura's tutelage, and with the grudging support and friendship of his crew, Kurara learns to hunt shikigami wild paper spirits sought after by the Princess of Mikoshima. But what does the princess really want with the shikigami? Are they merely enchanted figures without will or thought, or are they beings with souls and minds of their own? As fractures begin to appear both across the empire and within Kurara's understanding of herself, Kurara will have to decide who she can trust. Her fate, and the fate of her friends and even the world, may rest on her choice. And time is running out. Grade 7. 2024.

General non-fiction

5933387 Envoy Connect User Guide by CELA

This user guide refers to the description, features and functions of the Envoy Connect player. 2024.

Fiction printbraille

Family stories

5822593 Cocoa Magic by Sandra Bradley and Gabrielle Grimard

In a story where empathy and generosity shine as much as the tempered chocolates, eight-year-old Daniel learns from his chocolatier great-uncle and discovers how much comfort a small act of kindness can bring. Grades P-2. 2022.

Friendship stories

5905078 How to Party Like a Snail by Naseem Hrab

An introverted snail throws his own kind of party to celebrate all things quiet. He likes parties but not the rowdy and noisy ones. After several attempts and adventures, he comes to the conclusion that the key to a good party is to do things your own way, but most of all, sharing this fun time with a good friend, even if he is also an introvert. With comics-style storytelling and lovable characters, this hilarious tale makes quiet so fun that even the most extroverted readers will want to SHHHelebrate! Grades 1-2. 2022.

General fiction

5981839 Granny Left Me a Rocket Ship by Heather Smith

From award-winning author Heather Smith, a heartwarming story about loss and remembering. When Granny dies, a child and their family remember her through the things she left behind: a tuba for the father, a locket for the mother, a microscope for the sister and records for the brother. To the main character, though, Granny left something different: a world of adventure, that they visit with their memories. Through imaginative play with items that belonged to Granny, the child travels near and far. And Granny is right beside them, along for the ride. Children, and grown-ups, will be moved by the message, our loved ones can stay close, as long as we can imagine them. Grades P-2. 2023.

5981836 The Blanket Where Violet Sits by Allan Wolf

Cozy and expansive at once, this warm bedtime book reminds us that our aspirations no matter how big deserve the universe. A gorgeous picture-book ode to wonder and safety, told in cumulative rhyme and with earthy illustrations evoking brick brownstones and crisp autumn skies. In a galaxy spiraling white, on a small blue planet with a moon so pretty, in a green park in a bustling city, a little girl sits on a blanket with her family, eating a sandwich, an apple, and chips. Equipped with telescope and space book, Violet gazes up into the great beyond, imagining a rocket ride to the stars and a soft, sleepy return to her blanket. Lyrical and meditative, this is the perfect picture book to savor and share during a late-night picnic under the moon or anytime. Grades P-2. 2022.

6010534 Too Much: My Great Big Native Family by Laurel Goodluck

A little boy wants a chance to shine on his own but discovers that being apart from his large and lively Native family isn’t necessarily better in this heartwarming and humorous picture book. When Russell gets a part in the school play, he lights up like a shining star and he can’t wait to tell his big, boisterous Native family the exciting news. But catching their attention when they all get together feels impossible; no matter where they go, they seem to be too noisy, too many, and just too much! Russell decides to keep his big debut to himself and fly solo for once but being alone may not be the answer. After all, there’s no such thing as too much love, and when he needs them most, his great big family knows how to be just enough. Grades P-4. 2024.

Historical fiction

5981838 Freddie the Flyer by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail and Fred Carmichael

A gorgeous picture book that pays homage to aviator Freddie Carmichael, the first Indigenous commercial pilot in the Arctic, with each month of the year highlighting moments from his life, the beauty of the North and the power of dreams. When Freddie was young, he saw a plane up close for the first time when it dropped off supplies at his family’s remote bush camp. He was instantly hooked. Freddie has flown for nearly seventy years, doing everything from supply runs to search and rescue to transporting dog teams to far-flung areas.This book celebrates Freddie’s early dreams of flying and his later achievements. Readers move with Freddie through the year, hearing about his journey as a pilot and leader, while learning the names of the months in Gwichin and Inuvialuktun at the same time. Art from Inuvialuit painter Audrea Loreen-Wulf perfectly captures the incredible Western Arctic as well as Freddie’s love for aviation. Grades P-2. 2023.

