ZG Communications: Autumn Book Publicity Campaigns Summary

ZG Communications

Autumn 2017 Book Publicity Campaigns

Contents 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Reflections of Canada, by Various Contributors Taking Charge of Cancer, by David Palma Class Mom, by Laurie Gelman I’d Rather Be Reading, by Guinevere De La Mare The Orwell Tapes, by Stephen Wadhams Are We Screwed?, by Geoff Dembicki Growing Strong Girls, by Lindsay Sealey It Takes Two, by Jonathan Scott and Drew Scott Sourdough, by Robin Sloan Hummingbird, by Tristan Hughes No Refuge for Women, by Maria von Hensel Fix, by Russell Brand The Asshole Survival Guide, by Robert I. Sutton Dirty Kids, by Chris Urquhart The Book of Separation, by Tova Mirvis Rowing the Northwest Passage, by Kevin Vallely City on Edge, by Kate Bird Raven Walks Around the World, by Thom Henley Ali, by Jonathan Eig War of the Blink, by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas Waiting for the Punch, by Mark Maron What I Think Happened, by Evany Rosen Chasing Smoke, by Aaron Williams Island of the Blue Foxes, by Stephen Bown A French Woman’s Guide to Sex After Sixty, by Marie de Hennezel Fighting for Space, by Travis Lupick A World Without Whom, by Emmy J. Favilla

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Introduction Dear reader, friends and colleagues, Thank you for opening the pages of this ‘catalogue’ of books ZG Communications is representing for publicity in summer and autumn 2017. Enclosed you will find summaries of each book alongside potential talking points and ideas of interest.

This is the first year we have combined information about each of our promotional titles into one document. We do so with the hope of making our ongoing communications with you even more constructive. Positive change is something we are keenly interested in on two fronts. The first is internal: we welcome feedback about how best to share books with you, and how to evolve as our industry does.

The second is outward looking. We jubilantly believe that stories can change the world. (It’s one of the many reasons we love to pore over, gush over, linger over, books.)

This season’s offerings do that in spades. The following pages include descriptions of: the debut title from a millennial journalist-to-watch, a collection of essays that reevaluate modern history from a pithy feminist perspective, an Arctic adventure story underlining the importance of climate awareness, an investigative spotlight on Canada’s drug epidemic, an underrepresented story of female refugees, and a biography of one of the world’s most celebrated dissident authors. Amidst them are more books that will charm, tickle and inform.

Please let us know if we can provide additional information about these works. Extensive press kits are available upon request.

Meantime, we thank you for sharing our enthusiasm for these titles and the remarkable authors and publishers who bring them to our minds.

Yours, Zoe Grams Principal, ZG Communications

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Reflections of Canada

Illuminating our Opportunities and Challenges at 150+ Years

The Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies

REFLECTIONS OF

CA N A DA I L LU M I N AT I N G O U R O P P O R T U N I T I E S A N D C H A L L E N G E S AT 1 5 0 + Y E A R S

June 29, 2017 Politics / History The Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies ISBN: 9780888652676 $32.95 CAD 6.5 x 9.375 - 304 pages - Hardcover

During a pivotal moment in Canada’s history, when the future seems filled with opportunity, yet mired in chronic social and environmental challenges, Reflections of Canada presents 41 original writings on such topics by some of the country’s most celebrated thinkers.

Theologian and residential school survivor, Jillian Harris, explores the true meaning of reconciliation. Esteemed writer George Elliot Clarke presents an original poem. UBC Museum of Anthropology director, Anthony Shelton, offers an incisive critique of national arts funding. Canada’s Arctic is revealed in all its glory—and destruction —by pre-eminent explorer and author, Edward Struzik. Other issues examined include technology, health and aging, the status of women, multiculturalism and immigration, international relations, resource management and social justice.

In keeping with #Canada150, each work considers how our collective understanding of an issue has changed over 150 years. In a world where combative debates often prevent us from finding a true solution to critical issues, Reflections of Canada reaffirms the space for respectful, lively public discussion, providing a roadmap to effect positive change for future decades.

Points of Interest

• Offers important contributions to national conversations surrounding #Canada150, including perspectives from major thought leaders who invite Canadians to recognize their own experiences, and form their own opinions, around some of the most newsworthy topics in the country’s history.

• Esteemed public figures—including renowned political scientist Maxwell E. Cameron and diplomat Marc-André Blanchard —will be recognizable to Canadian audiences.

• Provocative perspectives spark conversation around issues including climate change and indigenous reconciliation, while offering practical solutions to long-term problems.

• Excerpts and interviews are available, plus stunning photographs, selected from a nationwide photo competition.

The Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of British Columbia is a highly collaborative international research environment, where UBC scholars have a sustained opportunity to exchange ideas with national and international scholars, work together on innovative research, develop new thinking that is beyond disciplinary boundaries and engage in intellectual risk-taking.

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Taking Charge of Cancer

What You Need to Know to Get the Best Treatment David Palma, MD

Author, oncologist and cancer researcher, Dr. David Palma, provides an eye-opening and thought-provoking perspective on the Canadian medical system.

Cancer is now the leading cause of death in Canada, with new cases expected to increase by 40 percent by 2030. The quality of resulting cancer care varies dramatically. The chance of dying from pancreatic surgery with a high-volume (or experienced) surgeon is four percent.

This multiplies if patients go to a hospital where such a surgery is less common: they then have a 16 percent chance of the surgery being fatal.

Understanding how the medical system works, and what questions to ask, is essential for getting the best possible treatment. Taking Charge of Cancer offers advice on how to double-check a doctor’s recommendation; how to read medical charts; and how to choose a surgeon.

Talking Points

• The importance of asking for, and being able to read, one’s medical chart, and real-life examples of when doing so can be life-saving.

• How to use key resources available in the medical system which many patients are unaware of, such as peer reviews or second opinions.

• The essential importance of understanding the difference between treatments aimed at curing cancer, and those that slow it down. Not understanding the purpose of treatment can often lead to upsetting outcomes or people choosing more invasive treatment than they otherwise would.

• How to avoid biases that can influence a doctor’s advice or treatment decision, such as specialty field or financial incentives.

• The myths and truths of cancer care. Facebook and Twitter are awash with information about cancer, some of it true, some of it false. Pursuing a bogus treatment can have serious, sometimes fatal, consequences.

David Palma, MD, PhD, is an esteemed radiation oncologist and cancer researcher at the Ontario Institute of Cancer Research. Dr. Palma holds advanced degrees from three institutions including Harvard University, has published more than 100 scientific research articles, and has won several awards for academics and teaching. He is a skilled speaker and media personality, who excels at explaining complex subjects so they are relatable, engaging and easy to understand. He is based in London, Ontario, where he lives with his wife, a family doctor, and their three children.

July 1, 2017 Health / Wellness New Harbinger Publications Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9781626258624 $23.95 CAD 6 x 9 - 240 pages - Paperback

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Class Mom A Novel Laurie Gelman

Laurie Gelman’s clever debut novel about a year in the life of a kindergarten class mom is a brilliant send-up of the petty and surprisingly cutthroat terrain of parent politics.

Jen Dixon is not your typical Kansas City kindergarten class mom, or mom in general. Jen already has two college-age daughters by two different (probably) musicians, and it’s her second time around the class mom block with five-year-old Max—this time with a husband and father by her side. Though her best friend and PTA President sees her as the “wisest” candidate for the job (or oldest), not all of the other parents agree.

