Recommended Reading

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Whiskey in a teacup : what growing up in the South taught me about life, love, and baking biscuits
Witherspoon, Reese

Academy Award–winning actress, producer, and entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon invites you into her world, where she infuses the southern style, parties, and traditions she loves with contemporary flair and charm.Reese Witherspoon’s grandmother Dorothea always said that a combination of beauty and strength made southern women “whiskey in a teacup.” We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside we’re strong and fiery.Reese’s southern heritage informs her whole life, and she loves sharing the joys of southern living with practically everyone she meets. She takes the South wherever she goes with bluegrass, big holiday parties, and plenty of Dorothea’s fried chicken. It’s reflected in how she entertains, decorates her home, and makes holidays special for her kids—not to mention how she talks, dances, and does her hair (in these pages, you will learn Reese’s fail-proof, only slightly insane hot-roller technique). Reese loves sharing Dorothea’s most delicious recipes as well as her favorite southern traditions, from midnight barn parties to backyard bridal showers, magical Christmas mornings to rollicking honky-tonks.It’s easy to bring a little bit of Reese’s world into your home, no matter where you live. After all, there’s a southern side to every place in the world, right?

Live long and... what I learned along the way
Shatner, William

If you love me : a mother's journey through her daughter's opioid addiction
Cavanagh, Maureen

The founder of the Magnolia New Beginnings nonprofit peer-support group shares the story of her confrontation with the opioid epidemic in the wake of her daughter's sudden and brutal battle with substance abuse.

Dam Busters : Canadian airmen and the secret raid against Nazi Germany
Barris, Theodore

It was a night that changed the Second World War. The secret air raid against the hydroelectric dams of German's Ruhr River took years to plan, involved an untried bomb and included the best aircrews the RAF Bomber Command could muster, many of them Canadian. The raid marked the first time the Allies successfully took the war inside Nazi Germany. It was a mission that became legendary. On May 16, 1943, nineteen Lancaster bombers filled with 133 airmen took off on a night mission code-named Operation Chastise. Hand-picked and specially trained, the Lancaster crews flew at treetop level to the industrial heartland of the Third Reich and their targets the Ruhr River dams, whose massive water reservoirs powered Nazi Germany's military industrial complex. Each Lancaster carried an explosive that, when released just sixty feet over the reservoirs, bounced like a skipping stone to the dam, sank and exploded. The raiders breached two dams and severely damaged a third. The resulting torrent devastated power plants, factories and infrastructure a hundred miles downstream. Every one of the 133 airmen on the mission understood that the odds of survival were low. Of the nineteen bombers outbound, eight did not return. Operation Chastise cost the lives of fifty-three airmen, including fourteen Canadians. Of the sixteen RCAF men who survived, seven received military decorations. Based on personal accounts, flight logs, maps and photographs of the Canadians involved, Dam Busters recounts the dramatic story of these young Commonwealth bomber crews that were tasked with a high-risk mission against an enemy prepared to defend the Fatherland to the death.

Sandwiches without bread : 100 low-carb, gluten-free options!
Polukarova, Daria

Impress your family, friends, and coworkers by completely revamping your lunch routine!

Healing the soul of a woman : how to overcome your emotional wounds
Meyer, Joyce

Can a woman who has been deeply hurt by life's circumstances be healed, heart and soul? If she has been wounded by a man she loved and trusted, can she love and trust again? As a woman who endured years of abuse, abandonment, and betrayal by those closest to her, Joyce Meyer can answer with a resounding "yes!" Meyer's positivity comes from living her own journey, and from seeing so many women who don't believe they can fully overcome their pain--or even know where to begin--find the guidance they need in the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. Meyer's bestseller Beauty for Ashes told of her personal story of healing. Now, with the passage of more time, HEALING THE SOUL OF A WOMAN delves deeper into Joyce's story and the journey of healing for all women. Each chapter guides you through whatever obstacles may be holding you back to find your true destiny as God's beloved. God can heal all pain, and He wants to do this in you. Let HEALING THE SOUL OF A WOMAN be the first step toward the wonderful, joyful future God intends for you.

