As the holiday season approaches, many of you are likely thinking about book gift ideas. Molly, a bookseller at the family-run Russell Books in Victoria, B.C., is here to help and has shared her gifting recommendations below.
Indian Horse
by Richard Wagamese
“It’s important for all Canadians to read Saul Indian Horse’s story, an Ojibwe man who survived the horrors of Canada’s residential schools. A poignant novel that hurts, yet ultimately heals.”
How to Pronounce Knife
by Souvankham Thammavongsa
“Through this short story collection, we learn of the lives of Laotian immigrants in Canada. Themes of identity and belonging intermingle for a tender and beautiful reading experience.”
Butter Honey Pig Bread
by Francesca Ekwuyasi
“A wonderful interweaving of Nigerian spirituality, sisterhood, and food. The characters were lovely and flawed and usually lost, and thus totally human. Also, I loved the shoutouts to Canadian cities (Halifax especially was illustrated beautifully!).”
Klee Wyck
by Emily Carr
“An amazing piece of writing by Canadian artist Emily Carr, in which she details her experiences with Indigenous peoples on the Pacific Coast. Beautiful descriptions of nature, art, and the spiritual connections she felt with Indigenous cultures.”
The Sea of Tranquility
by Emily St. John Mandel
“B.C.-born author Emily St. John Mandel does speculative fiction so well, and in this novel, she manages to make time travel, art, and pandemics converge. Explore the mystery of existence itself through this story! You’ll love it.”
This article was produced by Read Local BC. See the original source article and the full list of recommendations here.
