Book Shelf: Spring Summer 2021
Compelling recent reads from writerly faculty and grads on everything from how to get a good night’s sleep to a history of cyber-intelligence
How to Fail as a Popstar (Mar 2021)
Vivek Shraya, assistant professor, Department of English
How to Fail as a Popstar is Shraya’s debut theatrical work, a one-person show that chronicles her journey from singing in shopping malls to “not quite” pop music superstardom with beguiling humour and insight. Shraya’s book is a raw and humorous reflection on the power of pop culture, dreams, disappointments and self-determination.
On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down (Apr 2021)
James Fell, BA’93, MA’96, MBA’99
Fell’s writing has evolved from fitness to motivation to social justice. Now, he’s writing about history. His latest book will expand your knowledge of world history in the most hilarious and profane way possible.
Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency (Oct 2020)
Dr. John R. Ferris, PhD, professor, Department of History
Based on unprecedented access to documents in the U.K.’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) archive, Behind the Enigma is the first book to authoritatively explain the history of one of the world’s most potent intelligence agencies, revealing the fascinating truth behind this remarkable and enigmatic organization.
The Intentional MBA: A Guide to Maximizing Your Decision, Experience and Investment
(Jun 2020)
Christine Dagenais, MBA’11, and Renée Francis, BA’06, MBA’16
After three years of collaboration, the authors never planned to launch their labour of love during a pandemic, but they’ve soldiered on. Written for MBAs by MBAs, this practical guide will help those considering an MBA, studying in school now or graduated to find information on how to get the most out of the experience.
Seven Songs and Seven Stories (Aug 2020)
Michael Sundberg, BSc (Eng)’88
While working in Saudi Arabia as an engineer, Sundberg began writing and ultimately turned to this new passion as a full-time pursuit. He was intrigued by the similarities and differences amongst people around the world — their cultures, priorities and histories. This collection of short stories and song lyrics (published under the pseudonym ML Sund) explores temptation, regret and redemption across the American Heartland.
Sleep Good: Get the Sleep You Deserve (Nov 2020)
Raman Gill, BEdP’13
After two years of sleepless nights, Gill published Sleep Good — a handy guide on the essential practices to get a deeper sleep and better understand how sleep works. Learn how to wake up refreshed, handle shut-eye habits and self-reflect to a better sleep.
Others of My Kind: Transatlantic Transgender Histories (Oct 2020)
Dr. Annette F. Timm, PhD, professor, Department of History | Co-Authors: Alex Bakker, Rainer Herrn and Michael Thomas Taylor
Others of My Kind is the story of a transatlantic network of transgender people who, through the exchange of letters and photographs, established a community for themselves and carved out a space in the emerging study of human sexuality.
