Inspired by Barack Obama and Mark Zuckerberg's book lists, we've pieced together a reading guide for 2018 complete with our top suggestions for the Can-lit buff or hustling entrepreneur. New or old, our picks reflect the stories and ideas that motivate us for 2018. You'll notice that Michael Wolff's Fire and Fury didn't make the cut, but we'll still be reading it.
Canadian Authors
The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman
Set in 1950's Quebec, this novel tells the story of an orphaned girl declared "mentally ill" as the result of a provincial law that affords greater funding to psychiatric facilities than orphanages. Inspired by the author's French Canadian roots, this novel sheds light on a darker side of Canada's past. We are no stranger to Joanna Goodman. Read our feature about her other book The Finishing School.
Available April 2018.
Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis
This is a suggestion for those who - like us - haven't yet jumped onto this bandwagon. Fifteen Dogs was undoubtedly the book of 2017 and we feel a little behind the 8-ball. We have high expectations for what's said to be the next best thing since Orwell's Animal Farm.
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
If we were real literary critics, we'd probably describe this pick as "a gripping tale of self-discovery; a chilling tour de force." Follow the journey of Saul Indian Horse, a student in the residential school system that rises to fame as a hockey player. A must read for all Canadians.
Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill
When a Toronto local discovers she has a doppelgänger with an ominous agenda, she launches a personal investigation starting at a crossroads in Toronto's Kensington Market called Bellevue Square. It sounds comical, thrilling, and so obscure that we just have to read it.
What We All Long For by Dionne Brand
Also based in Toronto is Brand's novel, which tells the overlapping stories of four young adults, each grappling to balance their family struggles and navigate the throws of life in a cosmopolitan city. We love the different angle the author takes on urban Canada.
Family Furnishings by Alice Munro
When life takes over and reading becomes a rare luxury, this collection of bite-size stories makes it easy and enjoyable. We love that it includes our Munro favourite, The Bear Came Over the Mountain.
Entrepreneurial
The Kinfolk Entrepreneur: Ideas for Meaningful Work by Nathan Williams
A friend gifted this to the team and we now understand why everyone was raving about it in 2017. This anthology of interviews from 40 creatives across the globe demonstrates how failure can spin into a career - the assurance everyone needs in January.
Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days by Chris Guillebeau
The title alone is enough to motivate us for the New Year. The author of The $100 Startup created a 27-day checklist based on the case studies of regular people who succeeded with the method.
Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott
Bird By Bird will forever be in our top picks. We'll never get enough of the wisdom that Anne Lamott imparts. Try this one for honest, valuable tips on writing and life.
Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull
This book is like a collection of all of the fortune cookie predictions we would actually want to hear. For example: “Quality is the best business plan.”
The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
Do you think a four-hour workweek could actually improve productivity? We're not quite ready to make the jump, but Timothy Ferriss spits a lot of truth about time as it relates to work output. Read the book and weigh-in.
The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future by Steve Case
Wave 1: Internet connects with consumers. Wave 2: Social networking erupts. Wave 3: Tech will transform the real world. This "playbook for the future" maps the direction for entrepreneurs in the wake of the third wave.