Multicultural fiction

5905082 The Perfect Sushi by Emily Satoko Seo

Miko likes things to be perfect. When she makes lopsided sushi for her grandmother’s birthday, she replaces it with perfectly formed sushi created by a restaurant robot. Upon delivering her gift, Miko discovers that kokoro (heart) not impeccability is the key ingredient to the perfect present. Sprinkled with engaging onomatopoeia, this unique title is infused with Japanese culture and delivers a universal message about the value of intention. A do-it-yourself sushi recipe is included. Grades P-4. 2023.

Non-fiction printbraille

Indigenous people in Canada

5867285 Every Child Matters by Phyllis Webstad and Karlene Harvey

Learn the meaning behind the phrase, 'Every Child Matters' Orange Shirt Day founder, Phyllis Webstad, offers insights into this heartfelt movement. Every Child Matters honours the history and resiliency of Indigenous Peoples on Turtle Island and moves us all forward on a path toward Truth and Reconciliation. If you're a Residential School Survivor or an Intergenerational Survivor, you matter. For the children who didn't make it home, you matter. The child inside every one of us matters. Every Child Matters. Grades 1-6. 2023.

Women biography

5888850 Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior by Carole Lindstrom

From New York Times bestselling picture book author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Bridget George comes Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior, an inspiring picture book biography about two Indigenous Rights Activists, Josephine Mandamin and Autumn Peltier. The seventh generation is creating a sea of change. It was a soft voice, at first. Like a ripple. But with practice it grew louder. Indigenous women have long cared for the land and water, which in turn sustains all life on Earth honoring their ancestors and providing for generations to come. Yet there was a time when their voices and teachings were nearly drowned out, leaving entire communities and environments in danger and without clean water. But then came Grandma Josephine and her great-niece, Autumn Peltier. Featuring a foreword from water advocate and Indigenous Rights Activist Autumn Peltier herself, this stunning picture book from New York Times-bestselling author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Bridget George gives voice to the water and asks young readers to join the tidal wave of change. Grades P-4. 2023.

Fiction for children and young adults

General fiction

5822095 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. 5 volumes.

In 1991 Charlie is a high school freshman, reeling from his only friend's recent suicide. In a series of letters, the overly sensitive and intelligent Charlie describes making friends with two seniors, who are step-siblings, and growing up with their help. Teen. 1999.

Non-fiction for children and young adults

Adventure and exploration

5812557 Read For Your Life: Tales of Survival From the Editors of Read Magazine. 3 volumes.

Ten stories of survival that depend on life-and-death choices. Collection includes depictions of the fateful Donner Party excursion to California in 1846 and the crash of Air Florida Flight 90 in 1982. Grades 6-9 and older readers. 1998.

Environment

5822093 Generation React: Activism for Beginners by Danny Seo

Based on his personal experience starting Earth 2000, an animal rights and environmental science activist, Seo presents a step-by-step manual for concerned young people to change the world. Includes tips on fundraising, changing school policy, and conducting a consumer boycott. Shares organizational skills and public relations information. Teen. 1997.

Food and drink

5812679 Kids are Natural Cooks: Child-Tested Recipes for Home and School Using Natural Foods by Roz Ault and Parent's Nursery School. 3 volumes.

Dozens of natural food recipes arranged by seasons give simple instructions for nutritious treats. Grades 3-6. 1974.

LGBTQ - biography

5868526 Pride and Persistence: Stories of Queer Activism (Do You Know My Name? #4) by Mary Fairhurst Breen. 1 volume.

The activists between these pages have stood up for the queer community, whether on their own behalf or in support of people they love. Some made a difference by confronting injustice; others dared to be fully themselves. Grades 3-7, Teen. 2023.

Nature

5812369 Keeping Water Clean by Ewan McLeish. 2 volumes.

Explains worldwide water problems, including pollution and shortages, and suggests ways to prevent future crises. Gives advice on how individuals can practice conservation at home and in school. Includes a glossary and resources for further information. Grades 3-6. 1998.

Science and technology

5812465 Girls & Young Women Inventing: Twenty True Stories About Inventors Plus How You Can Be One Yourself by Frances A Karnes. 4 volumes.

Profiles of twenty young female inventors arranged by type of invention. The authors explain the inventing process and how to turn an idea into a product. Also included are listings of organizations to contact, motivational quotations, and facts about female inventors in history. Grades 5-8. 1995.

