Three Canadian books that will change your life in 2025

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Make smarter choices, do some good in the world, get stuff done — if those are your resolutions for 2025, you are incredibly lucky. A new crop of Canadian-made books seems tailor-made just for you.

The Certainty Illusion

In an age of misinformation, disinformation and outright lies, the only thing we know for sure is that we can’t believe everything we read, hear or see.

Separating fact from fiction is increasingly difficult, thanks to AI, unscrupulous politicos, scam artists and wellness “experts.” Fortunately, bestselling author (Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?) and Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy at the University of Alberta, Timothy Caulfield is here to help, with an engaging guide to spotting and avoiding truth traps.

For example, he takes a deep dive into the “devious dozen” — words and terms that lull consumers into believing they’re buying into a good — or at least harmless — thing. You might reconsider how you feel about foods and wellness products that are marketed as natural, holistic, organic, immune-boosting and even locally-grown.

Caulfield makes no bones about his aversion to the pseudo-science of homeopathy, greenwashing and plain BS. “Science-y” journals that seem like reliable sources are particularly tricky. Almost anyone can create a journal with a legitimate-looking name like Academy of Holistic Quackery or Scientific Americans.

Often, researchers pay to publish their work in prominent journals and in some cases, editorial oversight is lax or non-existent. Caulfield tells the story of Dr. Olivia Doll, who sat on seven editorial boards and was an acknowledged expert on topics such as “the benefits of abdominal massage for medium-sized canines.” Olivia, a.k.a. Ollie, was a Staffordshire terrier, a.k.a. a dog.

So what’s the solution? A multi-pronged, multi-generational approach to honing critical-thinking skills, sharing evidence-based knowledge and rebuilding trust in reliable information sources. This book is a good place to start.

For the Love of a Son

In this candid memoir, Oake recalls the best and worst days of his life as a father, along with his family’s struggles as Bruce waged a losing battle with drugs.

Following his death at the age of 25, the couple and their younger son, Darcy, got to work fundraising, lobbying and, finally, launching the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre. Located in Winnipeg, the centre offers free treatment in hopes of sparing other families from the devastation the Oakes suffered.

The Art of Doing

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