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They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us Book Review

Hanif Abdurraqib
Part memoir, part cultural criticism, this collection of essays is a joy to sit with. Abdurraqib holds space for deep contemplation of pop music. He leads you on a half-hour reflection of a 3-minute song, proving that our time is not a fleeting or shallow one; that we live in a historic moment and these are our anthems. He takes what could be a throwaway joke and peels back layer after layer in his poet's voice. This is a book I get giddy about. These are essays I want to read aloud to my friends.

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Can commuting patterns explain Waterloo Region's cultural identity?

I moved to Waterloo in 2008 to attend university. Coming from Whitby, quite a homogeneous bedroom community, I was taken in by the incredible diversity of experiences that the tri-cities had to offer. It was a short trek from campus to downtown Kitchener, where I volunteered with Food Not Bombs and …

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Strangers with the Same Dream Book Review

Alison Pick
Picture a kibbutz in the 1910s: idealistic Jews building a new world for themselves on the principles of communal living. This story tears that picture to shreds. We hear from the perspectives of four characters, each adding a layer of detail and intrigue to the whole messy drama of their Zionist project. The narrative veers away from political commentary, instead turning over every stone in the hearts of the young *halutzim*. Theirs is a hard existence full of compromises, betrayal, and cognitive dissonance. My only criticism: the use of a ghost character as a narrative technique was unnecessary; the gimmick got old quickly.

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Lemons Book Review

Kasia Jaronczyk
These short stories weave the political pressures of Soviet Poland into domestic life. Families celebrate Stalin's birthday out of obligation, even in the privacy of their own home. In the same way, Basia knows not to tell anyone when her grandfather raises a hand against her. Learning to tell a good lie is just as important as learning how to hide a painful truth.

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