July Books

August already? Where has time gone?! Not so long ago I was planning (and unfortunately cancelling) Canada Day celebrations, and now a new month is here… Despite its rocky start, July was good and we spent it surrounded by friends, family and mountains. It was a good month but a busy one, which didn’t leave me with much time to read… However, I was lucky with the two books I managed to squeeze in – they were quite different but both very enjoyable.

Shoot the Damn Dog: A Memoir of Depression | Sally Brampton
As someone who suffered from depression, I can say Sally Brampton’s account of the illness is very accurate – and terrifying. My condition was never as severe as her but I found myself in her words; the ones describing the feeling of despair as much as the ones explaining the ‘waves’ you go through during remission. I was perhaps luckier than Sally and reading her story made me grateful for the life I have now, for every little bit of happiness. It also made me more empathic towards those who suffer with major mental illness. I have years of experience working with a marginalised clientele (mental illness, homelessness, drug addiction, prostitution, etc.) but Shoot the Damn Dog showed me a different aspect of pain. An excellent book I would highly recommend to about everyone but especially to anyone affected by depression whether you suffer from it or someone close to you does.

Eleanor & Park | Rainbow Rowell
I often saw this novel banally described as a book about first love… It’s much more than that. Yes, it is a love story but the author also touch serious themes such as domestic and child abuse, body image, bullying and identity. The way the story is told – alternating between narrators and a beautifully poetic prose – is particularly enticing. A light read in size but a rather emotional one at times.

August usually holds a more laid-back atmosphere as we settle into the last of the summer months… Hopefully it means being able to spend more time in company of some good novels!

Happy reading!