Frances Itani is a Canadian author whose works delve into the complexities of human relationships and ethical dilemmas. Her career in fiction began after a prior practice in nursing, which informs her writing with a deep sense of psychological insight and compassion. Known for her stylistic precision and her ability to render emotional depth in her characters, Itani has garnered international acclaim. She explores themes of isolation, connection, and the search for meaning with profound clarity and empathy.
In the backroom of Cassie's café, six strangers gather on Tuesday nights, each seeking comfort and connection. As they share their stories and experiences, they form an unexpected bond known as the "Company of Good Cheer." This heartwarming tale explores themes of friendship, healing, and the transformative power of community, illustrating how even the most disparate individuals can come together to uplift one another in times of need.
From one of the stars of Netflix's overnight sensation Queer Eye, Tan France's memoir has his signature wit, style, and tells the origin story of the first openly gay, Muslim man on television. In this heartfelt, funny, touching memoir, Tan France, star of Netflix’s smash-hit QUEER EYE tells his origin story for the first time. With his trademark wit, humor, and radical compassion, Tan reveals what it was like to grow up gay in a traditional Muslim family, as one of the few people of color in Doncaster, England. He illuminates his winding journey of coming of age, finding his voice (and style!), and how he finally came out to his family at the age of 34, revealing that he was happily married to the love of his life--a Mormon cowboy from Salt Lake City. In Tan's own words, “The book is meant to spread joy, personal acceptance, and most of all understanding. Each of us is living our own private journey, and the more we know about each other, the healthier and happier the world will be.”
The book was initially published in Canada in 2014 by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. It offers readers a unique perspective on its themes and characters, providing an engaging exploration of its subject matter. The publication history highlights its Canadian roots, suggesting a cultural context that may influence the narrative.
Exploring the themes of friendship and competition, this book delves into the complexities of relationships and the challenges that arise between friends. It emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and conflict resolution, showcasing how characters learn to navigate their differences through compromise and empathy. By presenting multiple perspectives, the story invites readers to consider various points of view, ultimately highlighting the value of understanding and connection in overcoming obstacles.
A Japanese-Canadian family is forever altered by the cruelties of World War II. At once a portrait of life in internment and a meditation on the endurance of the human spirit, Frances Itani's Requiem is an unforgettable journey through one man's past and into a dark moment in history, beautifully rendered ... After spending his youth in an internment camp during World War II, Bin Okuma travels across Canada to find his biological father despite his leaving a devastating legacy.
Born on the shores of Lake Ontario, Grania O'Neill suffers a childhood illness that destroys her hearing. Grania's life without sound is also a life bounded by a powerful family love that tries to protect her from suffering. But when it becomes clear that Grania can no longer thrive among the hearing, her family sends her to the Ontario School for the Deaf. There, protected from the often unforgiving world outside, she learns sign language and speech. And there she meets Jim Lloyd, a hearing man, and the two, in wonderment, begin to create a new emotional vocabulary that encompasses both sound and silence. But a war is raging on the other side of the world. Only two weeks after their wedding, Jim must leave home to serve as a stretcher-bearer on the blood-soaked battlefields of Flanders. During this long and brutal war of attrition, Jim and Grania are pulled to the centre of cataclysmic events that will alter civilisation forever.