From recording parents’ response times to her emails about helping in the classroom, to requesting contributions of “special” brownies for curriculum night, not all of Jen’s methods win approval from the other moms. Throw in an old flame from Jen’s past, a hypersensitive “allergy mom,” a surprisingly sexy kindergarten teacher, and an impossible-toplease Real Housewife-wannabe, causing problems at every turn, and the job really becomes much more than she signed up for.

August 1, 2017 Fiction / Women Henry Holt & Co Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9781250169983 $24.00 CAD 6.12 x 9.25 - 304 pages - Paperback

Points of Interest

• Gelman has extensive experience as a broadcaster on major networks in both Canada and the US, and would make for a confident, charming and perceptive interviewee.

• Class Mom wryly explores common trials of motherhood—from dealing with fellow parents at school events to balancing work and home responsibilities. Moms will laugh as they are liberated by Gelman’s acerbic truths.

• Relatable, irreverent and hilarious, Gelman is a fresh, welcome voice in fiction.

Laurie Gelman was born and raised in Canada. She spent 25 years as a broadcaster in both Canada and the United States before trying her hand at writing novels. Laurie lives in New York City with her husband, Michael Gelman, and two teenage daughters. Class Mom is her first book.

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I’d Rather Be Reading

A Library of Art for Book Lovers Guinevere De La Mare

Here is an ode to all things bookish—a gorgeous collection of essays, poems, photos, quotations and illustrations from some of the best loved writers, artists and readers from around the world.

Bestselling author of The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin, offers advice for readers with limited time on their hands. Award-winning author and independent bookstore owner, Anne Patchett, shares her 25 favourite books. Critic and essayist Maura Kelly offers an inspired Slow Books Manifesto, calling for more literature, less “fast” entertainment. Beautiful artworks, and poems by the likes of Emily Dickinson and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, celebrate the enduring power of books: to delight, to challenge; to invite us to see the world in a different way.

With stunning contemporary design, and dozens of contributors, I’d Rather Be Reading offers a beautifully packaged, sweeping guide to a more literary life.

Points of Interest

• Despite the introduction of e-books, print book sales are on the rise in Canada, and millennials are the largest and fastest growing consumers of literature.

• An ideal addition to a Christmas gift guide, this book is appealing to multiple genders and ages.

• Evocative, tactile images, from photography to illustrations, are available for use.

• Excerpts are available. In particular, Gretchen Ruben’s essay on ‘how to get even more reading done’ is a relatable, relevant advice piece.

Guinevere de la Mare is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in San Francisco. She is the founder of Silent Book Club, a pop-up speakeasy for readers worldwide with chapters in more than 20 cities (and more being added all the time).

August 15, 2017 Books / Lifestyle Chronicle Books Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9781452155111 $18.50 CAD 5 x 7 - 96 pages - Hardcover

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The Orwell Tapes Edited by Stephen Wadhams

Based on the acclaimed CBC Radio One program “The Orwell Tapes.”

The author of 1984 and Animal Farm was a brilliant, eccentric, complicated man. He was, at various times, a member of the colonial police force in Burma, a tramp, a dishwasher, a critic and journalist, a fighter in the Spanish Civil War, a teacher and a shopkeeper.

Orwell’s acclaim and bestseller status was recently revived when his critiques of propaganda and doublespeak once more spoke to the pressing political crises of our times.

In the summer of 1983, radio producer Wadhams spent eight weeks crisscrossing Britain and Spain interviewing more than 70 people who had known Orwell. The result was a unique resource: more than 50 hours of interviews with a huge range of people, most of whom are now dead. Their recollections are interwoven with biographical detail in this fascinating memoir to produce a very human portrait of one of the greatest writers of our time. The list of contributors includes well-known names such as Stephen Spender, Malcolm Muggeridge and Lord Astor, but also the unknown men and women who inspired much of Orwell’s writing: the men who fought beside him in Spain; classmates at Eton; his first girlfriends and confidantes; friends and family.

August 19, 2017 Politics / Biography Locarno Press ISBN: 9780995994614 $18.50 CAD 5.5 x 8.5 - 288 Pages - Hardcover

LOCARNO PRESS

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Points of Interest

• Recent publication of, and renewed interest in, dystopian fiction has increased dramatically. The Orwell Tapes offers a fascinating perspective on one of the world’s most celebrated writer of this genre.

• 1984 and Animal Farm are amongst the bestselling books of modern times, both selling even more since Trump took office. 1984 was #1 on Amazon after the inauguration.

• Wadhams is a seasoned radio host, producer and personality who can speak eloquently to the importance of Orwell’s messages in current political climes.

• The first biography of Orwell to be published in more than a decade.

Stephen Wadhams joined the BBC in 1968 before moving to Canada in 1975 to join the CBC. He has won has won numerous Canadian and international awards, including a Prix Italia and a lifetime achievement award from Chicago’s Third Coast Festival, which described him as a “masterful documentarian.” He worked on projects for the CBC across the globe until his retirement in 2016. He lives in Victoria, BC.

Are We Screwed?

How a New Generation is Fighting to Survive Climate Change Geoff Dembicki The millennial generation, now North America’s largest demographic, has recently demonstrated its power to alter the course of history. We saw this during Prime Minister Trudeau’s sweeping ascent to power; Bernie Sanders’ groundbreaking nomination campaign; and the demonstrations that followed Trump’s surprising election.

As told by acclaimed millennial journalist and speaker, Geoff Dembicki, Are We Screwed? documents this historic shift in political power across the globe, especially as it relates to the greatest threat facing mankind today: climate change.

From Beijing to Paris, San Francisco to New York, Dembicki tells fascinating stories of his contemporaries, and examines how they are shaping our world by offering creative, practical solutions to climate change. With each vividly reported dispatch, a portrait of a new and powerful generation emerges: one that is not skeptical or lazy as frequently reported, but positive, pragmatic and full of hope for the future.

Talking Points

• Millennials are often portrayed as politically apathetic, even vapid, and in a social media fervour. Dembicki identifies common misperceptions about millennials, outlining the reality of how his generation seeks to effect positive change for future generations.

• As climate change escalates at a frightening rate, Dembicki offers uplifting anecdotes from his research that depict millennials around the world working to solve this crisis.

• Offers insight into how to combat climate change, from conscious consumption to questions to ask political leaders.

• Trump shocked the world when he pledged to revitalize the coal industry. Dembicki can speak to how millennials are responding to this and other climate threats in the United States.

• Socialist-leaning campaigns have gained unexpected traction across the world. Bernie Sanders made headlines when his socialist-leaning campaign garnered support from millions. France elected leftist Emmanuel Macron. Dembicki can provide insight into our world’s shifting values and what this suggests for future political campaigns.

Geoff Dembicki is an acclaimed journalist with bylines in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, Vice, Salon, Motherboard, the Toronto Star and The Walrus. His work has been cited by NPR and the Center for Public Integrity, and in 2012 he was awarded a media fellowship from the Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada. Dembicki received a grant from the New York-based Solutions Journalism Network to support the writing of Are We Screwed? He was born in Edmonton, AB in 1986, and now lives in Vancouver, BC.

