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The myth of normal : trauma, illness & healing in a toxic culture / by Maté, Gabor,author.; Maté, Daniel,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."From our most trusted, compassionate authority on stress, trauma and mental well-being--a groundbreaking investigation into the causes of illness, a bracing critique of how our society breeds disease, and a pathway to health and healing. In the richest, most technically advanced, most health-obsessed society ever, all is not well. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, chronic illnesses were on the rise. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug; more than half take two. In Canada, every fifth person has high blood pressure. In Europe, over 30 percent of the population suffers from hypertension. And everywhere, adolescent mental illness is on the increase. So what is really 'normal' when it comes to health? Over four decades of clinical experience, Gabor Maté has come to recognize this version of 'normal' as misleading, neglecting the roles that trauma and stress, and the pressures of life in the modern world, exert on our bodies and our minds at the expense of good health. For all its expertise and technological sophistication, Western medicine often fails to treat the whole person, which in turn stresses the body, burdens the immune system and undermines emotional balance. Now, Maté brings his perspective to the great untangling of commonly held myths about what makes us sick, and connects the dots between personal suffering and the pressures of modern-day living. Filled with stories of people in the grip of illness or in the triumphant wake of recovery, The Myth of Normal is Gabor Maté's most life-affirming and urgent book yet."--
Subjects: Civilization, Modern; Social medicine.; Diseases; Health;
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
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All together now : a Newfoundlander's light tales for heavy times / by Doyle, Alan,1969-author.;
"One of Newfoundland's funniest and most beloved storytellers offers his cure for the Covid blues. Is there a more sociable province than Newfoundland and Labrador? Or anywhere in Canada with a greater reputation for coming to the rescue of those in need? At this time of Covid, singer, songwriter and bestselling author Alan Doyle is feeling everyone's pain. Off the road and spending more days at home than he has since he was a child hawking cod tongues on the wharfs of Petty Harbour, he misses the crowds and companionship of performing across the country and beyond. But most of all he misses the cheery clamour of pubs in his hometown, where one yarn follows another so quickly 'you have to be as ready as an Olympian at the start line to get your tale in before someone is well into theirs already.' We're all experiencing our own version of that deprivation, and Alan, one of Newfoundland's finest storytellers, wants to offer a little balm. All Together Now is a gathering in book form--a virtual Newfoundland pub. There are adventures in foreign lands, including an apparently filthy singalong in Polish (well, he would have sung along if he'd understood the language), a real-life ghost story involving an elderly neighbour, a red convertible and a clown horn, a potted history of his social drinking, and heartwarming reminiscences from another past world, childhood--all designed to put a smile on the faces of the isolated-addled. Alan Doyle has never been in better form--nor more welcome. As he says about this troubling time: 'We get through it. We do what has to be done. Then, we celebrate. With the best of them.'"--
Subjects: Anecdotes.; Doyle, Alan, 1969-; Doyle, Alan, 1969-; Great Big Sea (Musical group); Great Big Sea (Musical group); Musicians;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Erebus : the story of a ship / by Palin, Michael,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."Intrepid voyager, writer and comedian Michael Palin follows the trail of two expeditions made by the Royal Navy's HMS Erebus to opposite ends of the globe, reliving the voyages and investigating the ship itself, lost on the final Franklin expedition and discovered with the help of Inuit knowledge in 2014. The story of a ship begins after the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, when Great Britain had more bomb ships than it had enemies. The solid, reinforced hulls of HMS Erebus, and another bomb ship, HMS Terror, made them suitable for discovering what lay at the coldest ends of the earth. In 1839, Erebus was chosen as the flagship of an expedition to penetrate south to explore Antarctica. Under the leadership of the charismatic James Clark Ross, she and HMS Terror sailed further south than anyone had been before. But Antarctica never captured the national imagination; what the British navy needed now was confirmation of its superiority by making the discovery, once and for all, of a route through the North-West Passage. Chosen to lead the mission was Sir John Franklin, at 59 someone many