5822126 The First Book of Automobiles by Jeanne Bendick. 5 volumes.

An explanation of how cars work, how they are designed and manufactured, different kinds of cars and trucks, and information on car gadgets, games, and rules. Grades 4-6. 1971.

Fiction for adults

Anthologies

4698691 Kiss Me Again by Lisa Jackson, Lori Foster, Suzanne Forster and Debbie Macomber. 9 volumes.

Four short stories about women who find love in different ways. In "The Marrying Kind" by Debbie Macomber, Jason Ingram meets his first true love a few days before his wedding. In "The Brass Ring" by Lisa Jackson, Dr. Shawna McGuire's fiance has amnesia. Explicit descriptions of sex. 2005.

Family stories

5905085 We Rip the World Apart: A Novel by Charlene Carr. 8 volumes.

A sweeping multi-generational story about motherhood, race and secrets in the lives of three women, perfect for readers of Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half and David Chariandy’s Brother. When 24-year-old Kareela discovers she is pregnant with a child she isn’t sure she wants, it amplifies her struggle to understand her place in the world as a woman who is half-Black and half-white, yet feels neither. Her mother, Evelyn, fled to Canada with her husband and their first-born child, Antony, during the politically charged Jamaican Exodus of the 1980s, only to realize they’d come to a place where Black men are viewed with suspicion a constant and pernicious reality Evelyn watches her husband and son navigate daily. Years later, in the aftermath of Antony’s murder by the police, Evelyn’s mother-in-law, Violet, moves in, offering young Kareela a link to the Jamaican heritage she has never fully known. Despite Violet’s efforts to help them through their grief, the traumas they carry grow into a web of secrets that threatens the very family they all hold so dear. Back in the present, Kareela, prompted by fear and uncertainty about the new life she carries, must come to terms with the mysteries surrounding her family’s past and the need to make sense of both her identity and her future. Weaving the women’s stories across multiple timelines, We Rip the World Apart reveals the ways that simple choices, made in the heat of the moment and with the best of intentions, can have deeper repercussions than could ever have been imagined, especially when people remain silent. 2024.

Fantasy

5990005 Adherent by Chris W Kim

The residents of an isolated village in a dreamlike world scavenge for supplies in the surrounding forest, collecting scattered items left over from a long time past. No one strays far from this community, fearing what may lie beyond it. When they find a stack of notebooks by an unknown author, a young villager becomes obsessed with their contents. She sets out on a quest to find the writer. As she ventures into the unknown, she discovers a world both barren and increasingly complex. The closer she gets to her goal, the more she realizes that the encounter she's been seeking probably won't be what she wanted. 2023.

General fiction

5990009 Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

Production note: This title was created through eBOUND's Literary Image Description project. The author and illustrator wrote or consulted on the image descriptions, which are included in the body and narration of the text. Katie heads out west to take advantage of Alberta's oil rush-part of the long tradition of East Coasters who seek gainful employment elsewhere when they can't find it in the homeland they love so much. Katie encounters the harsh reality of life in the oil sands, where trauma is an everyday occurrence yet is never discussed. Beaton's natural cartooning prowess is on full display as she draws colossal machinery and mammoth vehicles set against a sublime Albertan backdrop of wildlife, northern lights, and boreal forest. Her first full length graphic narrative, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands is an untold story of Canada: a country that prides itself on its egalitarian ethos and natural beauty while simultaneously exploiting both the riches of its land and the humanity of its people. 2022.

5990012 Plummet by Sherwin Tjia

Production note: This title was created through eBOUND's Literary Image Description project. The author and illustrator wrote or consulted on the image descriptions, which are included in the body and narration of the text. "When Amelia "Mel" Eichenwald wakes up one morning, she finds herself in endless freefall towards an Earth that is no longer there, surrounded by the junk of human existence. From high heels to houses, billions of random items drop alongside her like fallout from an exploded mall. Plummet follows Mel as she attempts to survive, find allies, and negotiating the balance between becoming prey or predator. What makes us human and what keeps us human when gravity is all there is? How do you take a stand when there is literally no place to sit?" 2019.