August 22, 2017 Politics / Environment Bloomsbury Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9781635570786 $24.99 CAD 6.12 x 9.25 - 320 pages - Paperback

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Growing Strong Girls Practical Tools to Cultivate Connection in the Preteen Years Lindsay Sealey

School-age children increasingly use social media likes and followers to measure their own and others’ self-worth—and girls bear the brunt of online scrutiny. According to the latest research, nine to 14-year-old girls feel intensely judged by their appearance and face pressure to be perfect, and to grow up as quickly as possible. The result, according to esteemed author, educator and counselor, Lindsay Sealey, is overwhelming anxiety, stress and even self-destructive behavior.

In this digital landscape, it is essential for parents, mentors and educators to connect more deeply and authentically with girls. As Sealey indicates, intervention during pre-teen years—the most pivotal stage in a girl’s life—can activate self-awareness, self-acceptance and healthy social and emotional skills, all factors contributing to success in later decades.

Full of practical advice and poignant anecdotes from girlhood and parenthood, Growing Strong Girls offers a roadmap to achieving better lives for our girls—and a more just society long term as a result.

Talking Points

September 1, 2017 Parenting / Psychology LifeTree Media ISBN: 9781928055297 $21.99 CAD 6.5 x 8.5 - 168 pages - Paperback

• Perfectionism can take many forms, including obsession with body size, body shape, grades and social media likes. Addressing perfectionism from a young age is crucial to combatting the intense pressure brought on by social media.

• From Mean Girls to Gossip Girl, the “catty” girl is a pervasive pop culture icon, yet an extremely damaging one. There’s no such thing as a “bad girl”—just a misunderstood girl.

• Bravery and the ability to set boundaries are essential survival skills for girls, who absorb timidity, flexibility and obedience from a young age. Parents can instill both skills.

• Emotional health is not part of school curriculums in Canada.

Practical advice and tips help parents teach emotional intelligence at home.

• Girls often confuse wanting to be “sexy” with readiness for sex. This distinction is crucial for girls to understand in a world of selfies and snapchat.

Lindsay Sealey holds an MA in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University. A passionate girl-advocate with formidable public speaking experience, she has worked in counseling, curriculum development and special education for more than 15 years and is the founder and CEO of Bold New Girls: a teaching and coaching company for girls and young women and their parents, teachers and caretakers.

Lindsay lives in Vancouver, Canada.

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It Takes Two

Our Story Jonathan Scott and Drew Scott Jonathan and Drew Scott­—known for their wildly popular HGTV shows Property Brothers and Brother vs. Brother—follow up their New York Times bestseller Dream Home with an anticipated memoir. It Takes Two: Our Story shares anecdotes from the Calgary-born brothers’ childhood and sweeping rise to fame: from starting their first business at the age of seven; to purchasing their first home together at 18; to starring in hit shows and founding their own entertainment company.

An intimate portrayal of the two brothers, the book shows how Jonathan and Drew found their passion by combining their gifts for entertaining with the skills they learned from buying, renovating and selling homes, and how their family and upbringing led to such success. Throughout, Jonathan and Drew share hilarious stories from life behind the screen, and showcase the clever sibling banter for which they’re adored throughout North America.

Points of Interest

• Jonathan Scott and Drew Scott are instantly recognizable celebrities in Canada and their first memoir has been anxiously awaited by fans across the country.

• Behind-the-scenes stories and childhood tales will appeal to fans of the brothers’ work, as well as first-time home buyers, design buffs, homeowners and beyond.

• Anecdotes from the book make for aspirational, highly readable excerpts that provide insight into how the brothers’ developed their career.

• High-resolution photos are available; when combined with inspirational quotes from the book, photos make for inspired social media content.

Jonathan Scott, a renowned designer, and Drew Scott, a seasoned realtor, both star in HGTV’s Property Brothers, Buying & Selling and Brother vs. Brother. Household names in Canada, the brothers are renowned across the world for their whip smart humor, practical home advice and infectious personas. They have worked in real estate for over 15 years, and are founders of Scott Brothers Entertainment.

September 5, 2017 Biography / Celebrity Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9781328771476 $38.00 CAD 6 x 9 - 304 pages - Hardcover

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Sourdough A Novel Robin Sloan

Robin Sloan follows up his New York Times bestseller, Mr. Penumbra’s 24Hour Bookstore, with a novel exploring one woman’s weird, wonderful and —at times—downright terrifying foray into the world of food technology.

Lois Clary is a software engineer at a San Francisco robotics company with world-changing ambitions. She codes all day and collapses at night, her human contact limited to the two brothers who run her favourite take-out joint. When Visa issues force the brothers to close, they have one last delivery for Lois: their culture, the sourdough starter used to bake their bread, which she must keep alive through any means possible.

The bacteria becomes Lisa’s closest companion, and she finds herself selling loaves all over the city. But the discovery of a secret market, which aims to fuse food and technology, forces the question: how far is she willing to grow her sourdough empire? Told with infectious intelligence and sparkling insight into our modern world, Sourdough marks the powerful return of an acclaimed young writer.

Talking Points

September 5, 2017 Fiction / Literary Farrar, Straus and Giroux Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9780374903343 $24.99 CAD 5.5 x 8.25 - 272 pages - Paperback

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• Robin Sloan is a talented author to watch in 2017. His first novel, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, was chosen as one of the best 100 books of 2012 by the San Francisco Chronicle and was a New York Times Editor’s Choice. Sloan’s writing is heralded by critics everywhere— from The New Yorker to The Independent.

• The safety and ethics of food technology is a pressing issue facing North Americans. Are modified foods safe to eat? Is “growing” animals for slaughter moral? Will food tech solve world hunger, or will it only benefit the elite?

• As food technology ramps up, so does a nostalgic obsession with farm-to-table meals and artisanal baking. Sourdough explores these competing foodie ideologies with sparkling wit and insight.

• Artisanal sourdough is trending in 2017. Lois’ trials and tribulations with ‘hipster baking’ would be a relatable, funny feature article (excerpts are available).

Robin Sloan grew up near Detroit and now splits his time between San Francisco and the internet. He graduated from Michigan State with a degree in economics and has worked at Poynter, Current TV and Twitter.

At each company, he was tasked, in part, with figuring out the future of media. His first novel, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, was chosen as one of the best 100 books of 2012 by the San Francisco Chronicle, was a New York Times Editor’s Choice and was a New York Times and NPR Bestseller.

Hummingbird

A Novel Tristan Hughes

From award-winning author Tristan Hughes comes a poignant and gripping coming-of-age novel about loss, absence and redemption in the wilds of northern Ontario.

In a small house beside Sitting Down Lake, 15-year-old Zachary lives a lonely life with his father and their eccentric neighbours: a leech trapper, a millionaire and an expert in snow. Desperate for company, Zachary seeks solace in the moody landscape, with all its dark spaces and undiscovered worlds.

Then, one summer, Eva arrives and everything changes. She enlists Zach and his knowledge of the land to help locate her parents and a crashed floatplane. Navigating between summer and winter, the living and the dead, Zack and Eva grow closer. Soon, they discover that the people of Sitting Down Lake must come to terms with a mysterious past and face the looming reality that death is never final: something always remains.

Points of Interest

• The first novel from new Canadian publisher, Locarno Press.

• An esteemed, Cambridge-educated author born in Wales and raised in Ontario, Hughes is an exciting and unique voice in Canadian literature. Hummingbird is his anticipated followup to his most recent book, Eye Lake.

• At once a gripping page turner and a powerful work of literary fiction, Hummingbird demonstrates Hughes’ mastery of story.

