The pathway to a career isn’t always straightforward. Not everyone dreams of becoming a doctor, let alone a surgeon, since childhood. Author Dennis Pitt certainly didn’t. Like his grandfather and parents, Dennis had his sights set on a career in the Canadian Armed Forces. But after a few pivotal events, he applied to medical school. And once there, the path wasn’t any clearer: What area to specialize in? What internships and specialist residencies to apply for? How do you balance a personal life with a demanding education and career?

Inspired by his mother’s own memoir to document family history, Dennis wrote A Journey in Surgery: The Memoir of a Canadian Surgeon. From the influences of his childhood and adolescence to the ups and downs of medical school, Dennis navigated sometimes rocky terrain to become an “average” (his words) general surgeon. This memoir combines personal anecdotes and family history with elements of medical memoirs to offer a glimpse into the life of a surgeon—and life beyond surgery. Direct and self-aware, this memoir offers valuable commentary on the history of medicine as well as its future.

More than anything, A Journey in Surgery is about finding your path in life and maintaining the right balance once you’re on it. Because once you can appreciate all the wonderful people and experiences life has to offer, it’ll make all the challenges worth it.

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From ancient cave paintings to biblical stories, sharing our experiences has always been central to human connection. Scripture shows God moving in the lives of ordinary folks, and Jesus urged His followers to tell the good news about Him, giving their listeners hope and inspiration (Mark 5:19, Luke 8:38–39).

This collection of inspirational life stories by twenty-five members of The Salvation Army Oshawa Temple, in Ontario, Canada, focuses on a particular way in which God has worked in each author’s life, and illustrates the remarkable things that can happen When God Weaves His Story into Ours.

These authentic, personal faith journeys—ranging from finding joy in nature to coping with health concerns—reveal God’s love, grace, peace, protection, comfort, and guidance through life's highs and lows.

Comprised of heartfelt, transformative testimonies from multiple generations, this collection is fresh and engaging. Written in a conversational style, it’s as if the authors are sharing their God moments with us in their living room over a cup of Earl Grey and a biscuit.

These true stories have been shared to inspire others to recognize the difference that God can make in our lives if we allow Him.

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From rookie beat cop patrolling Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside to rising through the ranks as a homicide detective, Mike St. James has gone from rubbing elbows with the desperately addicted to chasing professional killers, and taking on the city’s most dangerous organized crime figures—always without compromise.

Mike has a knack for solving cases—thanks to his calm logic, deep street smarts, and unorthodox thinking. But when a loved one is targeted by a notorious gangster, it’s no longer just another case.

As the death toll escalates, Mike rushes to eliminate the threat. But time and again, insufficient evidence, power plays, legal loopholes, and courtroom decisions tip in the gangster’s favour. Even more frustrating, some of the murders land in bordering jurisdictions—one handled by agencies resistant to cooperation, forcing Mike to tackle the case with limited support. With public safety—and the life of someone he still cares for—on the line, Mike must decide: Will his sharp instincts and sense of justice be enough, or will he be forced to cross a line he swore he never would?

Immersive, gritty, and razor-sharp, The Law of Parsimony takes readers deep inside the life of a cop walking the moral tightrope in Vancouver’s bleak and unforgiving Downtown Eastside.

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If a person is being dragged to the bottom of the sea, manacled to an anchor, is it better that they should scream away their air in wasteful bubbles, or to find in their pocket the key to the lock that shackles them?

With the many flaws and failings of our modern society becoming more blatant every day — and more tragic with every news cycle — the original theory for social change introduced in this book is as timely as it is needed.

Although the future of humanity seems bleak, The Social Blueprint defends an ember of hope to improve society for the next generation, which doubles as a "self-help" guide to individual fulfillment and enlightenment. Abi and Ian stray from the beaten path by answering the question of how human nature became "damaged", and identifying the purpose of a human life, using original theory distilled from airtight logic, scientific inquiry, and even useful religious tenets.

Illustrated beautifully with short and insightful parables that help lead the reader along, The Social Blueprint shines light on the roadmap to improve our collective future, in 50 storied steps.

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This is not a tale of romance, but a meditation on love in its most selfless form: unrequited, redemptive, and eternal.

When Emma, an adopted infant who grew up desiring a partner, finds herself entangled in relationships with two men incapable of returning her love, she begins to question the hidden forces shaping her destiny. Her journey of heartbreak and compassion awakens memories that defy time and logic as she experiences “visions” of past lives in England, Peru, United States of America, Italy, Ireland, and Russia. Across centuries and incarnations, the same souls reappear, bound by a shared karmic debt and the lingering echoes of love that could never be fulfilled.

