Celebrate Read a Book Day with SciComm Collective!

Indulge in our current favourite reads, from fantasy novels to poetry collections and everything in between.

by Michelle Shen

Graphic by Elena YH Lin

Image Description: White silhouette of poppies and leafy vines sprout out of an open book. Clouds float upon a warm light blue background.

Oh, September. In Canada, the US, and many other countries in the Northern hemisphere, it’s a month that marks the end of summer vacation and the start of a new school year. Some may be starting new programs or new jobs. Some may be returning to the same grind, but with a pumpkin-flavoured drink in hand. And for some, it may feel like you could use another couple of weeks of rest, because the world is still spinning too fast for you to keep up. Maybe that’s why Read A Book Day falls on September 6th (its actual history is a little murky), on a day when heads are still whirling from being brought back to a fast-paced and demanding environment — maybe it’s meant to serve as a convenient reminder to pause and take a step back from the chaotic world, to find a comfortable spot, and to immerse yourself in someone else’s thoughts for a little bit rather than mulling over your own. 

To celebrate this rather arbitrary yet delightful occasion, the SciComm Collective team has put together a list of our current favourite reads. On our list, we have a dash of fantasy, a smattering of poetry, a couple of personal memoirs and essay collections, and a few stories about scientists — both fictional and historical. Happy reading!

For those of you interested in fantasy series, sci-fi elements, and stories with really good world-building…

The Broken Earth Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin

This three-part series is set on the post-apocalyptic continent of Stillness, whose inhabitants are periodically wracked by episodes of catastrophic geologic and climate disasters. It’s a story about survival, mother-daughter bonds, and the dark side of humanity.

The Burning Series by Evan Winter

In an epic-fantasy series that has been described as “Game of Thrones meets Gladiator”, Winter tells the story of an ordinary boy born in a warring nation — no magical gifts, just a lot of personal ambition and a desire for revenge.

The Poppy War Trilogy by R. F. Kuang

Based on the historical and controversial figure Mao Zedong, the antiheroine Rin is an orphan girl who aces the Empire-wide entrance test for the elite military Sinegard academy, much to the surprise of those around her. Themes of the series include the price of power, the horrors of war, and the making of a dictator. 

For those of you looking for emotional depth, but could do without the fantasy elements…

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

At times heart-warming, at times heart-wrenching, this novel follows the mishaps and annoyances that fill the life of Ove, a 59-year old man recently forced into retirement. Ove is the dictionary definition of a curmudgeon (a crusty, ill-tempered and usually old man, Merriam-Webster), and is stubborn, gruff, and grumpy. Sprinkle in some thoughts about ageism and ableism, and you have the novel, A Man Called Ove. 

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

This book tells the deeply personal story of Gifty, a Ghanian-American PhD student in neuroscience at Stanford University. If you’re looking for a story about science and faith, grief, loss, and love, this one might be for you. 

For those of you looking for the perspective of someone with lived experiences…

From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle

Written by a Métis-Cree author who is now a rising Indigenous scholar, this memoir documents his previous struggles with family trauma, addiction, and homelessness. It seems like our team has an affinity for stories that examine the difficult parts of humanity. Perhaps others do too, because From the Ashes was the top-selling Canadian book in 2020. 

Disability Visibility, edited by Alice Wong

The stories of disabled people are mis- or underrepresented in media and in popular culture, and here, Wong provides readers with the opportunity to learn about those stories from the disabled community itself. Writings include personal accounts, blog posts, manifestos, Congressional testimonies, and more — all celebrating and highlighting the experiences of disabled people. 

A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott

In this collection of essays, Haudenosaunee writer Alicia Elliott brings the reader to moments of her childhood and adulthood, moments marked by intergenerational trauma, mental illness, poverty, and the ongoing legacy of colonialism in North America. Her writing is both unflinching and creative when illustrating her own personal anecdotes and the experiences of other Indigenous peoples.

For those of you looking for more food for thought, introspection…

Girls Are Coming Out of the Woods by Tishani Doshi

Doshi’s poetry hauntingly addresses violence against women with stark imagery and lyricism. Doshi also writes with wit and playful irony, making this collection a captivating and stirring read. 

Why Fish Don’t Exist by Lulu Miller

This book documents one twenty-something year old’s pursuit into finding the hidden order and meaning of a chaotic universe. Miller weaves a biography of the fish taxonomist David Starr Jordan together with her own memoir, adds some scientific journalism — and voilà, you have the whimsical and sometimes ominous story that is Why Fish Don’t Exist.