• Set in cottage country, Zack’s story will be instantly relatable to the thousands of Canadians who grew up in small towns or spent summers by the lake—including Hughes himself.

Tristan Hughes is the author of five previous books including My Cold Bones Home and Revenent, both highly praised in the UK. He has a PhD in literature from King’s College, Cambridge and has taught courses on American literature and creative writing at Cambridge, Leipzig, Bangor and Cardiff. His most recent novels Eye Lake and its follow-up, Hummingbird, are set in the northern Ontario town of Crooked River, based on Atikokan, where Hughes spent his childhood summers. He is a senior lecturer and an AHRC Fellow in Creative Writing at Cardiff University, and splits his time between Cardiff and Atikokan.

September 9, 2017 Fiction / Literary Locarno Press ISBN: 9780995994607 $22.95 CAD 5.5 x 8.5 - 192 Pages - Paperback

LOCARNO PRESS

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No Refuge for Women The Tragic Fate of Syrian Refugees Maria von Wesler

60 million people are displaced in the world, and half of all refugees are female. Yet of the thousands of images showing Syrian refugees, few depict women and children. In Germany, where 1.2 million refugees have asylum, two-thirds of the applications were made by men.

Investigative journalist and former UNICEF Germany Vice Chair Maria von Welser visits densely populated refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon, determined to find these “missing” women and children. In her journeys she meets starving Syrian women and children, forced to send their men abroad in search of food and shelter. Alone they face physical attacks, forced prostitution, sex trafficking and child slavery. von Welser also meets Myriam, a Syrian refugee who traversed the Middle East and the Mediterranean with her five children to seek asylum in Hamburg. Interweaving Myriam’s success story with those of other, often less fortunate refugees, von Welser condemns the apathy and occasional animosity of the West.

Despite this, No Refuge for Women offers future hope by making educated, deft recommendations for change while celebrating Syrian women.

Strong and connected, they are determined to find peace for their people.

Talking Points

September 9, 2017 Politics / Women Greystone Books ISBN: 9781771643078 $24.99 CAD 5.5 x 8.25 - 272 pages - Paperback

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• von Welser gained intimate access to hundreds of refugees while spending weeks at a time in the largest Syrian refugee camps in the world. This access, when combined with her experience as former UNICEF Germany Vice Chair, makes von Welser an authority on the crisis.

• 2017 marks the seventh year of the Syrian refugee crisis.

• In 2015 and 2016, Canada took in nearly 40,000 refugees while the United States absorbed only 18,007. von Welser can speak to Canada’s unique policies—including citizens’ rights to privately sponsor refugees—and what the world can learn from the country.

• The absence of women and children refugees from western media coverage is one of the greater mysteries of the crisis. von Welser is one of the first to provide in-depth stories about such individuals.

• World leaders have cited large populations of male refugees as a reason to restrict immigration, yet half of Syria’s refugees are vulnerable women and children. Refusal to acknowledge both groups can lead to significant problems in refugee policies.

Maria von Welser is a German journalist, television presenter and author. She has reported from Chechnya, Croatia, Gaza and India and was London Bureau Chief for National German Broadcaster ZDF. She is warm and open with impeccable English. She is the former Vice Chair of UNICEF Germany.

Fix

Freedom From All Your Addictions Russell Brand A multi-faceted, unusual guide to addiction recovery from the acclaimed comedian, actor and international celebrity who has gone through it it all: from heroin to fame to online shopping.

Brand has famously explored his struggle with addiction through his beloved comedy, Hollywood films and previous bestsellers. Fix imparts, for the first time, the wisdom, advice and practical tools Brand has gained throughout his 14 years of recovery.

During a time when addiction and mental health challenges affect one in five Canadians, Brand covers the full spectrum—from Facebook addiction to bad relationships, drugs and alcohol—and shows how staying clean requires daily effort. He asks not “Why are you addicted?” but “What pain is your addiction masking?” and “Why are you running?” Fix provides not only an individual recovery plan, but an attempt to make sense of and fix an ailing world.

Points of Interest

• Never before has Brand provided specific tools for addiction recovery based on his own experiences; Fix reveals advice fans have been waiting years for.

• Brand has moderated mental health support groups, founded a nonprofit devoted to recovery and completed a variety of programs himself. All are shared for the first time in Fix. • Relatable, witty prose provides a fresh take on the traditional self-help manual. As Brand says, “This manual comes not from a mountain but from the mud. My qualification is not that I am better than you—but [that] I am worse.”

• Poignant (and at times salacious) anecdotes are available for excerpts.

• Brand’s personal addiction recovery steps would make popular list articles.

September 12, 2017 Biography / Health Henry Holt & Co Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9781250141927 $38.00 CAD 6.12 x 9.25 - 304 pages - Hardcover

Russell Brand is an English comedian, actor, radio host, activist and author of several bestselling books, including the New York Times bestsellers My Booky Wook and Revolution. His films include Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, among others. Funded by his profits from Revolution, Russell opened a non-profit coffee house in London: a social enterprise run by former drug addicts in abstinencebased recovery programs. He lives in London, England.

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The Asshole Survival Guide How To Deal With People Who Treat You Like Dirt Robert I. Sutton Since The No Asshole Rule became a national bestseller 10 years ago, author and professor Robert Sutton has been asked how to deal with such a personality type in their own lives thousands of times. He answers with this new book, shifting focus from building civilized workplaces to providing relief for anybody who feels plagued and pushed around by assholes.

Equally useful and entertaining, The Asshole Survival Guide delivers a cogent, methodical game plan for dealing with difficult people. Sutton explains the importance of assessing what type of behaviour one is experiencing before providing field-tested, evidence-based strategies for dealing with assholes: avoiding them, outwitting them, disarming them, sending them packing and developing protective psychological armour.

He even teaches readers how to look inward to stifle their own inner jackass.

The Asshole Survival Guide offers a plan to maintain happiness despite difficult acquaintances, helping readers to develop the patience, resilience and strength so often needed in the day-to-day.

Points of Interest

September 12, 2017 Business / Psychology Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9781328695918 $40.00 CAD 5.5 x 8.25 - 224 pages - Hardcover

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• The No Asshole Rule was a cultural phenomenon when it launched, named as one of the most influential books of the decade, receiving New York Times bestseller status and nationwide press acclaim. The Asshole Survival Guide is the anticipated follow up, offering advice for how to deal with difficult people in all aspects of life.

• The subject of jerks in our world and how to deal with them is of constant public interest, buoyed by the discussion of prominent figures like Steve Jobs, Lance Armstrong, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, to name but a few.

• In the age of internet trolling and social media spats, understanding how best to deal with assholes in both an on- and offline setting has never felt more relevant.

• A brilliant mind with an irreverent sense of humour, Sutton makes complex management concepts easy to digest and relevant to the general public.

• Cutting edge research and insights from the Stanford professor can be developed into How To articles or interviews.

• Sutton is a seasoned and engaging high-profile author with an impressive litany of popular media and academic connections.

Robert Sutton is a Stanford University professor and author of six management books, including the New York Times bestsellers The No Asshole Rule and Good Boss, Bad Boss. He is an IDEO Fellow and cofounder of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program and the Stanford Design Institute. He lives in Menlo Park, California.

Dirty Kids

Chasing Freedom with America’s Nomads Chris Urquhart Youth make up approximately 20 percent of Canada’s homeless. In the US, studies show that one in seven young people will run away from home.

Dirty Kids documents the perilous lives of runaway teens across North America from the perspective of a talented writer who lived among them.