considered too old for such a hazardous journey. Nevertheless, he and his men confidently sailed away down the Thames in April 1845. Provisioned for three winters in the Arctic, Erebus and Terror and the 129 men of the Franklin expedition were seen heading west by two whalers in late July. No one ever saw them again. Over the years there were many attempts to discover what might have happened--and eventually the first bodies were discovered in shallow graves, confirming that it had been the dreadful fate of the explorers to die of hunger and scurvy as they abandoned the ships in the ice. For generations, the mystery of what had happened to the ships endured. Then, on September 9th, 2014, came the almost unbelievable news: HMS Erebus had been discovered thirty feet below the Arctic waters, by a Parks Canada exploration ship. Palin looks at the Erebus story through the different motives of the two expeditions, one scientific and successful, the other nationalistic and disastrous. He examines the past by means of the extensive historical record and travels in the present day to those places where there is still an echo of Erebus herself, from the dockyard where she was built, to Tasmania where the Antarctic voyage began and the Falkland Islands, then on to the Canadian Arctic, to get a sense of what the conditions must have been like for the starving, stumbling sailors as they abandoned their ships to the ice. And of course the story has a future. It lies ten metres down in the waters of Nunavut's Queen Maud Gulf, where many secrets wait to be revealed."--
Subjects: Erebus (Ship); Scientific expeditions;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Beneath dark waters : the legacy of the Empress of Ireland shipwreck / by Lazarus, Eve,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."On May 28, 1914, the RMS Empress of Ireland began her 192nd trip across the Atlantic from Quebec City, Canada, en route to Liverpool, England, carrying 1,057 passengers and a crew of 420. In the early hours of May 29, fog descended on the St. Lawrence River, and the ocean liner was rammed by the Storstad, a Norwegian coal ship. In the fourteen minutes it took for the Empress of Ireland to sink, there was time to launch only four of the forty lifeboats, and rather than women and children first, it was everyone for themselves. Over a thousand people died that night, claiming the lives of more passengers than either the Titanic or the Lusitania, and the tragedy stands as the worst peacetime maritime disaster in Canadian history. Investigative journalist and author Eve Lazarus draws on a trove of historical documents, including small-town newspaper reports, the Wreck Commissioner's Inquiry, and first-hand accounts passed down through personal letters and family lore, to tell the story of the wreck and its aftermath through the eyes of the Canadian survivors. Through these records, as well as interviews with experts and descendants of the passengers, Lazarus recounts the story from both a Canadian and a Norwegian perspective and investigates why many of the stories regurgitated in newspapers and books for over a hundred years are wrong. The result is an absorbing and utterly stirring narrative that uncovers stories of heroism and sacrifice, human endurance, and modern-day shipwreck hunters. Beneath Dark Waters is an epic narrative that restores the Empress of Ireland--largely forgotten in the shadow of the Titanic disaster--as well as its survivors and victims to their rightful place in maritime history."--
Subjects: Empress of Ireland (Steamship); Shipwrecks;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The heart of a superfan : a memoir of grit, love, family, and basketball / by Bhatia, Nav,1951-author.; Baluja, Tamara,author.;
"The Raptors' story is an underdog story--and the same is true for their greatest superfan. This memoir offers a courtside view into the extraordinary life of Nav Bhatia. You know him as the Raptors Superfan, but Nav Bhatia's story is bigger than basketball. Nav immigrated to Canada from India, where he had been persecuted for his religion, only to face a host of new challenges. Life as a new immigrant was gruelling and grey ... and then, a new basketball team came to town. As Nav cheered on the Raptors at game after game, as they lost, as they won, on the good days and the bad, he discovered solace and community in the greatest game on Earth, formed indelible bonds with many of the best players the sport has ever known, and solidified his own place in the Basketball Hall of Fame. In this memoir, Nav shares his incredible personal story of triumphing over adversity, and imparts the lessons that propelled him to success in all facets of life: as an entrepreneur, movie producer, humanitarian, son, father and husband, and the Raptors' most famous devotee. And woven throughout the book are intimate, colourful behind-the-scenes stories about the Raptors--from their very first game in 1995 to their 2019 Championship win, and beyond--that only the Superfan could know. This is a book about loyalty, perseverance and the power of sports to unite us across differences--and, most of all, about how following your passions can lead you to the most extraordinary places."--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Bhatia, Nav, 1951-; Toronto Raptors (Basketball team); Basketball fans; East Indians; Immigrants;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The 14th colony [sound recording] / by Berry, Steve,1955-author.; Brick, Scott,narrator.; Macmillan Audio (Firm),publisher.;
