Atlantic Books Today MESSAGES
Editor’s message Nearly a year-and-ahalf into this pandemic, it would be delusional to assume it’s almost over. As I write this in September, 2021, 60 percent of the global population has yet to receive a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with the number reaching 98 percent in lowerincome countries. The more contagious Delta variant—currently in 96 countries—is spurring a fourth wave, which may now be reaching parts of Atlantic Canada. So why then do we turn our minds to healing in this issue? As Philip Moscovitch writes in our cover story, “The pandemic may not be over, but it has gone on long enough that we are starting to see books about it, or that refer to it and its effects. And we are far enough into it that we can begin to talk about healing from the individual and collective trauma of the last 18 months.”
We are all tired of it. Tired of the lockdowns, the tragedy and frightening news reports. But our fatigue won’t make it go away. Only a continuing commitment—logistical, educational, financial—to social distancing whenever necessary, to masking, to other public health guidelines, and to worldwide vaccination will let us reach the point where we can safely reunite in community, without fear or constraint. But in the meantime, we have all been damaged by global events to one degree or another. This issue, via this autumn’s new books, explores many facets of healing. We know books alone won’t cure COVID-19 or climate change or violent crime or prejudice or inequity or any other societal ill. But, as James Mullinger writes in his piece on humour books, they can keep us “sane and happy during this time.” And books—their stories, their ideas—often spark the conversations that shift cultural norms, which results in political pressure, which causes better decision and policy making, which creates a healthier, more sustainable, more equitable world. That’s healing.
CMO’s message From a physical perspective, books are fairly limited in their utility. I have a stack of them holding up my laptop, but I can’t use them to hang a door straight or clean my kitchen. Their value is almost exclusively internal. They give me an enjoyable experience, new knowledge, an opportunity for personal reflection. There’s a specific emotional connection to home that gives local books an added dose of value, makes them a little more special. At the same time, local books offer us the same degree of knowledge and can even be our own carry-on life coaches. Through our work on multiple local-book projects and publications, including ABT, I’ve become increasingly curious about this intersection of understanding, where place meets knowledge and creates wisdom. We’re proud that this issue explores another facet 4
of local books: finding ways to heal. Heal ourselves as individuals and heal our society as a greater whole. There are many complex approaches society uses for healing the sick. There is a vast array of pharmaceuticals, therapies, equipment. These are usually expensive, making them unavailable to many. Collectively, they have not yet solved many of our greatest health challenges. Books, while not a cure for disease, do offer a certain healthful quality, while being non-invasive and readily available. At their best, they can equip us with insights to help us find our own pathways to healing. Evidence of the health benefits of books abounds in a new project, Books by Heart, which aims to provide local eBooks to patients and staff in the QEII cardiology department (details on Page 14 of our special digital edition). In partnership with Dr. Gabrielle Horne, Books by Heart seeks to answer the question, “Can local books reduce the propensity for depression for cardiology patients during treatment?” Hm, perhaps books aren’t so limited after all.