Through Emma’s fragile yet unyielding spirit, Living Outside the Box – Time and Time Again weaves together the temporal and the metaphysical, exploring the intersections of destiny, neurodivergence, and the boundless resilience of the human heart. With lyrical prose and philosophical depth, R. E. Siliente invites readers to contemplate the mysteries of existence and the haunting question: Is true love ever meant to be returned?

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Are you a successful, talented professional who secretly struggles with your inner critic and not feeling good enough? Are you a high performer who is drained from the ongoing effort to be productive while wearing a mask to hide insecurities?

These 140 thought drops, written by leadership life and business coach Debora Gemmell and others in the Thrive community, are designed to help capable individuals increase self-confidence and reduce imposter syndrome.

By shifting your mindset and consciously selecting your thoughts, the influences such as fear, worry and doubt that have dictated your life will fade, and you will start to embrace the truth that you are worthy, capable, and equipped with the talents needed to create and achieve the life, relationships, career and impact you desire.

This collection of tips, tools and insights (like the one below) will change your thinking . . . and your life!

Growth

Most people think the purpose of work is to earn money. The more money you make, the happier you will be. Some people who make a solid living are happy, but it’s not because they make a good income.

Work exists for us to contribute, be of service, evolve, and create. Work is a place for us to discover and apply our many talents that would otherwise go unseen, in any other situation.

Consider This: If you were to embrace this attitude, how might it change your perspective and increase your level of enjoyment at work? Are you willing to try it out for a couple of weeks and see what happens?

I AM finding more enjoyment in my work and seeing it as a place to stretch myself to uncover new hidden talents.

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Celebrate the strength, pride, and adventure of military families!

Join Finn, Sophie, Ollie, and their friends on a journey through the unique and exciting world of military life! This heartwarming collection of stories explores what it means to be part of a military family—learning to adapt to new homes, staying connected during times apart, and embracing new adventures with courage and joy.

Perfect for children and families, these tales remind us that love, resilience, and connection make every military family special.

Wherever you go, your family’s strength and love go with you.

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On September 14, 1962, twenty-year-old Carol Jamieson’s world shattered. In an instant—a car crash on a darkened road—and her young husband was gone, leaving her alone with their one-year-old son, Sean, and a future no one that age is prepared to face. She refused the easy path offered by well-meaning friends including those who encouraged her to take government assistance; she would not be pitied, she would not be rescued, and she would not surrender her independence. Instead, she carved out an extraordinary life from the wreckage.

Born in wartime Toronto and raised in a household plagued by alcohol, physical and mental abuse, Carol learned early to rely on her own fierce mind. Books, music, and ambition became her lifelines. When tragedy obliterated the first safe harbour she had ever known, she rebuilt—brick by brick—through sheer force of will.

She rose first in media and public relations, shaping stories and successes for CTV, the Miss Canada Pageant, and later the CBC. She organized Stompin’ Tom Connors’ televised wedding and arranged his remarkable singing audience with Queen Elizabeth II. But it was in politics—Canada’s rough-and-tumble, back-room, late-night version of it—where Carol’s voice became impossible to ignore. She campaigned, strategized, fundraised, and problem-solved for candidates across the Progressive Conservative landscape, from municipal hopefuls to premiers and prime ministers. Some sought her counsel eagerly; others were less enthusiastic—yet they got it anyway. And more often than not, they listened.

Beyond politics, she reinvented herself yet again, becoming co-founder of the Smith & Jamieson Tea Company, transforming thousands of kitchens across Canada and the United States and earning the title “Canada’s Tea Lady.” After leaving the tea trade, she plunged into real estate development, delivering hundreds of new homes and twenty retirement residences across Ontario and Quebec—all while carving out time for her growing family, including her second son, Alexander, and three cherished grandchildren.

Today, Carol channels her relentless energy into solving one of Canada’s greatest challenges: affordable housing. With new ideas and unflinching resolve, she continues to push institutions, governments, and entire industries toward bold change.

Get a Muzzle on Her! is the story of a woman who never fit neatly into a boys’ club—and never cared to. It is a testament to courage, determination, reinvention, and the unstoppable power of a voice that refuses to be quieted. As the late Toronto City Councillor and mayoral candidate Anne Johnston once quipped, “Carol didn’t wait for the White Knight—she got her own horse.”

And she’s still riding it.

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I dreamed of owning a sailboat and traveling the ocean to visit the world. My story begins in my home province of Quebec, Canada, where I learned to sail, and moves to Vancouver, British Columbia, where I bought Freedom-V, my sailboat. Sailing Around The World On Freedom-V chronicles the first seven of the thirty-five years I spent living aboard as I traveled this planet, visiting more than sixty countries and islands.

My adventurous lifestyle grew from my first blue-water passage to Hawaii and back, to leaving Vancouver for good in 1984 and living aboard while sailing down the Pacific Coast. I visited ports in the US, Mexico, Costa Rica, and then Panama before transiting the Panama Canal. The challenges of this lifestyle included paddling into the Darien Jungle on the Moqui River and staying in the remote San Blas Islands, waiting for a weather window so I could begin my Caribbean adventures.