Read by Scott Brick."What happens if both the president and vice-president-elect die before taking the oath of office? The answer is far from certain--in fact, what follows would be nothing short of total political chaos. Shot down over Siberia, ex-Justice Department agent Cotton Malone is forced into a fight for survival against Aleksandr Zorin, a man whose loyalty to the former Soviet Union has festered for decades into an intense hatred of the United States. Before escaping, Malone learns that Zorin and another ex-KGB officer, this one a sleeper still embedded in the West, are headed overseas to Washington D.C. Inauguration Day--noon on January 20th--is only hours away. A flaw in the Constitution, and an even more flawed presidential succession act, have opened the door to disaster and Zorin intends to exploit both weaknesses to their fullest. Armed with a weapon leftover from the Cold War, one long thought to be just a myth, Zorin plans to attack. He's aided by a shocking secret hidden in the archives of America's oldest fraternal organization--the Society of Cincinnati--a group that once lent out its military savvy to presidents, including helping to formulate three invasion plans of what was intended to be America's 14th colony--Canada. In a race against the clock that starts in the frozen extremes of Russia and ultimately ends at the White House itself, Malone must not only battle Zorin, he must also confront a crippling fear that he's long denied, but which now jeopardizes everything. Steve Berry's trademark mix of history and speculation is all here in this provocative new thriller"--Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Audiobooks.; Political fiction.; Spy stories.; Suspense fiction.; Malone, Cotton (Fictitious character); National security; Presidents; Secret societies; Targeted killing;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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A house in the sky : a memoir / by Lindhout, Amanda.; Corbett, Sara.;
Includes bibliographical references."The spectacularly dramatic memoir of a woman whose curiosity about the world led her from rural Canada to imperiled and dangerous countries on every continent, and then into fifteen months of harrowing captivity in Somalia--a story of courage, resilience, and extraordinary grace.At the age of eighteen, Amanda Lindhout moved from her hardscrabble Alberta hometown to the big city--Calgary--and worked as a cocktail waitress, saving her tips so she could travel the globe. As a child, she escaped a violent household by paging through National Geographic and imagining herself in its exotic locales. Now she would see those places for real. She backpacked through Latin America, Laos, Bangladesh, and India, and emboldened by each experience, went on to travel solo across Sudan, Syria, and Pakistan. In war-ridden Afghanistan and Iraq she carved out a fledgling career as a TV reporter. And then, in August 2008, she traveled to Mogadishu, Somalia--"the most dangerous place on earth"--to report on the fighting there. On her fourth day in the country, she and her photojournalist companion were abducted. An astoundingly intimate and harrowing account of Lindhout's fifteen months as a captive, A House in the Sky illuminates the psychology, motivations, and desperate extremism of her young guards and the men in charge of them. She is kept in chains, nearly starved, and subjected to unthinkable abuse. She survives by imagining herself in a "house in the sky," looking down at the woman shackled below, and finding strength and hope in the power of her own mind. Lindhout's decision, upon her release, to counter the violence she endured by founding an organization to help the Somali people rebuild their country through education is a wrenching testament to the capacity of the human spirit and an astonishing portrait of the power of compassion and forgiveness"--Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Lindhout, Amanda.; Hostages; Journalists;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 2
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Don Cherry's hockey greats & more. by Cherry, Don,1934-author.;
