“There is no friend as loyal as a book.”
― Ernest Hemingway
National Book Lovers Day
A good book inspires and educates, takes you on a journey or allows you to reflect on your own. National Book Lovers Day, observed annually on August 9th, is an unofficial holiday for bibliophiles everywhere! To celebrate, the Muse team has compiled a list of books that inspire us. Whether you’re spending the summer relaxing by the lake or working hard at the office (or home office!), Muse’s little library might just have a book for you.
Fiction Picks
- A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara – A Little Life is a hard-hitting, emotional rollercoaster filled with incredible character development. It’s an epic story about the love and friendship of four young men who move to New York to chase careers and dreams: the perfect chronicle of our age of anxiety.
- Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald – A gut-wrenching chronicle of four generations of a Lebanese-Canadian family in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, in the early 1900s. MacDonald’s first and only novel, Fall on Your Knees, explores intergenerational trauma, religious identity and family secrets. It’ll break your heart in the best way.
- The Song of Achilles by Madeleine Miller – The Song of Achilles is a reimagining of Homer’s The Iliad from the perspective of his right-hand-man, Patroclus. The story chronicles their exploits during the Trojan War and the development of their relationship as partners in battle and love.
Non-Fiction Picks
- Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) by Jeff Tweedy – This memoir by Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy is a choice read for songwriters and creatives looking for a deep dive into the creative process. Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) is a reflection on Tweedy’s life overcoming his struggles with depression and addiction.
- Ask Iwata, Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s Legendary CEO by Satoru Iwata – A collection of articles and interviews with Satoru Iwata, the former president of Nintendo, discussing running the company, making brave, creative decisions with products and game design and working with artists. It’s a really enjoyable read (for a nerd) that actually gets pretty philosophical.
- They Said This Would Be Fun by Eternity Martis – In her memoir, Martis reflects on her experiences with racism, discrimination and tokenism with a critical account of what it’s like to be a Black student at Western University and other Canadian institutions where racist systems continue to operate.
Wondering how you can get your hands on one of these picks? Take a trip to your local bookstore (Epic Books, anyone?)! Want your book brought right to you? Check out this map of Canadian indie bookstores that deliver!