Women sleuths

5924290 The Sultan of Sarawak: An Ava Lee Novel: The Triad Years (An Ava Lee Novel #14) by Ian Hamilton. 7 volumes.

Ava Lee clashes with the most powerful family in Malaysian Borneo in this exhilarating new thriller from bestselling author Ian Hamilton. 2022.

Non-fiction for adults

Animals and wildlife

5812224 Dog Is My Co-Pilot by Bark Editors. 8 volumes.

Anthology of essays, short stories, and expert commentaries celebrating the unique bond between humans and their dogs. Over forty selections chosen by the editors of a California-based dog magazine pay tribute to the very first meeting between man and animal, pack dynamics, canine wisdom, and the poignancy of friendship and loss. 2003.

5812306 Great Vacations For You & Your Dog, USA, 2001-02 by Valley House Books. 12 volumes.

State-by-state listings of U.S. facilities that accept dogs. Categories include dog camps, ranches, resorts, hotels, lodges, cabins, and campgrounds. Includes a description of each entry, the pet policy, and the 2001-02 rates. Also gives suggestions for vacationing with a dog in five major cities and general tips on traveling. 2001.

5812278 The ASPCA Complete Guide to Pet Care by David Carroll. 13 volumes.

Detailed information on all aspects of domestic animal maintenance including choosing an appropriate pet, where to find it, bringing it home, housebreaking, health concerns, travel, and grieving. Covers common and uncommon house pets: cats, dogs, birds, snakes, lizards, turtles, ferrets, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, and guinea pigs. 2001.

Biography

5812386 Christmas in Plains: Memories by Jimmy Carter. 2 volumes.

Carter, who served as the thirty-ninth president of the United States, reminisces about family Christmases over the years, beginning with his childhood on a Georgia farm, through his years in the U.S. Navy, the Georgia governor's mansion, the White House, and then back to Plains. Bestseller. 2001.

Criticism

5886029 The Dears: Lost in the Plot (Bibliophonic #1) by Lorraine Carpenter. 2 volumes.

Over a decade after the release of their first album, The Dears have weathered the indie fringes, the collapse of the music industry as we knew it and the near implosion of the band itself, with their creative vision and gang dynamic intact. The Dears: Lost in the Plot looks at how The Dears survived the fallout, and helped launch the acclaimed mid-aughts music scene in their hometown of Montreal. The Dears: Lost in the Plot is the first book in Invisible Publishings new Bibliophonic series. The Bibliophonic Series is a catalogue of the ongoing history of contemporary music. Each book is a time capsule, capturing artists and their work as we see them, providing a unique look at some of today’s most exciting musicians. 2011.

Disabilities

5812284 Braille Books, 2001-2002 by Library Of Congress. 9 volumes.

A catalog of braille books produced during 2001 and 2002 by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Separate sections list fiction and nonfiction by subject categories. Young adult books and Grade 1 braille books are also included. 2002.

5931821 Letters with Smokie: Blindness and More-than-Human Relations by Rod Michalko and Dan Goodley. 4 volumes.

Letters with Smokie captures an epistolic exchange between Dan Goodley and Rod Michalko, or rather, Rod Michalko's late guide dog, Smokie. A lively exploration of human-animal relationships and disability as disruption, disturbance, and art, the book offers a refreshing re-evaluation of cultural misunderstandings of disability. 2023.

5812523 The Braille Cookbook: Compiled for the Benefit of the Blind Housewife by Marjorie S. Hooper. 4 volumes.

A work prepared especially to meet the needs of blind cooks. It contains not only a variety of recipes, but also purchasing and storage hints, including information on buying suitable cuts of meat and timetables for cooking. 1951.

5867269 We've Got This: Essays by Disabled Parents by Eliza Hull. 5 volumes.

The first major anthology by parents with disabilities. How does a father who is blind take his child to the park? How is a mother with dwarfism treated when she walks her child down the street? How do Deaf parents know when their baby cries in the night? When writer and musician Eliza Hull was pregnant with her first child, like most parents-to-be she was a mix of excited and nervous. But as a person with a disability, there were added complexities. She wondered: Will the pregnancy be too hard? Will people judge me? Will I cope with the demands of parenting? More than 15 percent of people worldwide live with a disability, and many of them are also parents. And yet their stories are rarely shared, their experiences almost never reflected in parenting literature. In We’ve Got This, parents around the world who identify as deaf, disabled, or chronically ill discuss the highs and lows of their parenting journeys and reveal that the greatest obstacles lie in other peoples attitudes. The result is a moving, revelatory, and empowering anthology that tackles ableism head-on. As Rebekah Taussig writes, “Parenthood can tangle with grief and loss. Disability can include joy and abundance. And goddammit disabled parents exist.” 2023.