At age 22, Urquhart left behind a comfortable middle-class existence to travel with runaways, dropouts, hippies and Rainbows—a three-year-long venture that would forever change her outlook on life and what freedom really means. In Dirty Kids she reveals the surprising pleasures of nomadic existence—the warmth and acceptance she discovered in this culture of sharing, generosity and non-capitalistic collaboration—as well as the mental health issues, substance abuse and fear of violence that plagued her life at society’s margins.

Stunning photos by photographer and traveling companion Kitra Cahana accompany the narrative, as Urquhart shares her struggle to understand her newfound “family” and finally achieve a sense of belonging. The result is a striking reflection on a radically alternative way of life that Micah White calls “a thought-provoking, vibrant and essential memoir.”

Points of Interest

• Dirty Kids transforms our common perception of homeless youth.

Far from being “dropout” or “hippie” stereotypes, they come from all walks of life and make the choice—or are forced—to run away from home for a variety of reasons.

• Provides a unique perspective on an underground culture often romanticized and vilified in equal measure.

• Urquhart’s own story of leaving her middle-class life to follow a group of young travelers offers an engaging, compelling narrative.

• Photographs by documentary photographer Kitra Cahana provide a striking visual accompaniment to Urquhart’s prose.

• Micah White, bestselling author and co-creator of Occupy Wall Street, and named as one of the most influential young thinkers of today, is ideally positioned to introduce the book.

September 16, 2017

Memoir / Counter Culture Greystone Books ISBN: 9781771643047 $21.95 CAD 6 x 8.5 - 240 Pages - Paperback

Chris Urquhart’s writing has appeared in Adbusters, COLORS, Maisonneuve, the Santiago Times and Esquire Russia. Chris lives in Toronto, Ontario.

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The Book of Separation Tova Mirvis

The powerful story of one woman’s decision to leave her faith and her marriage—and the terrifying and liberating terrain of her boundless life.

Raised in a tight-knit Orthodox Jewish family, Tova Mirvis always observed the rules and rituals prescribed by her faith, including marrying a man from within the fold and starting a young family.

By age 40, Mirvis felt suffocated by her existence. After years of silencing her inner voice, she left her marriage and her faith to embark on a journey of self-discovery, much to the confusion of her children and those around her. Honest and courageous, and with the lyrical, captivating prose of an accomplished author, Mirvis describes her first year outside her marriage and community. She explores how she learned to silence her fears to carve her own path to happiness.

September 19, 2017 Women / Biography Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9780544520523 $37.00 CAD 5.5 x 8.25 - 320 pages - Hardcover

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Points of Interest • Comparable to Joan Didion’s Year of Magical Thinking and Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, Mirvis’ treatise on self-actualization provides relief during a time when we are constantly bombarded by images of how we should be living.

• This is the long-awaited first memoir from Mirvis, whose novel The Ladies Auxilary became a national bestseller.

• Mothers today face overwhelming pressure to excel as parents while also maintaining challenging roles outside the home. Mirvis can speak to finding her true calling as a mother.

• Offers a unique perspective on the nature of faith and its relationship to religion.

• Rarely are we exposed to accounts of women who leave their faith or their marriage later in life. Mirvis’ courageous story is intriguing and inspiring, making for ideal excerpts and interviews alike.

Tova Mirvis is the author of three novels: Visible City, The Outside World, and The Ladies Auxiliary, a national bestseller. Her essays have appeared in various publications, including the New York Times, Boston Globe Magazine, Huffington Post and Poets and Writers, and her fiction has been broadcast on NPR. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts.

Rowing the Northwest Passage

Adventure, Fear, and Awe in a Rising Sea Kevin Vallely

“Climate change is happening so rapidly in the Arctic that it is essential people go there and record what they see, as Vallely so compelling does.”

– Peter Wadhams, author of A Farewell to Ice In July of 2013, leading explorer Kevin Vallely launched a rowboat in Inuvik, NWT, and set off across the perilous Northwest Passage with three of his closest friends. The crew sought to raise awareness for an environmental catastrophe: ice levels had reached record 30-year lows, making the frigid Arctic Archipelago traversable by boat—without sail or motor.

From July through September, Vallely and his crew focused Canada’s attention on climate change. They listened to the concerns of the Inuvialuit and Inuit peoples, and were shocked to spot grizzlies and beavers on the shores: animals of much warmer climes. They endured gale-force winds and unpredictable storms, all while facing social media attacks from climate change deniers.

Dangerous conditions and, ironically, more ice than expected, forced the team to turn back early, just shy of their goal. Rowing The Northwest Passage offers an epic adventure story and an original perspective on one of the most pressing issues facing humankind today.

Points of Interest • The book’s launch occurs months after the lowest ever ice level was recorded in the Arctic.

• The Northwest Passage is a key part of Canada’s national identity. It’s the site of numerous early voyages including the infamously doomed Franklin Expedition, and has gained recent media attention over its role in Arctic Sovereignty.

• Kevin Vallely is a sought-after keynote speaker, experienced interviewee and go-to authority for Arctic coverage.

• Climate change is altering the Arctic faster than scientists ever could have predicted. Vallely is one of the few people in Canada to come up close and personal with the landscape and its people under such extreme conditions.

September 23, 2017 Environment / Travel Greystone Books ISBN: 9781771641340 $24.95 CAD 5.5 x 8.5 – 232 Pages - Paperback

Kevin Vallely is an architect, motivational speaker and adventurer whose expeditions have earned him national acclaim and media attention.

He has been named one of Canada’s leading explorers by The Globe and Mail, and is a member of the Explorer’s Club: an American-based international professional society promoting scientific exploration and field study. In 2009 he and two teammates broke the world record for the fastest unsupported trek from the edge of the Antarctic continent to the Geographic South Pole. He lives in North Vancouver, BC. 19

City on Edge

A Rebellious Century of Vancouver Protests, Riots & Strikes

Kate Bird

Vancouver has long been known as a city with a passion for resistance in many forms. Esteemed archivist and author of the bestselling Vancouver in the Seventies, Kate Bird, returns with another powerful photo collection, this time celebrating the city’s rich history of social movement.

Striking images illuminate some of the most pivotal moments in recent Canadian history, from the 1907 Asian race riots; to the Amchitka protests; to the Doukhobor demonstrations and the Stanley Cup riots.

Whether planned or spontaneous, revolutionary or reactionary, the scenes in these 160 candid photographs demonstrate a continuous appetite for change in this wildest of Canadian cities—and provide ample inspiration for future calls to action.

Points of Interest

September 28, 2017 Photography / Politics Greystone Books ISBN: 9781771643139 $32.95 CAD 9 x 10 - 160 Pages - Hardcover

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• Protests and demonstrations are “trending” in mainstream culture— culminating in 2017’s now-infamous Pepsi commercial. City on Edge celebrates resistance in a way that’s authentic and meaningful for all generations.

• Bestselling author and comedian Charles Demers’ foreword makes for a compelling accompaniment to photographs from the book as part of a feature article (excerpts are available).

• All 160 photographs are available for media to select from.

• A talented and warm author with media experience, Kate Bird can share keen insight into Vancouver’s penchant for resistance: past, present and future.

Kate Bird helped manage the photograph collection at the Vancouver Sun and the Province for 25 years. She has been the researcher for numerous books, including Making Headlines: 100 Years of The Vancouver Sun, which won the Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award at the 2013 BC Book Prizes. Her most recent book was the bestselling photo and essay collection, Vancouver in the Seventies. She lives in Vancouver, BC.

