Certainty by Madeleine Thien

When I began this novel I couldn't help thinking "pretentious" but I soon changed that thought to "profound." Brilliant also comes to mind. An absolute jewel of a novel - perfect for book clubs too.

Cease to Blush by Billie Livingston

Very different - a roaring good read - read in one day. Another dysfunctional family story - and stories within stories. And then there's the mob, JFK, the Rat Pack!

Scotch River by Linda Little

Why are so many characters of Canadian fiction just so odd? And yet - we relate to them! Great read about a dysfunctional family - some of whom the reader will care about very deeply - and some with very particular talents.

Rough Crossings - Britain, The Slaves and The American Revolution by Simon Schama

Superb historical account. Very thoroughly researched - comprehensive comes to mind. Scholarly but not too scholarly. Schama includes enough of the human anecdotal to keep our interest while presenting this historical account of some lesser-known parts of The American Revolution and The French Revolution - oh, and some history of Canada and Nova Scotia as well. The reality is a little daunting - survival as a slave is so (fortunately) removed from our own modern lives.

Heat - How to Stop the Planet From Burning by George Monbiot

This oh-so-important topic of global warming has surely never before been so thoroughly researched and comprehensively investigated as you will find in this book - because what the author writes about are actual, non-political, non-bandaid real-life solutions. And sometimes, like here, the truth hurts. But the numbers and the arguments are compelling. When will we learn?

The Creation by E.O. Wilson

Reading this book of beautifully written lyrical prose is an experience not to be missed. And that's aside from the subject matter - which is something I personally care about very much. You may know E.O. Wilson as "The Ant Man" or as a double two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. But if you have never read anything by him or about him, use this book to change that.

The View From Castle Rock by Alice Munro

Ms. Munro has done her usual superb job - in this case weaving together stories resulting from a personal exploration of her father's side of the family. Anyone who knows Ontario will be happy with her sense of place - and her excellent descriptive powers. Tell a story - weave a tale - bring in the reader and voila - another masterpiece by our very own Alice.