Total transition : the human side of the renewable energy revolution
Pai, Sandeep

In business with bees : how to expand, sell, and market honey bee products and services including pollination, bees and queens, beeswax, honey, and more
Flottum, Kim

'The only way to save the honey bee is to save the beekeeper. All the rest comes in second,' says bestselling author and beekeeping expert Kim Flottum. Here, Flottum shows you how to save bees, beekeepers, and your business. He'll take serious beekeepers past the early stages and learning curves and offer practical, useful advice for converting your passion into a part-time or full-time career with measurable results. This beekeeping business how-to guide offers all of the in-depth answers to the questions you didn't know you had.

Empowered boundaries : speaking truth, setting boundaries, and inspiring social change
Storm, Cristien

"An invaluable resource on boundary-setting practices for anyone looking to challenge our default social conditioning and create empowered relationships and communities. As there have been increases in violence against women, people of color, immigrants, and LGBTQI-identified people, there has been a corresponding demand for individual and community self-defense, boundary setting, and bystander trainings that are grounded in an understanding of the complexities and intersections of power and privilege. Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault are reporting that the current political moment is bringing up past trauma as well as emboldening attitudes of toxic masculinity and hetero-patriarchy, alongside an increase in incidents of violence and abuse. Boundary setting that is grounded in an understanding of gender-based oppression, violence, and liberation is necessary. Explaining power and privilege and the links between individual safety and community safety, Cristien Storm shows how to set emotional boundaries that build a better world. Storm has developed boundary setting curricula grounded in resiliency and trauma-informed theories, and the book provides skills and exercises, such as Naming the Behavior, the Broken Record, Freeze Framing, the Reflective Loop, and Trusting Intuition, as well as examples from workshop participants. Building vibrant social movements means understanding the links between individual safety and community safety. Boundary setting can be used, not just as a means for personal safety, but as form of solidarity, resistance, and inspiration for the future we keep fighting for"--

Saving Sarah
Murnaghan, Janet

When her daughter desperately needed a lung transplant to survive, Janet Murnaghan rallied against outdated restrictions in health care that were keeping her off the list. And all the while the clock was ticking.

Farsighted : how we make the decisions that matter the most
Johnson, Steven

Author Steven Johnson uncovers tools for honing the skill of complex decision-making. Through stories that reveal surprising insights, Johnson explains how we can most effectively approach the choices that can chart the course of a life, an organization, or a civilization. Farsighted will help you imagine your possible futures and appreciate the subtle intelligence of the choices that shaped our broader social history.

Accessory to war : the unspoken alliance between astrophysics and the military
Tyson, Neil deGrasse.

"In this fascinating foray into the centuries-old relationship between science and military power, acclaimed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and writer-researcher Avis Lang examine how the methods and tools of astrophysics have been enlisted in the service of war. "The overlap is strong, and the knowledge flows in both directions," say the authors, because astrophysicists and military planners care about many of the same things: multi-spectral detection, ranging, tracking, imaging, high ground, nuclear fusion, and access to space. Tyson and Lang call it a "curiously complicit" alliance. "The universe is both the ultimate frontier and the highest of high grounds," they write. "Shared by both space scientists and space warriors, it’s a laboratory for one and a battlefield for the other. The explorer wants to understand it; the soldier wants to dominate it. But without the right technology—which is more or less the same technology for both parties—nobody can get to it, operate in it, scrutinize it, dominate it, or use it to their advantage and someone else’s disadvantage."

In pieces : a memoir
Field, Sally

One of the most celebrated, beloved, and enduring actors of our time, Sally Field has an infectious charm that has captivated the nation for more than five decades, beginning with her first TV role at the age of seventeen. From Gidget's sweet-faced "girl next door" to the dazzling complexity of Sybil to the Academy Award-worthy ferocity and depth of Norma Rae and Mary Todd Lincoln, Field has stunned audiences time and time again with her artistic range and emotional acuity. Yet there is one character who always remained hidden: the shy and anxious little girl within. With raw honesty and the fresh, pitch-perfect prose of a natural-born writer, and with all the humility and authenticity her fans have come to expect, Field brings readers behind-the-scenes for not only the highs and lows of her star-studded early career in Hollywood, but deep into the truth of her lifelong relationships--including her complicated love for her own mother. Powerful and unforgettable, In Pieces is an inspiring and important account of life as a woman in the second half of the twentieth century.