Raven Walks Around The World

An Activist’s Life Thom Henley

In 1970, 22-year-old Thom Henley left Michigan, riding the rails, building a squatter shack on a beach and coming to be known as “Huckleberry” during his extensive travels. Eventually, a hippie named Stormy directed him to Haida Gwaii where, upon arrival, a Haida Elder affirmed that she had been expecting him. From that point, Henley’s life unfolded as if destiny were at work—perhaps with a little help from Raven, the legendary trickster.

Henley collaborated with the Haida for 14 years to spearhead the largest environmental campaign in Canadian history and the creation of Gwaii Haanas National Park. Later, he became a co-founder of Rediscovery—a wilderness program for First Nations and non-aboriginal youth that would become a global model for reconciliation.

Over and over, he found himself at the epicentre of significant events that included a historic train caravan across Canada, an epic Haida canoe voyage, an indigenous rights campaign world tour for the Penan tribespeople of Borneo, as well as two global disasters: the 2004 South Asian tsunami and the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

Beautifully recounted with passion, humour and humility, Raven Walks around the World is a moving and thoughtful account of a life lived in harmony with the land and community.

Points of Interest

• Henley’s story is peppered with a cast of unlikely characters, such as the time he hosted then-Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and entourage, including five-year-old Justin Trudeau, at his remote driftwood hippie hut.

• Provides a first hand account of remarkable environmental and community endeavors, such as the southern portion of the Haida Gwaii Archipelago being named as a national park reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Formally adopted by the Haida people, bestowed with the name “Yaahl Hlaagaay Gwii Kaas” or “Raven Walks Across The World”, Henley can speak eloquently to how he built relationships with Indigenous people across the globe.

September 30, 2017 Memoir / Canada Harbour Publishing ISBN: 9781550178074 $24.95 CAD 6 x 9 - 272 Pages - Paperback

Thom Henley is an environmentalist, human rights advocate and author or co-author of ten previous books including Islands at the Edge: Preserving the Queen Charlotte Archipelago and Rediscovery: Ancient Pathways, New Directions. When he’s not travelling, leading outdoor education trips or at his summer camp on the Skeena River, Henley lives in Victoria, BC. 21

Ali

A Life Jonathan Eig The definitive biography of an American icon, from a New York Times bestselling author with unique access to the boxer’s inner circle, Ali breaks bold new ground in sharing the life of the wittiest, the prettiest, the strongest, the bravest and, of course, the greatest (as he told us over and over again).

Muhammad Ali was one of the twentieth century’s greatest radicals and most compelling figures. At his funeral in 2016, eulogists said Ali had transcended race and united the country. But they got it wrong: race was the theme of Ali’s life. He insisted that America accepted a black man who wasn’t afraid to speak out or break the rules. “I am America,” he once declared. “I am the part you won’t recognize. But get used to me—black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own. Get used to me.”

He went from being one of the most despised men in the country to one of the most beloved. Jonathan Eig’s biography breaks bold new ground, revealing Ali in the complexity he deserves, shedding important new light on his politics and his neurological condition. Ali is a story about race, about a brutal sport and about a fascinating man who shook up the world.

Points of Interest

October 3, 2017 Biography / Sport Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9780544435247 $42.00 CAD 6 x 9 - 640 pages - Hardcover

• A year after Ali’s funeral, his commitment to peace and social justice is fiercely remembered: an essential message for a nation whose race relations continue to be fraught.

• Never before has Muhammad Ali been depicted in a complete, unauthorized biography.

• Eig has been hailed by filmmaker Ken Burns as one of America’s master storytellers.

• The book shares stories from key people in Ali’s life, including his three surviving wives and his managers.

• Eig accessed thousands of pages of newly discovered FBI and Justice Department files, as well as dozens of hours of newly-discovered audiotaped interviews from the 1960s, offering a new perspective on Ali’s relationship with authorities.

Jonathan Eig is the author of four critically acclaimed books, two of them New York Times bestsellers. He was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Monsey, New York. Eig is a former staff writer for the Wall Street Journal, and he remains a contributing writer there. He has written for the New York Times, The New Yorker, Esquire, The Washington Post, and other publications. He has appeared on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and in two Kens Burns films for PBS. He is currently working with Burns to develop a documentary on Muhammad Ali. He lives in Chicago, IL.

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War of the Blink Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

The follow-up to bestselling graphic novel RED: A Haida Manga, War of the Blink is a another stunningly inventive retelling of an ancient Haida tale, as told by acclaimed artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas.

It is the story of a fisherman who suspects a party of raiders is descending upon his island home. When his warnings are not heeded, the man sets out to guard the village on his own, only to find himself caught in a highstakes game of kidnap and bluff. In a final showdown, in which one of the sides must blink first, the villagers find a surprising way to save face and their home.

Combining traditional Northwest coast and Japanese comic art in Yahgulanaas’ own, dizzingly original style, War of the Blink is a timeless fable about the bravery it takes to choose peace over war.

Points of Interest

• Yahgulanaas’ distinctive fusion of pop graphics, Haida art and Japanese comic styles is instantly recognizable and highly inventive.

• An earlier version of the artwork was displayed at the Vancouver Art Gallery a part of the groundbreaking exhibition “Raven Travelling.”

• War of the Blink launches when Yahgulanaas’ reputation continues to grow. The author and artist can speak to his international projects and expansive career.

• The artist’s approach offers a unique approach to fusing cultures, traditions and artwork: of increasing relevance in today’s modern Canada.

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas’ books include A Tale of Two Shamans; Flight of the Hummingbird, with an afterword by the Dalai Lama; Hachidori, a bestseller in Japan; and RED: A Haida Manga, nominated for multiple awards. Yahgulanaas is also a sculptor and graphic artist whose work is in the collections of the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum, and Vancouver Art Gallery amongst others. He pulls from his 20 years of political experience in the Council of the Haida Nation and travels the world speaking about social justice, community building, communication and change management. He lives on an island in the Salish Sea, with his wife and daughter.

October 7, 2017 Graphic Novel / Indigenous Art Locarno Press ISBN: 9780995994621 $24.95 CAD 7 x 8.5 - 72 Pages - Hardcover

LOCARNO PRESS

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Waiting for the Punch Words to Live by from the WTF Podcast Marc Maron

“I’m British, so I’m medically dead inside, but even I can’t help but open up whenever I talk to Marc. He uses his honestly like a scalpel, cutting himself open in front of anyone he’s talking to, and in doing so, invites you to do the same.”

—John Oliver Each week more than 1.5 million listeners tune into WTF with Marc Maron to hear the internationally celebrated comedian speak candidly and openly with a guest.

Waiting for the Punch presents Maron’s best-loved interviews from nearly a decade of podcasting: an extraordinary collection of thoughts from some of the world’s most recognizable names as they work through relatable issues. Barack Obama discusses the bittersweet moments of watching his daughters grow up. Bruce Springsteen shares how the nature of desperation can both motivate and devastate. Amy Schumer recounts the pain of her parents’ divorce. Each chapter covers a different topic—from success and failure to relationships and sex—offering a hilarious and moving account of what it means to be human. It’s a remarkable guide to everyday guide to life in the twenty-first century.

