Back in July, I noticed that many of the employees at Aangen are big readers, and summer has always been a favourite time to dig into a good book.
Whether you’re on a beach, in your backyard or balcony, or just relaxing in the comfort of your home, Ontario summers always hold a special place in my heart. Flowers are blooming, the sun is bright and warm, and everyone is enjoying the slow pace that overtakes nearly everyone and everything. And what better way to enjoy those slow, humid days than by immersing yourself in a good book?
I asked Aangen’s employees about their summer reading recommendations. I hope you find some new and exciting novels (and maybe a colouring book!) to dig into.
First up is our Executive Director, Gurbeen Bhasin. As someone always on the go, she’s always reading a few books, including “The Magician’s Way” by William Whitecloud and “Looking for Alaska” by John Green.
Special mention goes to the book “The I AM Principle” by Father Charles Ogada who, prior to his death, was a dear friend and supporter of Aangen, as well as an incredible human. His book contemplates his journey with God, and on what it means to accept that the answers you seek are within yourself.
Erika Elizabeth, our kitchen consultant, enjoyed camping and relaxing with “Local Gone Missing” by Fiona Barton, a suspenseful thriller about discovering the secrets of a small, sleepy town.
Alicia Gunning, Aangen’s Creative Director, has been busy! She’s in the process of reading the book “How to Do Nothing” by Jenny Odell, a non-fiction novel about how we choose to spend our time within a capitalist system. She’s also been delving into colouring books and shared some of her favourite finished pieces with us.
The one who inspired this blog post–-and Aangen’s favourite social worker–Braeda Dowden has been reading some amazing nonfiction stories. Her recommendations are:
“We Measure the Earth with our Bodies”, a debut novel by Canadian author Tsering Yangzom Lama following the migration of Tibetans through a couple generations. Parts of
the novel are set in the Parkdale area of Toronto, AKA Little Tibet.
“Mindful of Race” by Ruth King, which looks at the complexity of racial divides and offers transformation through mindfulness.
And last but certainly not least is “The Wake Up” by Michelle Mijung Kim. This book serves as a reflection on how we can build more inclusive communities through activism and is written in a very digestible, easy to read way.
Arpith Sengupta, our HR Manager, had two recommendations: “Wicked Dead: Torn” by Stefan Petrucha and Thomas Pendleton, a novel about a high school band with a dark twist. His second recommendation is for the novel “The Killing Woods” by Lucy Christopher, a horror-thriller.
Next up is our graphic designer, Daniel Ajenifuja, who is reading “Packing for Mars” by Mary Roach. This book explores how the human experience translates into space exploration and the experiments and trials we had to go through to ensure the comfort of astronauts.
During the summer I discovered my mom’s old Kobo and it opened up a whole new world of reading. One of the best books I discovered was “Kaikeyi” by Vaishnavi Patel, a novel that takes the famous Indian epic the Ramayana and tells it from the perspective of the perceived villain, Kaikeyi. I also have taken to colouring books for relaxation, my favourite being “Geomorphia” by Kerby Rosanes.
We hope that our diverse reading interests and recommendations can serve as a great starting point for your reading journey. And, more importantly, do you have any reading recommendations? We would love to hear them!