From fun experiences like Trinidad’s Carnival to dangerous ones like surviving Hurricane Hugo in Charlotte Amalie, in the US Virgin Islands, I learned what is possible when you have a dream and work hard to accomplish it. Freedom-V was my home and mode of travel throughout these adventures.

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For all of you in the United States working diligently to combat the destruction that is occurring, thank you for your bravery, courage to step up and out to stop the erosion of rights for all humans, no matter your race, religion, sexual orientation. These rights have been hard won over decades of time but are now rapidly disappearing. Stay strong, stay brave, stay courageous, you are fighting for the peace and harmony of the entire world. At this point in time all countries of the world are interconnected, what happens in one country effects all other countries of the world.

Echos of the Canyon is dedicated to all persons who have the courage and bravery to stand against "The King" and fight for honesty and justice. For those who are willing to proudly stand up for all people to be treated with dignity and equality without the fear of persecution. Thank you fearless ones I applaud your dedication to defend and protect all rights for All, so you may continue to be a country of Democracy.

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Meet Iliana and Luna: two professional Flamenco dancers who have enchanted and captured the hearts of their adoring fans. Iliana has long known of Luna, Spain’s own beloved gem. Luna will come to know her American counterpart (and realize she has met her match) during the International Flamenco Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico – but she is ill-prepared for what is about to transpire. Bewitched by the land and the music and Iliana’s beauty, Luna discovers a fire in her soul that she didn’t know was there. Is it competition? Or is it something else?

Join them as they each journey down the road of self-discovery, tragedy, and triumph. And feel the pulse in your own soul as they find their way through the alluring, spell-casting magic of Flamenco dance.

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More than ever, students are disengaging from school and looking for connection and purpose in their lives, something that educators often struggle to offer in the traditional school system. In response to this changing landscape, Cinde Lock and Anneke Lee offer the CAP Method of Education, a model which has already seen incredible results in schools.

Both a philosophy and a methodology, the CAP Method of Education starts with building win-win partnerships and positions students as contributors and change agents, working alongside individuals and organizations striving to make a positive difference in the world. It shows how technology, when used constructively, can support personalized learning and help track student growth. This restructuring of educational norms helps students uncover their interests and discover their passions through action.

Academic rigour is not the starting point but a natural outcome of work that matters, making learning more relevant, motivating, and permanent. The CAP method can be used at any level, at any school, to repackage and dramatically improve the learning experience of both students and educators.

Equally inspiring and practical, the book provides a framework for educators, school leaders, and policymakers seeking meaningful change from within. It also speaks to parents who want more from education—schools that help their children uncover passions, build confidence, and pursue lives of purpose.

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This book is for adults considering a political career, interested in running for municipal office, either first term or again and for those who wish to support them. This book provides practical information to assist in the decision making and the practical aspects of campaigning written by someone who has been successful two times in the campaign race. There is never any guarantee that you will win no matter how many times you try however having a decision tool, practical tips and hints to guide you along the way is like having an extra hand when you need one! We all begin the campaign trail hopeful for success and this book will help you be prepared as well. Running for public office is an amazing experience. Best wishes and good luck on your campaign journey!

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What happens when a family’s secret reveals a broader story of Jewish survival and loss?

In Leah, a forgotten chapter of Toronto’s Jewish immigrant history comes to life. Nineteen-year-old Leah Granatstein arrived in Canada from Poland in the 1920s, seeking safety and new opportunities. But Leah’s strong independence and struggles with mental health set her apart in a community still dealing with tradition, poverty, and prejudice. When her behaviour was seen as unacceptable, she was placed in an asylum and eventually deported back to Poland.

Her disappearance reflects more than a family tragedy: it sheds light on the challenges faced by Jewish immigrants in preserving their culture and faith in a city marked by both opportunity and discrimination; it foreshadows the devastation faced by European Jewry during the Holocaust; and it raises enduring questions about how families navigate differences, secrecy, and shame. Drawing on archival records, family testimony, and historically rooted storytelling, Leah explores the intersections of Jewish culture, Canadian immigration, and the misunderstood realities of mental illness in the early twentieth century.

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This book is a collection of essays ~ both anecdotal and philosophical, and some are a combination of both. Some are about factual episodes of the author's life experiences, while others are a product of educated observations and driven by the author's innate curiosity.

Where possible, the author has imbued the essays with humour. Some, however written, cannot be anything but serious ~ some might say disturbing if not controversial. Therefore, Dear Reader, tread carefully!

