Books in Review

December 18, 2020

Every year, RSJ alumni and faculty publish wonderful books that we try to high light in the RSJ newsletter. In case you missed any this year, we have a round up of the books we featured in 2020, including a few that we had missed from years' past!

Compliation of the Devil's Revolver book covers

RSJ alum V.S. McGrath, (external link) completed her four-book series, The Devil's Revolver (external link) . The series blends Western and fantasy elements as it follows Hettie Alabama on her quest to save her sister with the help of a cursed gun that takes a year of her life for every person she kills with it.

Book cover of "They Said This Would Be Fun," and photo of Eternity Martis.

In "They Said This Would Be Fun, (external link) " RSJ alumna and instructor Eternity Martis wrote a powerful memoir about her experience as a student of colour at a predominantly white institution.

Photo of RSJ alum Rebecca Rose and her book "Before the Parade." Photo credit Lindsay Duncan.

In Before the Parade, (external link) RSJ alumna Rebecca Rose chronicles the early history of Halifax’s gay, lesbian and bisexual communities, whose activism included the first nationally coordinated gay and lesbian day of action in 1977, and the campaign to include sexual orientation in the Human Rights Act.

Title page of Ava Baccari's Then the Robin Sang and a photo of the author.

Alumna Ava Baccari drew inspiration for Then the Robins Sang (external link) from Venetian poet Irene Vella, who wrote about spring blossoming despite the crisis in Italy, (external link) Shel Silverstein’s poerty and her cat Simba who bored and missing the outside world in the early months of the pandemic.

Book cover of No More Nice Girls and head shot of Lauren McKeon.

In No More Nice Girls, (external link) Lauren McKeon (RSJ ’07) explored the ways institutions are designed to keep women and other marginalized genders at a disadvantage and revealed why diversifying those institutions are not enough—the models of power have to be changed not replicated.

The cover image of Filipe Masetti Leite's second book "Long Ride to the End of the World: A Lonely Long Rider’s 7,500 km Journey to the Land of Fire."

Filipe Masetti Leite, RSJ '10, wrote about his 7,500 kilometre horseback journey through windswept deserts, frozen mountains, and scorched landscapes from Brazil to Argentina that took him 15 months to complete in Long Ride to the End of the World. (external link)

Image of The Detective and the Spy cover art, which shows stylized warm colours against a city skyline, and a head shot of Angela Misri.

RSJ instructor Angela Misri brought Portia Adams back for her fourth book in the A Portia Adams Adventure (external link) series. She shared her thoughts on the latest instalment as well as how the book launch has been adapted to a virtual world after being pushed back from summer to fall.

Cover of Nora Loreto's book: "Take Back the Fight," which is of a person holding a bullhorn coloured red.

In Take Back the Fight, RSJ alum Nora Loreta examines the way the feminist movement was co-opted by government and corporate leaders and how today's feminists can overcome the challenges of previous feminist organizers.

Cover of "Field Notes from a Pandemic," which depicts people lining up six feet apart.

In Jan. 2020, Ethan Lou, RSJ '15, visited his ailing grandfather. Caught between borders, he ended up on lockdown in Germany. Field Notes from a Pandemic (external link) explores his personal pandemic journey and how the pandemic has changed the world.

Cover image of "The Third Dive," which depicts two divers diving into water that is getting darker.

In "The Third Dive (external link) " RSJ instructor Robert Osborne furthers his investigation into the death of Rob Stewart, the filmmaker of Sharkwater. Osborne, a diver himself, thought claims being made about Stewart's death did not make sense. His investigation became a documentary and, now, a book.

Cover of "Finding Murph," which depicts Joe Murphy walking off the ice after a hockey game.

In Finding Murph (external link) Rick Westhead (RSJ ‘95) writes about Joe Murphy’s journey from first overall draft pick and NHL stardom to a devastating fall from grace and life on the streets of Kenora, Ont. due to the after-effects of repeated head trauma.

Cover of the Age of Creativity, which depicts streaks of different paint colours on a pink canvas.

Inspired by the example of her father, still creative at 86, Emily Urquhart, RSJ '02, explores how creativity stays with us as we age in The Age of Creativity (external link) .

Stephanie Griffiths (RSJ ’93) set out to answer the most common questions about investments in her debut book Sit Still and Prosper (external link) . After losing her job amid a hectic and successful career, Griffiths took a step back and applied teachings from her meditation practice to investing. With this new perspective, she offers simple guidance into the complex world of personal finances.

Bonus: at the beginning of the pandemic, alumni Eternity Martis, Rebecca Rose and Lauren McKeon had to pivot from previously planned, in-person book tours to a new online world. Read about their experiences and watch the panel discussion Hard Sell: the Art and Craft of a Pandemic-Era Book Tour.