Environment

5812385 Four Wings and a Prayer: Caught in the Mystery of the Monarch Butterflies by Sue Halpern. 5 volumes.

Describes a trip into Mexico accompanying a cowboy entomologist tracking the monarch's migration. Combines scientific knowledge and research on this butterfly population, profiles of people who study and follow monarchs, and travel adventures. 2001.

Food and drink

5812318 Best-Ever Cake Decorating by Angela Nilsen. 8 volumes.

Step-by-step instructions for decorating over 100 cakes in both classic and contemporary designs. Provides basic cake and frosting recipes, royal and butter icings, marzipan, and glace. Describes techniques for creating novelty baked items for special occasions, holidays, and children's parties, elephants, beehives, clowns, and dinosaurs. 1999.

5812545 Le Cordon Bleu Classic French Cookbook by Deni Bown, by Cordon Bleu and Rose Elliot. 7 volumes.

One hundred classic recipes to celebrate the cooking school's centenary. Includes first courses, such as vichyssoise; main courses, such as duck breasts with pistachios; and desserts, such as chocolate and Cointreau gateau. A section on techniques provides the beginner with the basics for becoming a successful cook. 1994.

5812517 New Cook Book by Jennifer Darling. 35 volumes.

Twelve hundred recipes designed to reflect the healthier eating habits sought by many Americans. After a chapter covering cooking basics, twenty sections range from appetizers to vegetables, with nutritional information for each recipe. Where applicable, recipes are marked as quick to prepare or low in fat. 1996.

5812519 The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Cookbook by The Editors of Southern Living and Oxmoor House Staff. 2 volumes.

More than seventy-five shrimp recipes from Southern Living and reflections ("Bubba was my best good friend, and even I know that's something you can't just find around the corner") from a Winston Groom novel that became a popular movie about a very simple, very likeable person, Forrest Gump, who started the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Includes shrimp dishes to bake, barbecue, boil, fry, saute, and combine with sauce or slaw. 1994.

History

5812208 Red Dust: A Path Through China by Jian Ma. 8 volumes.

Disgusted with his personal problems and job in Beijing, a thirty-year-old artist becomes a Buddhist monk and buys a train ticket to Urumqi. He embarks on a three-year journey to reach Tibet, searching for spiritual enlightenment and describing the hardships of traveling in China's remote areas. Some strong language. 2001.

Home and garden

2423897 The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do by Samantha Ettus. 6 volumes.

Tips and pointers from specialists in their fields covering personal and professional situations. Provides advice on the best way to apply lipstick, tie a Windsor knot, handle job interviews, make conversation, give and receive compliments, do laundry, be a good houseguest, kiss, and plan and pack for a trip. 2004.

Humour

5880445 The Road Years: A Memoir, Continued . . . by Rick Mercer. 6 volumes.

THE INSTANT #1 BESTSELLER Rick Mercer is back again with the eagerly awaited sequel to his bestselling memoir. At the end of his memoir, Talking to Canadians, Rick Mercer was poised to make the biggest leap yet in his extraordinary career. Having overcome a serious lack of promise as a schoolboy and risen through the showbiz ranks as an aspiring actor, star of a surprisingly successful one-man show about the Meech Lake Accord, co-founder of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, creator and star of the dark-comedy sitcom Made in Canada, he was about to tackle his biggest opportunity yet. The Road Years picks up the story at that exciting point, with the greenlighting of what would become Rick Mercer Report. Plans for the show, of course, included political satire and Rick’s patented rants. But Rick and his partner, Gerald Lunz, were also determined to do something that comedy tends to avoid as too challenging: they would emphasize the positive. Rick would travel from coast to coast to coast in search of everything that’s best about Canada, especially its people. He found a lot to celebrate, naturally, and was rewarded with a huge audience and a run of 15 seasons. The Road Years tells the inside story of that stupendous success. A time when Rick was heading to another town or military base, sports centre, national park to try dogsledding, chainsaw carving, and bear tagging; hang from a harness (a lot); ride the Train of Death; plus countless other joyous and/or reckless assignments. Added to the mix were encounters with the country’s great. Every living prime minister. Rock and roll royalty from Rush to Randy Bachman. Olympians and Paralympians. A skinny-dipping Bob Rae. And Jann Arden, of course, who gets a chapter to herself. Along the way he even found the time to visit several countries in Africa and co-found and champion the charity Spread the Net, which has gone on to protect the lives of millions. Join the celebration, and revive a wealth of happy memories, with what is Rick Mercer’s funniest, most fascinating book yet. 2023.

