Éditions L’Association, 2001

This comic strip lets readers discover and understand the history of Iran from the perspective of a child who comes of age under their eyes. The black-and-white illustrations are at once simple and highly compelling. The author leaves all the room to the reader’s imagination.

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Éditions L’Association, 2020

This delicate yet poignant poetry collection is sure to tug at the reader’s heart strings. Lorrie Jean-Louis shows us what it is to be a woman and racialized in all its complexity, through verse that’s shot through with humour and intelligence. Between what we say, what we read and what we are, there is so much to understand and hear.

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Éditions Gallimard, 2014

This novel is among my favourites of 2020. This sweeping love story spans several years and deals with the emmigration of black Africans to North America. It is tinged with humour and thought-provoking reflections on the way we perceive the world and our relationship with the Other. 

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Éditions Grasset, 1998

This must-read should be mandatory reading on the high school curriculum. It is among the books I have re-read most often. It deals with the complex issue of identity, specifically in the Middle East. By framing the issue in its historical context, the author helps us understand how certain identities have become weaponized, and more importantly, who stands to gain from them. His reflection is imbued with philosophy and backed up by exhaustive and rigorous research.

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