Points of Interest

October 10, 2017 Humour / Celebrity Flatiron Books Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9781250088888 $31.99 CAD 6.12 x 9.25 - 416 pages Hardcover w/ jacket

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• Rare insight into the inner lives of celebrities, artists and political leaders, all of whom truly open up when speaking with Maron.

• Maron will be instantly recognizable to a Canadian audience. He is celebrated across North America not only for WTF with Marc Maron but also for his sitcom, Maron, and comedy specials on Netflix, Comedy Central and HBO. In 2017, Maron stars alongside Alison Brie in the highly anticipated Netflix show GLOW. • Select interviews are available for excerpts.

• Maron is available for interviews during which he can share key moments from his most thought-provoking interviews to-date.

Marc Maron is an internationally celebrated stand-up comedian and host of the podcast WTF with Marc Maron. He has appeared in his own comedy specials on Comedy Central, HBO and Netflix, and his sitcom, Maron, airs on IFC. In 2017, Marc Maron stars alongside Alison Brie in the Netflix original show GLOW.

What I Think Happened

An Underresearched History of the Western World Evany Rosen What I Think Happened is really two books: a savvy, no-holds-barred romp through the history of the western world and a collection of essays that recast history from a feminist perspective.

Beloved comedian, actress and self-proclaimed “failed academic” Evany Rosen explores the moments and personalities that most affected her life: from her unnatural obsession with Napoleon; to her misguided understanding of the Royal Family; to her intrigue at America’s dumpiest presidents. Rosen’s approach to history is to make it personal, which any good historian will tell you is exactly what not to do; but in so doing, and with whimsy and irreverence, she rescues history from the dusty confines of “intellectually aggressive” men and makes it fun again.

This is Rosen’s debut book, and the first published under Arsenal Pulp Press’ new imprint, Robin’s Egg Books. Curated by award-winning comedian, playwright and author, Charles Demers, the imprint will feature fresh, smart and funny writing on culturally relevant subjects.

Talking Points

• Feminist perspectives are once more on the rise following recent elections. Rosen makes a valuable contribution to the national conversation around women’s role in culture by showing how history has been shaped—and skewed—by a predominantly patriarchal culture.

• Female comedians are now receiving international acclaim usually reserved for men in the field. Rosen cements herself as one of Canada’s young women comedians to watch.

• Subjects such as social anxiety, celebrity culture and capitalism are explored with a probing combination of intelligence and wit.

• Hilarious one-liners interwoven with moving anecdotes make for absorbing personal essays (excerpts are available).

• Rosen’s approach to history is to make it radically personal—a trendsetting genre favoured by acclaimed and popular authors from Maggie Nelson to Carmen Aguirre.

October 10, 2017 Biography / Feminism Robin’s Egg Books An Imprint of Arsenal Pulp Press ISBN: 9781551526959 $17.95 CAD 6 x 9 - 196 pages - Paperback

Evany Rosen is a standup comic, actor and writer and a member of the now-defunct Canadian comedy troupe Picnicface. She has appeared at numerous comedy festivals and in films and on television, and as a voiceover actor in animated series such as Mysticons (Nickelodeon), Hotel Transylvania (Disney) and Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs (Cartoon Network). She also earned a bachelor’s degree in early modern philosophy which, according to her father, “seems like a real airtight backup plan.”

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Chasing Smoke

A Wildfire Memoir Aaron Williams

The 2016 Fort McMurray fire was one of the most devastating reminders of the impacts of forest fire in recent history. Destroying more than 2,400 homes, and raging out of control for two months, it resulted in the largest-ever wildfire evacuation in Alberta. In British Columbia, rough terrain and changing weather systems make each summer a risk for similar devastation.

What is it like to be on the frontlines of firefighting? Chasing Smoke is an enthralling insider-account of how a fire season unfolds, as told by experienced firefighter, Aaron Williams.

He offers a tangible window into the intensely physical, high-adrenalin lifestyle shared by his crew of eccentrics, all eager to be on the front line.

Williams shares what it’s like to work 16-hour days in an apocalyptic landscape, where the smoke is so thick your snot runs black and you need to drink ten litres of water a day. What it’s like to make a stupid mistake and singe your beard in front of your crew, or spend hours hosing a spot the size of a queen mattress and still not extinguish the burn.

October 14, 2017 Memoir / Adventure Harbour Publishing ISBN: 9781550178050 $22.95 CAD 5.5 x 8.5 - 192 Pages - Paperback

Chasing Smoke shares historical, political and mechanical insight into firefighting alongside captivating personal stories. In doing so, it pays homage to the crews who put their lives on the line each season, across the country.

Points of Interest

• As explained in a recent press conference by Prime Minister Trudeau, Canadians must prepare for more and intensified natural disasters as a result of climate change. Williams can speak to the impact of climate change on his firefighting crew and residents of BC. • Safety is a top concern among crew leaders—that, and stopping the fire. Chasing Smoke shows the number of unsafe conditions that occur on the job, which could intensify as fires increase.

• Vivid passages from the book such as Williams’ description of falling a tree—“Trees break free and swing themselves like catapults.

Splintered chunks of wood slash through the air like propellers.”— make for exciting excerpts about the truth of firefighting.

• An experienced firefighter and talented writer at work on his MFA, Williams is an eloquent interviewee.

Aaron Williams is a seasoned firefighter, who has fought wildfires across Canada and parts of the United States including British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Idaho. He is also an accomplished writer, with bylines in The Globe and Mail, Halifax Chronicle Herald and the Vancouver Observer. He is currently working on an MFA in creative nonfiction writing at King’s College in Halifax, NS.

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Island of the Blue Foxes Disaster and Triumph on Bering’s Great Voyage to Alaska Stephen R. Bown

The Great Northern Expedition was one of the most ambitious and wellfinanced scientific expeditions in history. Started in 1733, lasting nearly ten years and spanning three continents, it rivals the treks of famous explorers James Cook and Lewis and Clark. Almost 300 years later, author of the award-winning White Eskimo, Stephen R. Bown, offers a definitive account of the voyage.

Conceived by Peter the Great in the 1730s, and led by Danish mariner Vitus Bering, the expedition transported a grand cavalcade of 3,000 scientists, secretaries, interpreters, artists, surveyors, officers and laborers who sailed across oceans and trekked across harsh and often-unforgiving landscapes, investigating flora, fauna, minerals and even scandalous rumours about Siberian peoples.

The experience for the crew was unsurprisingly intense: they were plagued by grave misfortunes and bolstered by unparalleled success. Part adventure story, part inspired history lesson, Island of the Blue Foxes tells their incredible story: one of personal and cultural animosities, Gothic horrors and ingenuity in the face of adversity.

Points of Interest

• A universal story of survival, adventure and connecting across cultures.

• Rarely are accounts of historical expeditions as accessible as Island of the Blue Foxes. Gripping, easy-to-read passages would make for exciting feature articles (excerpts are available).

• Bown has authored many critically acclaimed books including his most popular, recent title White Eskimo. A large Canadian fan-base hotly anticipates this next work.

• Articulate, humorous and knowledgeable, Bown would make for an insightful and revealing interview about the Great Northern Expedition close to its 300 year anniversary.

Stephen R. Bown is the author of many critically acclaimed, awardwinning titles, including most recently White Eskimo (Douglas & McIntyre, 2015), which was the winner of the 2016 William Mills Prize for Non-Fiction Polar Books. Bown lives in the Canadian Rockies.

