Non-Fiction Book Snaps

Sometimes, just reframing the question can make all the difference. Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey collaborate in this conversational narrative...

A monumental exploration of the biology of human behavior from neuroscientist Robert M. Sapolsky.

Teaching is a career that suits me-- I love the creativity required to plan lessons; I love working with kids, talking to them, helping them, laughing with them...

One of my favourtite podcasts is Armchair Expert. Dax Shepard, and his co-host Monica Padman, interviewed Stanford professor and psychologist Anna...

An exceedingly honest (and slightly unprofessional) love letter to teaching from Tom Rademacher.

My last post was a year ago. That seems likely, and also sort of sad. It was a long, drawn-out, painful year. We went back to school hopeful: cheeks...

Alright, alright, alright. This was a blissful surprise. It was peripherally on my radar ( a few casual “you should read this”… had come my way)…...

This was a professional read, obviously. It led me to enter Dueck’s Twitter contest by tweeting a photo of myself and Teddy with the book. We...

Finding peace and happiness within a global pandemic wasn’t always easy– so this just sorted of landed when it needed to. Nina and Kate share stories...

Two (very loud) snaps. Brene Brown has been accompanying me on my walks, in my earbuds, via Spotify, within her two amazing podcasts, Dare to Lead...

Jenny Lawson is a vulnerable, courageous, and hilarious memoirist. I love the way she openly discusses depression and anxiety, and the hilarious way...

Reni’s book is a deeper exploration of her 2014 blog post of the same title. She explores issues from eradicated black history to the political...

It is a trope in several films you have likely seen. Pan by the long table with donuts and black tar coffee poured from a large silver urn into small...

White people can’t really talk about racism. Racism is a loaded and pejorative term that white people go out of their way to shun. The fragility...

Powerful. Smart. Gripping. Alicia Elliott’s collected essays explore a large array of topics that include but are not limited to: poverty,...

You have likely heard of Brene Brown from her powerful TED Talk on the power of vulnerability. Brown is a research professor at the University of...

I think I would like to be friends with Glennon Doyle. She is thoughtful, intelligent, and fierce. She reminds me of many women I am lucky to call...

Some of the best stories are the ones lived and not made up. From the Ashes was heart-wrenching and traumatic– but also honest, poetic and...

This. This is the history book, that’s not a history book– but a narrative about race interspersed with the history of why black people have been...

This was a staff book club pick– and a real winner! When we came together (on Zoom) to discuss it — it had our unanimous praise. If you have not...

One of this year’s (indefinitely postponed) Canada Reads Selections. I liked it, but I am not so sure it meets the criteria as the: “one book to...

You probably don’t know who Chanel Miller is. For a long time, she was known as Emily Doe, or more memorably, the rape victim of Brock Turner, the...

This book came highly recommended and I scrambled to get it in my Amazon cart. It did not disappoint. All Gen X women: a must read! The quote that...

I think Trevor Noah is a brilliantly witty and savvy political analyst. I think he does outstanding work as the host of The Daily Show. When I saw...

I’ll admit, this one took me two tries. The first time I gave up much too easily. I picked it up again with the intention of finishing, and I am glad...

Almost unbelievable. Like, when Oprah couldn’t seem to wrap her mind around James Frey’s memoir… but here it was, wildly incredible– but just...

This title drew me in– it tackles a problem I have wrestled with myself as an English Language Arts teacher. Discussion of the book had a lot of...

I was lucky to have attended a conference in which Myron Dueck was the keynote speaker. He is funny, energetic, and engaging, but most importantly,...

Date read: February 13, 2019. Quite simply, I loved this memoir. Knight takes you chronologically from his parents’ suburban home in Oregon as a...

Date read: January 20, 2019 I didn’t mean to finish it in one go… but I couldn’t stop! A graphic memoir that had me riveted, engaged and in tears. A...

Date read: January 20, 2019 Brash, acerbic and a little bit ‘feminasty.’ Expertly mixing social commentary, political satire and off colour jokes—...

This was a bit of work. In it, Pinker takes on scientific questions- how language affects thought, as well as questions from headlines and everyday...

The rock stars of English Language Arts teaching bring it in spades. This professional read had me very excited about planning for next year’s...

Tough-talking, in-the-trenches reporter, Charlie LeDuff, writes an irreverent but compelling analysis of Trump’s improbable success. Great read!...

Date read: July 24, 2018. I was held captive by this memoir. It arrived from Amazon in the mail, I literally read it all day. Utterly fascinating....

Date read: September 21, 2018. Wow! What a book. Such an amazing true story, thoughtfully and insightfully told. This riveting nonfiction book for...

Date read: November 17, 2018. Woodward does not hold back, he allows us a ring-side seat, but… do you really want to be that close to this...

Date read: December 28, 2018. I was intrigued by this title and I didn’t know much about Rachel Hollis, but her picture made me think she was quirky...

Date read: December 29, 2018. A great reminder about allowing students choice about how and what they learn. A great refresher and way to infuse...