by Erica Huntley

Go a little deeper with your reading and check out these philosophical titles to expand your mind.

On Time: A history of western timekeeping by Ken Mondschein, 2020

With so much of our daily lives in modern western society being dictated by the clock, not many of us may have time to consider the social, cultural and historical aspects of timekeeping.  If you do make the time to explore this interesting topic, you could do worse than to pick up this highly readable book. From ancient astronomical ways of timekeeping, to modern clocks, On Time: A history of western timekeeping provides well-researched, accessible writing, suitable for the layperson or undergraduate. The book includes references and a convenient glossary.

Transcendence: How humans evolved through fire, language, beauty and time by Gaia Vince, 2020

Readers who enjoyed Guns, Germs and Steel, or Sapiens, are sure to enjoy this Royal Society Prize winner for science books. This scientific discourse on human evolutionary development using the most recent scholarship and draws examples from Ice Age humans, ancient Greeks and Romans, and contemporary hunter-gatherer societies as well as modern urban dwellers. While Vince explores some of the major problems of the Anthropocene, this book takes an overall optimistic tone, arguing that examples of great social improvements have been known to happen in a very short time.

Art of Logic in an Illogical World by Eugenia Cheng, 2018

British mathematician, Eugenia Cheng offers an antidote to divisive discourse and misinformation in this 2018 book. While there have been many books written on how to use logic, this book takes on a fresh perspective, and will be a natural companion to any more straightforward guide to critical thinking. The Art of Logic in an Illogical World looks at both the uses and limits of logic, asserting that for today’s most pivotal debates, a sense of compassion along with a strong sense of logic is most necessary.

by Erica Huntley

Entering the workforce? Looking to increase your competitive edge? Check out these new titles available at the BCIT Library.

Designing Your Work Life: How to thrive and change and find happiness at work by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans (Knopf, NY 2020)

From the creators of the very successful, Design Your Life book, Burnett and Evans are back to show us how apply concepts from the design world to improve our work life. The book offers growth-oriented techniques for making the most of our current employment and for moving into new roles.

HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Public Speaking and Presenting by Harvard Business Review, 2020

If you’re not already familiar with The HBR’s 10 Must Reads series, now is the time to check out this book. This collection of specially curated essays from top notch public speakers offers insightful knowledge on this highly valued skill. HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Public Speaking and Presenting is highly accessible, easy-to-read and an all-round valuable tool for improving your presentations.

Keep Sharp: Build a better brain at any age by Sanjay Gupta, MD, 2021

Debunking some of the common myths about the health of your brain, neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta offers a highly readable account of what really works to keep our minds sharp. Highly recommended for readers interested in neuroscience, but with little background in the topic.

One Decision: The first step to a better life by Mike Bayer, 2020

This self-help book explores the nature of motivation and self-improvement through the lens of personal authenticity. Life coach, Mike Bayer guides readers through the process of uncovering personal authenticity and using this as the basis for all of life’s complex and difficult decisions.

by Jarrett Seto

A Study Of Crime Or Marple Mondays Or Miss Marple Means Murder Mondays.

Okay, so we don’t actually have Miss Marple here, nor is it Monday. But please enjoy a book from our intriguing selection of mysteries, thrillers, and whodunits. Murder mysteries and crime novels continually fascinate us. We like to think “of course” when we find out who the culprit was, or “I would have done it differently” if you had committed the crime. They are cerebral, and dig into the recesses of consciousness, to the shadowy part of your mind that generally escapes prodding. It makes for a healthy brain to think like a Holmes. Are you up for the task? It’s elementary.

The Whisperer By Karin Fossum (2018)

Scandinavian crime novels are all the rage these days, and The Whisperer helps hold true to that statement. Renowned crime writer Karin Fossum, AKA the Norwegian Queen of Crime, dishes out this excellent character driven slow burn that will keep you guessing. With flawless writing, Fossum travels before and after a brutal crime, and each chapter unravels more layers onto our complex and troubled protagonist.

The Glass Hotel: A Novel By Emily St. John Mandel (2020) 

From the award winning author of Station Eleven comes a tale of intrigue, mystery, murder, and Mauritania. St. John Mandel’s novel is replete with white-collar crime, fallout from calamity, people of dubious morality, and regrets. Hauntingly beautiful with sentences crafted so well that they must be art, you’ll enjoy following the characters through locations like Vancouver Island and massive ocean bound container ships.

Camino Winds By John Grisham (2020)

The sequel to Camino Island is a bit of a departure from the courtroom drama that Grisham is well known (incredibly famous) for. After a deadly hurricane, a bookshop owner and his author friends discover one among them has been killed. Was the death a direct result from natural disaster, or was there something more malicious at play. Bruce Cable and his cadre of interesting acquaintances are bound to find out.

by Jarrett Seto

In the last few years, there’s been an abundance of books written by Indigenous authors and their voices have much to tell. Check out these page turners that give insight into the Indigenous experience. You’ll find tragedy, adversity, comedy, but most importantly, hope in these books written by Canadian authors.

Indians On Vacation: A Novel by Thomas King (2020)

Indians On Vacation reads in the same vein of King’s other books in that they are filled with his trademark ability to blend both irony and comedy. Wit and banter aside, be prepared to enjoy the adventures of Mimi and Bird as they travel through Europe. It is well known that you’ll find truth in comedy (albeit adjusted for the audience), and Indians On Vacation is no exception from this. Marriage, systemic racism, tourism, and injustice are presented to the reader between servings of laughter that add a sobering reminder to what life can be like depending on the cards you’re dealt.

The Lesser Blessed by Richard Van Camp (2016)

Richard Van Camp possesses a unique talent to thrust his readers into the North. The proper North, where the summers are slim and the opportunities are naught. Where you live on the thin edge of a country, a vast expanse hindered by many kinds of distance. It’s uncomfortably relatable if you grew up in a have-not province, whether it be a mill town on the Acadian coast, a declining Albertan junction surrounded by prairie that loses more buildings to the wind than decay, or a village in North Ontario, where you should have access to clean running water, but you don’t. Van Camp’s debut novel is about growing up, disillusionment, and coming to terms with who you are. Deeply funny and filled with poignancy, you’ll wish there were more pages to read when you’re finished.

From the Ashes: My Story Of Being Métis, Homeless, And Finding My Way by Jesse Thistle (2019)

Jesse Thistle’s memoir will leave you with sadness and understanding. It’s a tough read for some, due to the gritty pages tackling homelessness and addiction. From the Ashes doesn’t shy away from any of it. The clinical gaze of city reports or dry articles on these social issues is replaced with a raw and graphic, in your face somber reminder of reality, that real people struggle with this day to day. Abandonment, cycles of violence, drug abuse, and crime saturate Thistle’s early life. The story of his attempts to overcome it and turn his life around is inspiring.