Lives Lived

The best books take us deep into other people’s lives — giving us a personal take on the world we’d never get a glimpse of otherwise.

Brown by Kamal Al-Solaylee This exploration of what it means to be brown in the world we live in now is personal, informative, investigative — one of those rare books where the personal story grows broad and throws light on bigger issues.

Embers by Richard Wagamese On his journey to become what he calls “a spiritual bad-ass,” this volume by Richard Wagamese muses on relationships and the world around him — with meditations, sayings, photos, reflections — and the idea of harmony, trust and joy. It’s a lovely volume.

Secret Path by Gord Downie and Jeff Lemire Not a typical way to tell the story of a life, this tale of Chanie Wenjack is communicated through the graphic illustrations of artist Jeff Lemire, coupled with the lyrics from 10 songs written by Canadian musician Gord Downie. It’s evocative — and there’s a code to download the songs so you can listen to them as you look and read.

George Lucas: A Life by Brian Jay Jones George Lucas marched to the beat of his own drum and shaped the way so many of us viewed the world through popular culture. From Star Wars to Raiders of the Lost Ark, it’s a fabulous look at the man behind the franchises and a glimpse into Hollywood megastars. This is by Brian Jay Jones, whose bio of Muppet creator Jim Henson is a classic.

A Disappearance in Damascus by Deborah Campbell A compelling first-person story that takes us into the heart of Syria in the earlier part of this century, especially into the life of Ahlam, a “fixer” who works with journalists — but who is also a wife and mother trying to survive. A compelling, illuminating read, this book won the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust prize for non-fiction this year.