"Broadcasting icon Don Cherry is back to give fans more of what they want: behind-the-scenes access to hockey's greatest heroes. For the last sixty years, Don Cherry has lived and breathed hockey--and his memories of the sport's biggest stars are just as colorful as his wardrobe. Before "Coach's Corner," Don Cherry hosted Grapevine TV, where he interviewed the biggest names in sports. During his decade on the show, not a single player turned him down for an interview, and in this new book, readers will reap the benefits of that unparalleled insider access. Fans got a taste of Don's Grapevine days in his last book, but Don Cherry's Hockey Greats and More dives even deeper into the world of sports, with more unforgettable and revealing interviews with the most legendary players. Travel with Don to hear Guy Lafleur's response to his most famous goal, Don's take on coaching Phil Esposito through a rough year, and what Cam Neely thinks of the shot that ended his career. Meet Pat Burns and Joe Crozier up close and personal; hockey, baseball and boxing's all-time greats; and even a jockey or two. This is Don Cherry in all his hilarious and frank glory, spinning his yarns with the best of them."--
Subjects: Biographies.; Cherry, Don, 1934-; National Hockey League; Grapevine (Television program); Hockey coaches; Hockey players; Hockey; Sportscasters;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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In this faulty machine : a memoir of loss and transformation / by Page, Kathy,1958-author.;
Includes bibliographical references."An exquisite memoir of the author's life since being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease -- informative, funny, and moving all at once. Acclaimed novelist Kathy Page had just completed a promotional tour for her award-winning book Dear Evelyn when a fall during a hike injured her wrist. That relatively minor accident seemed to set in motion a waterfall of other seemingly unrelated physical issues. Many months of appointments, and of waiting for appointments (including during the COVID lockdown) ensued, until the day that pulled everything together in a single, frightening diagnosis: Parkinson's disease. In This Faulty Machine is an eye-opening, often lyrical and very funny report from that "other kingdom" of illness, from an observant, wise, and honest involuntary resident. Kathy Page's warm, acute, welcoming voice draws us into the erratic, intimate, and troubling effects of the disease and its impact on her relationships alongside the pleasures of family, friends, reading, writing, and the natural world. In this one-of-a-kind memoir, Kathy Page offers a thoughtful exploration of the complex and evolving science of this debilitating disease, a gripping account of the various ways that it impacts both PWP (People with Parkinson's) and their families. The book is also a unique look into the creative process of a life-long novelist who finds that she can no longer create in the way she has for decades. This wise and warm book makes an important contribution to the understanding of Parkinson's disease but is also a rich and heartfelt memoir of creativity and a life being well-lived, even as the challenges mount. It is a story of vital interest to us all as we face our own fragility, and indeed, mortality"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Page, Kathy, 1958-; Parkinson's disease; Authors, Canadian (English);
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Superfan : how pop culture broke my heart : a memoir / by Lee, Jen Sookfong,author.;
Includes bibliographical references."A memoir in pieces that uses one woman's life-long obsession with pop culture as a lens to explore family, grief, the power of female rage, Asian fetish, and what it's cost her to resist the trap of being a "good Chinese girl." For most of Jen Sookfong Lee's life, pop culture was an escape from family tragedy and a means of fitting in with the larger culture around her. Anne of Green Gables assured her that, despite losing her father at the age of twelve, one day she might still have the loving family of her dreams, and Princess Diana was proof that maybe there was more to being a good girl after all. And yet as Jen grew up, she began to recognize the ways in which pop culture was not made for someone like her-the child of Chinese immigrant parents who looked for safety in the invisibility afforded by embracing Model Minority myths. Ranging from the rise of Gwyneth Paltrow, the father-figure familiarity of Bob Ross, and the surprising maternal legacy of the Kardashians, to the long shadow cast by The Joy Luck Club, Jen uses pop culture icons to understand her emotionally fraught upbringing. She also dissects how pop culture created both unrealistic ideals and harmful stereotypes that would devastate her as she struggled to carve out her own path as an Asian woman, single mother, and writer. With great wit, bracing honesty, and a deep appreciation for the ways culture shapes us, Jen draws direct lines between the spectacle of the popular, the intimacy of our personal bonds, and the social foundations of our collective obsessions."--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Lee, Jen Sookfong.; Asians in mass media.; Model minority stereotype; Popular culture; Stereotypes (Social psychology) in mass media.; Women authors; Authors, Canadian (English); Chinese Canadian women; Chinese Canadians; Popular culture;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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