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From the industrious ant to the devouring locust, insects weave a surprising thread through the tapestry of the Bible, carrying profound spiritual truths. Insects are the most varied, fascinating, and numerous animals on the planet, so it’s not surprising that references to them abound in the Bible. Why do the Proverbs highlight the ant’s wisdom? What do locusts teach us about the end times? Whether you’re a scholar, a seeker, or simply curious, this captivating journey into Biblical symbolism will deepen your understanding of these often-overlooked creatures, revealing their divine significance in God’s Word.

In I Am a Worm, nature lover and Bible student Allen Meyer blends the scientific and spiritual perspectives on insects and other invertebrates into a unique and insightful analysis of the “natural history” of the Bible. His reader-friendly accounts will engross anyone with an interest in the wonders of creation, while his interpretations of these creatures’ symbolic and prophetic meanings will surprise and inspire students of theology. Generously illustrated, this book uncovers the deeper meanings behind these tiny messengers, offering fresh perspectives on familiar scriptures.

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“You spent a lifetime sensing something was different, but no one saw it. Not even you. Until one day, everything clicked. Now there’s no going back.”

Her Face of Autism is a guide for women who have always felt different, misjudged, or like they were constantly working twice as hard to hold it together. Whether you’re self-identifying, newly diagnosed, or still untangling questions, this book offers clarity, context, and a grounded path forward.

Written by an Autistic and ADHD psychotherapist this book doesn’t speak about you, it speaks with you. It’s for women who masked their way through school, work, parenting, relationships—without realizing what they were doing was survival. It walks through the doubt, grief, and revelation that often follow late diagnosis or self-recognition. Chapters blend personal narrative, clinical insight, and client stories to explore this experience’s many layers: masking and burnout, misdiagnosis, trauma, identity, psychosexual development, intimacy, and neurodivergent relationships. You’ll also find reflective prompts to help make sense of your story—and rewrite it in your own words.

This isn’t a clinical checklist. It’s a neurodiversity-affirming, trauma-informed, real-talk resource for women who are finally seeing themselves clearly—often for the first time.

If you’ve ever thought, Why has this always been so hard? Why did no one see me?—this book is for you. You weren’t missed because you were fine. You were missed because you were masking. You were always Autistic. You’ve always been enough. Now you get to understand why—and what’s next.

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Yes, this is family history! It is an immigrant story. It includes significant scholastic research. It situates the personal and family narrative within the broader political, economic, and social context of the 1920s and the subsequent decades. There are letters by the mother, the father, a son, and a daughter. There is a diary. There are love letters. An interview with the mother injects a personal and poignant memoir. The author's research and recollections convey a tone of affection. Idiosyncratic details add sparkle.

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Based on interviews with survivors of “the American War,” Voices from Việt Nam delivers a moving portrait of a people who have succeeded, against great odds, in overcoming the horrors of war and occupation without bitterness—but also without forgetting.

During five extended trips to Việt Nam over several years, Rex Eaton met and talked at length with people from all walks of life: village heroes, survivors of massacres, creative artists, entrepreneurs, local memory keepers, guides and interpreters, and the children and grandchildren of both ordinary fighters and leaders of the liberation struggle. Greeted everywhere with candour and hospitality, he heard stories of terrible suffering, incredible courage, extraordinary endurance, and above all, love—for country, community, family, and the natural environment, all deeply scarred by the war yet capable of amazing resilience and renewal.

The interviews, supplemented by the author’s own astute and sympathetic observations, capture the hardships of the Việt Nam war, the often surprising details of how people survived, and the intriguing stories of how some even thrived. Whatever their outcomes, these fascinating personal histories reflect the remarkable tenacity of the Vietnamese people and their inspiring capacity for healing and compassion.

At the centre of the book, the stories of two heroic women—one the creator of an architectural masterpiece that celebrates the wonders of nature, the other the founder of an orphanage where every child in need, regardless of illness or disability, is welcomed—speak not just of survival but of rebirth. Together, all the stories are a profound uplifting testament to human resilience, creativity, and the universal longing for peace.

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Leadership is a practice. But who’s got the time?

If you’re like most business leaders, you have about five minutes between meetings, emails, and putting out fires. But if you want to be the best leader you can be, you need to take leadership seriously and you have to put in the work.

That’s where 12½ Leadership Lessons can help.

From the co-founder of Leadership Mindset Partners, and based on thirty years of leadership development experience, the book outlines a series of tools and habits designed to improve productivity, communication, and confidence in leadership roles.

From building resilience and a body budget, to fostering productive disagreement and stakeholder engagement, the book offers twelve (and a half) practical lessons to help you hone and enhance your leadership skills.

Think of it as your own twelve-week leadership program—choose one lesson per week to focus on and practise—or as a reference you can dip into and out of as needed, selecting the lessons that best fit your current role and challenges.

If you’re ready to take your leadership to the next level, 12 ½ Leadership Lessons will give you insight into the workplace strategies and self-development skills you need to make your leadership matter.

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