The greatest love story ever told : an oral history
Mullally, Megan

The popular comedic couple trace the story of their relationship, sharing anecdotes, family photos, and secrets that reveal how they overcame considerable social differences through their shared values and mutual love of music and laughter.

Best of enemies : the last great spy story of the Cold War
Russo, Gus

"The story of two Cold War spies - CIA agent Jack Platt and KGB agent Genya Vasilenko - and their improbable friendship at a time when they should have been anything but."--Provided by publisher.

They fought in colour : a new look at Canada's First World War effort
Mansbridge, Peter

"Picture the First World War as if you were there: in living colour and immersive detail. Even for such a richly documented time, the era is usually obscured behind grainy black-and-white photography. They Fought in Colour is a photographic exploration of Canada's First World War experience, presented for the first time in full, vibrant colour, with essays by some of our country's leading public figures. Explore life on the front lines, the huge support network needed to maintain the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and events on the home front in Canada, during the war that shaped the events of the twentieth century and continues to be present in our lives today."--

Son of a Critch : a childish Newfoundland memoir
Critch, Mark

What could be better than growing up in the 1980s? How about growing up in 1980s Newfoundland, which--as Mark Critch will tell you--was more like the 1960s. Take a trip to where it all began in this funny and warm look back on his formative years. Here we find a young Mark trick-or-treating at a used car lot, getting locked out of school on a fourth-floor window ledge, faking an asthma attack to avoid being arrested by military police, trying to buy beer from an untrustworthy cab driver, shocking his parents by appearing naked onstage--and much more. Best known as the "roving reporter" for CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Mark Critch has photo-bombed Justin Trudeau, interviewed Great Big Sea's Alan Doyle (while impersonating Alan Doyle), offered Pamela Anderson a million dollars to stop acting, and crashed White House briefings. But, as we see in this playful debut, he's been causing trouble his whole life. Son of a Critch captures the wonder and cluelessness of a kid trying to figure things out, but with the clever observations of an adult, and the combination is perfect.

Buffy Sainte-Marie : the authorized biography
Warner, Andrea

"A powerful, intimate look at the life and music of a beloved folk icon and activist. Folk hero. Songwriter icon. Living legend. Buffy Sainte-Marie is all of these things and more. In this, Sainte-Marie's first and only authorized biography, music critic Andrea Warner draws from more than sixty hours of exclusive interviews to offer a powerful, intimate look at the life of the beloved artist and everything that she has accomplished in her seventy-seven years (and counting). Since her groundbreaking debut, 1964's It's my way!, the Cree singer-songwriter has been a trailblazer and a tireless advocate for Indigenous rights and freedoms, an innovative artist, and a disruptor of the status quo. Establishing herself among the ranks of folk greats such as Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, she has released more than twenty albums, survived being blacklisted by two U.S. presidents, and received countless accolades, including the only Academy Award ever to be won by a First Nations artist. But this biography does more than celebrate Sainte-Marie's unparalleled talent as a songwriter and entertainer; packed with insight and knowledge, it offers an unflinchingly honest, heartbreakingly real portrait of the woman herself, including the challenges she experienced on the periphery of showbiz, her healing from the trauma of childhood and intimate partner violence, her commitment to activism, and her leadership in the protest movement."-- Provided by publisher.

Make something good today : a memoir
Napier, Erin

"From Ben and Erin Napier, the stars of the hit HGTV show Home Town, comes Make Something Good Today, a memoir that lets us all know that great love stories are possible, big things can bloom in small towns, and there is always magic in the ordinary if you know where to look for it."

Next level thinking : 10 powerful thoughts for a successful and abundant life
Osteen, Joel

Joel Osteen writes that we weren't created to go through life weighed down by the past. God has destined us to rise higher-to the next level. When we leave behind the negative mind-sets, the scarcity mentality, and the limits others have put on us, we'll experience the life of victory, favor, and abundance that was meant for us all along.

It doesn't have to be crazy at work
Fried, Jason.

"Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson build on their message with a bold, iconoclastic strategy for creating the ideal company culture-what they call 'the calm company.' Their approach directly attacks the chaos, anxiety, and stress that plague millions of workplaces and hamper billions of workers every day."