Inspirational and family life

4659496 A Continual Feast: Words of Comfort and Celebration Collected By Father Tim by Jan Karon. 2 volumes.

Words of wisdom, faith, and encouragement, as well as lively ideas, humor, commonsense advice, and more, that fictional Father Tim of Mitford has collected over the years from writers, philosophers, and the Bible. Companion to Patches of Godlight. 2005.

4673538 Patches of Godlight: Father Tim's Favorite Quotes by Jan Karon. 2 volumes.

Collection of favorite quotes and passages that have a special meaning for fictional Father Tim. They are drawn from the works of poets, humorists, clerics, philosophers, and others. Companion to A Continual Feast. 2001.

Journals and memoirs

5886035 The Utility of Boredom: Baseball Essays by Andrew Forbes. 2 volumes.

Spitball literary essays on the off-kilter joys, sorrows and wonder of North America’s national pastime. A collection of essays for ardent seamheads and casual baseball fans alike, This book is about finding respite and comfort in the order, traditions, and rituals of baseball. It’s a sport that shows us what a human being might be capable of, with extreme dedication whether we’re eating hot dogs in the stands, waiting out a rain delay in our living rooms, or practising the lost art of catching a stray radio signal from an out-of-market broadcast. From learning about America through ball-diamond visits to the most famous triple play, that never happened on Canadian soil, Forbes invites us to witness the adult conversing with the O-Pee-Chee baseball cards of his youth. Tender, insightful, and with the slow heartbreak familiar to anyone who is cheered on a losing team, The Utility of Boredom tells us a thing or two about the sport, and how a seemingly trivial game might help us make sense of our messy lives. 2016.

Literature

5812522 The Great War and Modern Memory by Paul Fussell. 13 volumes.

Fussell, a professor of English literature and winner of the 1976 National Book Award for Arts and Letters, explores how historical events and society's record of those events interact. He looks at the British experience during World War I through the eyes of the writers Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves, and Edmund Blunden; through the poetry of David Jones, Isaac Rosenberg, and Wilfred Owen; and through amateur memoirs of the men in the trenches. 2013.

Music

5812542 The Beatles Anthology. 22 volumes.

Chronicle of the innovative English rock group comprised of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon, from their childhoods in Liverpool until their split in 1970. Based largely on a 1994 television documentary series, the book features interviews with the four musicians and their close associates. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2000.

5812384 The Metropolitan Opera Stories of the Great Operas by John W. Freeman. 20 volumes.

Describes the plots of 150 world-famous operas, featuring works from sixteenth-century Italy through twentieth-century America. Seventy-two composers are presented in alphabetical order. Biographical sketches of the composers precede the opera entries, each of which includes a list of characters and a summary of each act. 1984.

Poetry

5812382 The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. 26 volumes.

John Ciardi's faithful translation of Dante's classic epic poem in its entirety. Dante describes being lost in a frightening forest, meeting the poet Virgil, and being conducted by Virgil through hell ("Inferno"), purgatory ("Purgatorio"), and paradise ("Paradiso"). 1970.

Psychology

5812366 Houdini's Box: The Art of Escape by Adam Phillips. 4 volumes.

British psychotherapist explores the intentions of escape artists and the meaning of escape in a broader sense. Phillips's discussion of Houdini's compulsion to perform dangerous feats is interwoven with pertinent extracts from therapeutic case studies and examples from literature and literary history, such as the long seclusion of the poet Emily Dickinson. 2001.

Religion

5812383 Dancing in the Water of Life: Seeking Peace in the Hermitage by Thomas Merton. 13 volumes.

In these diaries the monk and author chronicles the years during which he struggled to reconcile his life of contemplation with his interest in the reform movements of the church and society. As Merton pondered the "absurdity" of worldly concerns, he continued to enjoy "dancing in the water of life." 2009.

