Tell It Like It Is: A List of Fearless Books
In honour of Freedom to Read Week, this is a list of Canadian books that stand out for being powerfully—even ruthlessly—honest and brave. Whether fiction or non-fiction, serious or funny (or both), the books on this list share one trait: they deal with important issues (depression, murder, inequity, disability, persecution, sex, gender, identity, family, etc.) in fearless ways that could only happen in a country that values free expression and thinking. We're talking about you, Canada.
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/t/three-wishes/9780888996459_cover/741375689-1-eng-CA/9780888996459_cover_wide_360.jpg)
Three Wishes
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/t/the-inconvenient-indian/9780385664219_cover/237324934-1-eng-CA/9780385664219_cover_wide_360.jpg)
The Inconvenient Indian
A Curious Account of Native People in North America
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/t/the-nearest-exit-may-be-behind-you/9781551522647_cover/766337481-1-eng-CA/9781551522647_cover_wide_360.jpg)
The Nearest Exit May Be Behind You
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/s/skim/9780888999641_cover/90314809-1-eng-CA/9780888999641_cover_wide_360.jpg)
Skim
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/t/the-wives-of-bath/9780676974546_cover/466955538-1-eng-CA/9780676974546_cover_wide_360.jpg)
The Wives of Bath
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/c/cockroach2/9780887842092_cover/299955557-1-eng-CA/9780887842092_cover_wide_360.jpg)
Cockroach
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/t/the-complete-lockpick-pornography/9781770410695_cover/620404649-1-eng-CA/9781770410695_cover_wide_360.jpg)
The Complete Lockpick Pornography
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/l/lemon/9781552452202_cover/766536726-1-eng-CA/9781552452202_cover_wide_360.jpg)
Lemon
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/m/monoceros2/9781770562783_cover/758314858-1-eng-CA/9781770562783_cover_wide_360.jpg)
Monoceros
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/o/obasan2/9780143014997_cover/285382484-1-eng-CA/9780143014997_cover_wide_360.jpg)
Obasan
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/m/maidenhead/9781552452592_cover/766409609-1-eng-CA/9781552452592_cover_wide_360.jpg)
Maidenhead
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/o/one-hour-in-paris2/9781460404355_cover/740289734-1-eng-CA/9781460404355_cover_wide_360.jpg)
One Hour in Paris
A True Story of Rape and Recovery
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/p/projection/9781771022743_author/763191865-1-eng-CA/9781771022743_author_wide_360.jpg)
Projection
Encounters with My Runaway Mother
![](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/books/i/indian-horse/9781553654025_cover/766262606-1-eng-CA/9781553654025_cover_wide_360.jpg)