Pipe dreams : the fight for Canada's energy future
Poitras, Jacques

"A timely, accessible approach to how Canada's oil pipelines have become crucibles for debate about our energy future, Indigenous treaty rights, environmental activism, and east-west political tensions. Pipe Dreams is the story of the rise and fall of the Energy East pipeline. The project was to be a monumental undertaking, beginning near Edmonton, AB, and stretching over four thousand kilometres, across two hundred First Nation reserves, through Montreal to the Irving Oil refineries in Saint John, NB. The crude oil flowing across six provinces would have found a much higher price shipped to world markets than south to the United States. Conceived as a back-up plan for two other pipelines stalled by political opposition, the project became the crucible for Canada's debate over its energy future. Told as an account of a cross-country journey, the book explores how western Canada alienation, Quebec separatism, Indigenous activism, and climate action combined to question the role of fossil fuels in Canada's economy. The events took place at a time when the government of Canada, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was expressing its commitment to a carbon-reduced economy. Across the landscape of Pipe Dreams, Poitras talks to oil industry executives, prairie ranchers, First Nations chiefs, small-town mayors, premiers and cabinet ministers, refinery workers, and ordinary Canadians. The book also explores Canada's perplexing relationship with the United States around oil: our oil industry is literally tied to its American counterpart with sinews of steel. The Energy East pipeline represented a new direction: designed to get Alberta oil sands crude to world markets, it was marketed in explicitly nationalist terms. After decades of rhetoric that Canada was destined to surrender to the north-south reality of continentalism and globalization, the country seemed to be reorienting itself along its east-west axis, tying itself together, again, with a great feat of engineering."

The secret history of soldiers : how Canadians survived the Great War
Cook, Tim

"In 'The Secret History of Soldiers,' Tim Cook, Canada's foremost military historian, examines how those who survived trench warfare on the Western Front found entertainment, solace, relief and distraction from the relentless slaughter."

All our relations : finding the path forward
Talaga, Tanya

In this vital and incisive work, bestselling and award-winning author Tanya Talaga explores the alarming rise of youth suicide in Indigenous communities in Canada and beyond. From Northern Ontario to Nunavut, Norway, Brazil, Australia, and the United States, the Indigenous experience in colonized nations is startlingly similar and deeply disturbing. It is an experience marked by the violent separation of Peoples from the land, the separation of families, and the separation of individuals from traditional ways of life, all of which has culminated in a spiritual separation that has had an enduring impact on generations of Indigenous children. As a result of this colonial legacy, too many communities today lack access to the basic determinants of health, income, employment, education, a safe environment, health services, leading to a mental health and youth suicide crisis on a global scale. But, Talaga reminds us, First Peoples also share a history of resistance, resilience, and civil rights activism, from the Occupation of Alcatraz led by the Indians of All Tribes, to the Northern Ontario Stirland Lake Quiet Riot, to the Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, which united Indigenous Nations from across Turtle Island in solidarity.

Get baked : space cakes, pot brownies, and other tasty cannabis creations
Noon, Dane

"40 delicious hash-filled snacks from party food to great cakes and, of course, the ultimate brownie. Each recipe is tried and tested for foolproof results and maximum impact!" -- Page [4] of cover.

Right here, right now : politics and leadership in the age of disruption
Harper, Stephen

Dare to lead : brave work, tough conversations, whole hearts
Brown, Brené

Leadership is not about titles, status, and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas, and has the courage to develop that potential. When we dare to lead, we don't pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don't see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don't avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it's necessary to do good work. But daring leadership in a culture defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty requires skill-building around traits that are deeply and uniquely human. The irony is that we're choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the exact same time as we're scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines and AI can't do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection, and courage, to start.

Set for the holidays with Anna Olson : recipes to bring comfort and joy
Olson, Anna

"When does the festive season begin for you? For Anna, it's with the first pumpkin pie of the year. Pumpkin pie isn't something she bakes on any old evening, so it signifies something very special when she does: the start of the holidays! In Anna's house, the holidays are a time for coming together with family and friends, celebrating traditions, and making some new ones, too. In this festive cookbook, Anna shares the recipes she most loves to make during the holiday season--for occasions like a festive brunch, entertaining a crowd, a cozy supper, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, an elegant New Year's evening--and sensational sweets such as holiday cookies, celebratory centerpiece cakes, festive pies and tarts, fancy bars and slices, and much more! "--Provided by the publisher.

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