October 28, 2017 History / Expeditions Douglas & McIntyre ISBN: 9781771621618 $34.95 CAD 6 x 9 - 288 Pages - Hardcover

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A Frenchwoman’s Guide to Sex After Sixty Marie de Hennezel

Forty percent of over 65s still crave sexual pleasure, yet only 12 percent regularly experience it. Internationally celebrated French author and psychologist, Marie de Hennezel, offers a bold vision for how the aging population can still experience a passionate life and healthy sex in later years. Sex has no age limit, she explains, but there are obstacles to overcome—such as reduced libidos and a youth-obsessed culture that shames mature desire into hiding.

Seeking sound advice from everyday couples and experts alike, de Hennezel profiles men, women and couples to provide tested, real-world advice, combined with insight from professionals including a former adult film star and renowned French sex therapist.

A Frenchwoman’s Guide to Sex After Sixty posits that cultivating an inner youthfulness is more important than the presence of outward aging, explaining why sensuality and emotional intimacy is more joyful in one’s sex life than scrutiny over one’s appearance (and its potential rapid changes). This highly useful book is playful, frank and uplifting—just like its subject at the best of times.

Points of Interest

October 28, 2017 Health / Sexuality Greystone Books ISBN: 9781771643344 $22.95 CAD 5.5 x 8.5 - 224 Pages - Paperback

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• France has long been viewed as a world leader in sexual freedom and graceful aging. The book marries French ideals with the author’s decades of experience in psychology and the science of aging.

• There are more than 5 million Canadians over 65—more than under 15s—and Canadians today will live longer than previous generations, making questions about healthy aging even more imperative to answer.

• North Americans face intense pressure to look youthful as they age. de Hennezel’s positive perspective on aging bodies and mature desire provides welcome respite from this.

• Practical, research-based tips range from how to deepen sensuality; to combatting effects of aging; to how to focus more on cultivating eroticism, less on genitalia; to how to replace penetration for the same or better results.

Marie de Hennezel is an esteemed psychologist and therapist and the author of ten books, including The Art of Growing Old and Intimate Death: How the Dying Teach Us to Live. She is known for her commitment to improving end-of-life conditions, and for her contributions to changing the image of old age in French society. She was named Knight of the Legion of Honour by French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin in 1998 and was appointed Officer of the Highest Order by Prime Minister Jean-Francois Mattei in 2003. She is a member of the the Scientific Committee of the Fund for Hospice and the National Committee for the Development of Palliative Care.

Fighting for Space

How a Group of Drug Users Transformed One City’s Struggle with Addiction

Travis Lupick Canada is in the grips of a drug epidemic. Illicit drug overdoses claimed the lives of 922 British Columbians in 2016 alone. In Ontario, two people are estimated to die each day from overdoses. With the introduction of fentanyl—up to 100 times more toxic than morphine—risk of fatal overdose has further increased. In the face of this crisis, policy makers are being urged to rethink the war on drugs and their approach to addiction.

Fighting for Space explains the concept of harm reduction as a crucial component of a city’s response to the drug crisis. It tells the story of a grassroots group of addicts in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside who waged a political street fight for two decades to transform how the city treats its most marginalized citizens. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, this group of residents organized themselves in response to the growing number of overdose deaths and demanded that addicts be given the same rights as any other citizen; against all odds, they eventually won.

Twenty years later, as the same pattern plays out in other cities, there is much that advocates for reform can learn from Vancouver’s experience.

Fighting for Space tells that story, with the same passionate fervour as the activists whose tireless work gave dignity to addicts and saved countless lives.

Points of Interest

• Lupick reports on-the-ground from Canada’s most drug-affected neighborhood, interviewing addicts, community organizers and mental health workers.

• By studying Vancouver’s response to shockingly high numbers of overdoses (the highest in Canada in 2016) Lupick offers insight for cities dealing with similar crises.

• Scientists across the country have cited harm reduction strategies, such as installing safe injection sites, as crucial solutions to Canada’s drug epidemic. Prime Minister Trudeau refuses to budge from his stance against loosening prohibition on hard drugs. Lupick offers an in-depth analysis of the debate around harm reduction in Canada.

• Amidst rising death tolls and a seemingly unstoppable flow of fentanyl across borders, Fighting for Space presents a uniquely hopeful outlook on Canada’s drug epidemic, offering practical solutions to effect positive change.

Travis Lupick is an award-winning writer based in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. He has more than a decade’s experience working as a staff reporter and editor for The Georgia Straight newspaper: Vancouver’s largest alternative news weekly. He is a demonstrated authority on Canada’s drug epidemic, and has written about drug addiction, harm reduction and mental health for the Toronto Star, The Walrus and Al Jazeera, among others.

November 1, 2017 Politics / Health Arsenal Pulp Press ISBN: 9781551527123 $19.95 CAD 5.5 x 8.5 - 256 pages - Paperback

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A World Without “Whom” The Essential Guide to Language in the BuzzFeed Age Emmy J. Favilla

As language evolves faster than ever before, what is the future of “correct” style?

With wry insight and an uncanny intuition for the possibilities of internet-age expressiveness, BuzzFeed copy chief Emmy J. Favilla makes a compelling case for the future of the written word. She demonstrates why, rather than try to preserve the sanctity of the written language as laid out by Strunk and White, we should be concerned with the larger issues of clarity, flexibility, playfulness and political awareness.

Featuring uproarious emoji-strings, sidebars, quizzes and style debates among the most lovable nerds of the web copy world, A World Without “Whom” is essential for anyone invested in the future of words and writing.

Points of Interest

November 14, 2017 Culture / Technology

• A seasoned copy editor and current copy chief for BuzzFeed, one of the world’s largest and most successful media companies, Favilla is uniquely positioned to speak to the evolution of language.

• Treatises on internet speech, emojis and hashtags provide uniquely positive perspectives on how the internet is shaping language and identity.

• Pressing questions relating to the internet—such as shortened attention spans­—are addressed in bubbly and upbeat prose.

• Helpful advice can be formatted as list articles. For example, “5 Tips For Using Emojis” and “Why #internetspeech Isn’t So Bad” could be arranged.

Bloomsbury USA Distributed by Raincoast Books ISBN: 9781632867575 $31.99 CAD 5.5 x 8.25 - 240 Pages - Hardcover

Emmy J. Favilla is esteemed copy chief of BuzzFeed. She is also the original creator of the BuzzFeed style guide, which garnered a great deal of media attention as the unofficial “style guide for the Internet” when it went public in 2014. A New York University graduate, Favilla has worked as a copy editor at Seventeen magazine, Teen Vogue and Natural Health. She lives in New York City with two cats, two dogs and two rabbits.

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About ZG ZG Communications is a boutique marketing agency dedicated to promoting astute, original ideas that can transform the world.

We are deeply passionate about the industries we work within.

We work with people we believe in, whose visions we want to realize.

Simply put, we love what you do and we love what we do.

Our clients and collaborators include: Publishers, Authors, Journalists and Filmmakers Who want eyes on their work.

Not For Profits Who want to increase public understanding of complex issues.

Educational and Professional Institutions Who want to share the power of knowledge in new ways.

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Our services include strategy development, copywriting, media relations, online marketing and event and tour coordination. We pride ourselves in working closely with our clients and collaborators, building long-term relationships and systems which continue to perform long after our work is done.

Meaningful conversations are the foundation of our work. Let’s start one.

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ZG Communications hello@zgcommunications.com +1 604 336 3822