Science and technology

5812678 Mysteries of the Mummies: The Story of the Unwrapping of a 2,000-year-old Mummy by a Team of Experts by A. Rosalie David. 4 volumes.

An account of how scientists and archaeologists have adopted new methods to further reveal the secrets of the past, as in the postmortem examination of a young girl dead for more than 2,000 years. Includes a brief explanation of Egyptian history and burial rituals. 1978.

5812368 The Neptune File: A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting by Tom Standage. 6 volumes.

Chronicles events surrounding the 1840s discovery of the eighth planet from the Sun. Describes how British mathematician John Couch Adams deduced Neptune's existence from formulas in work ignored by Britain's royal astronomer. Then Frenchman Urbain Le Verrier reached a conclusion similar to that of Adams, sparking a race to view the planet. 2000.

Sports and games

5812538 The Best of Outside: The First 20 Years by Outside Magazine Editors. 14 volumes.

Thirty-one essays recount experiences and interactions with nature. Written by a variety of enthusiasts, the pieces depict outdoor and ecological activities. Mountain climbing, hunting, fishing, and systematically removing plastic bags from the tops of trees in New York City are a few of the topics presented. Some strong language. 1997.

5783315 Undisputed: A Champion's Life by Donovan Bailey. 6 volumes.

A memoir of Olympic glory, the value of mentorship and the courage to champion your own excellence, from the long-reigning world's fastest man, Canadian sprinting legend Donovan Bailey. From the lush fields of his boyhood in Jamaica, to the basketball courts of Oakville, where he came of age in one of Canada’s most thriving cultural mosaics, to his sprint toward double Olympic gold for Canada in Atlanta in 1996, Donovan Bailey got a long way on natural talent. But he also learned that in the bureaucratic world of Canadian sports, an athlete who didn't come up in the system needed to take charge of his fate if he was going to become the world’s best. As he ascended from outsider to dominant athlete, others didn’t always understand the rigour at work behind Bailey’s confident demeanour. He’d learned from watching Muhammad Ali that a champion needed to act like a champion. But media grew fixated on the sprinter’s immodesty, the likes of which they never saw from Canadian athletes, especially track athletes in the wake of the Ben Johnson doping scandal at Seoul in 1988. Bailey was having none of it, and when he called out Canada's subtle racism and contradicted the prevailing idea most Canadians had of their country, he left in his wake a media uproar and cracked wide open the nation’s moral complacency. In addition to his unforgettable 100-metre and 4x100 relay gold-medal sprints in Atlanta, Bailey's track career was a litany of records and rare accomplishments, including his audacious 1997 race in Toronto's SkyDome against American 200-metre Olympic champion Michael Johnson to determine who was really the world’s fastest man. There was no disputing the result. Bailey had been coached in success before he was seriously coached in athletics. Following the lead of his father, a machinist-turned-real estate investor, Bailey became a millionaire by the age of 21, an experience he continues to draw on as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Frank about his dominance on the track and unapologetic for expecting as much of those around him as he expects of himself. Undisputed is an athlete's story that refuses to settle for second best. 2023.

United States history

4680256 Posterity: Letters of Great Americans to their Children by Dorie McCullough Lawson. 9 volumes.

Presents parental messages of advice, wisdom, humor, and affection from authors, explorers, presidents, inventors, and soldiers. Includes Carl Sandburg, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, George Patton, Woody Guthrie, Abigail Adams, and Eleanor Roosevelt among others. Grouped by general theme, the selections span four centuries and are introduced with contextual commentary. 2004.

War

4677639 Forever a Soldier: Unforgettable Stories of Wartime Service / [edited by] Tom Wiener. 9 volumes.

Veterans recall experiences of battle from World War I to the war in Iraq. Soldiers' letters, diaries, memoirs, and oral histories provide personal accounts of D-Day, the Tet offensive, heroic actions, and sinking ships. Includes an interview with Senator John McCain about his captivity in Vietnam. 2005.

5812285 Naked in Baghdad: The Iraq War As Seen By National Public Radio's Correspondent Anne Garrels by Anne Garrels. 5 volumes.

Veteran National Public Radio correspondent Anne Garrels, embedded with the U.S. military forces in Baghdad, chronicles her observations before and during the 2003 second Gulf War. Includes e-mails that her husband, Vint Lawrence, sent while she was gone and describes hardships endured by her Iraqi driver, Amer. 2003.