Smith Falconer Financial Group looks forward to sharing our reading recommendations each summer. This year, more than ever, our books vary by genre, and we hope everyone can find one that catches their interest.

What would you add to our list?

Lois Smith

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Hope, heroism, and empathy are emotions award winning Irish author Claire Keegan expertly evokes.

Set-in small-town Ireland in 1985 at Christmas time. A coal merchant family man makes a discovery that forces him to confront his past and the complicity of the church which controls the community.

Writing is precise, efficient dialogue brings the characters wonderfully to life.

Rodney Falconer

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

I have loved music my whole life, and over the years have come to appreciate many different musicians and genres. One of the amazing things about music is that you can always find something you enjoy in the moment. One day I might want to listen to U2, and the next it may be K.D. Lang.

I enjoy reading musicians’ biographies and Born to Run came highly recommended to me. Normally, I read biographies when I am familiar with the artist’s music and want to learn more about them. For this one, I had very little exposure to Bruce Springsteen’s music before reading. I am now a fan!

Bruce recently sold the rights to his music to Sony for $500mm. A good reminder to us all that if you have a passion for what you do and give it 100% there is no limit as to what you can achieve!

Lira Lamaca

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

What happens when an author steals a manuscript and publishes it as her own?

June and Athena are both writers. Athena is successful while June is struggling to get published. When Athena dies suddenly, June acquires her latest manuscript. She edits it and passes the novel as her own. The book is an immediate success, but June soon faces harassment and accusations on social media, sending her into a downward spiral.

Does someone know the truth about what she has done?

Meredith Mercer

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

Start with Why inspires readers to reflect on great companies and leaders, who operate on a strong understanding of their purpose. He argues that “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”. CIBC has a strong sense of purpose, to make clients’ ambitions a reality. To that end, I find purpose in simplifying complexity to create impactful, clear-sighted solutions that provide comfort to our clients and are aligned precisely with their needs.

Angela Dang

Bobbette & Belle Cookbook

A dream of mine has always been to learn how to bake delicious cakes. Bobbette & Belle is a beautiful store in Toronto, and this recipe book was written by the co-owners. I want to learn how to not only bake the cakes but include decorations. Their Classic Strawberry Shortcake is my favourite!

Maddie Hubbard

Same as Ever by Morgan Housel

This book is full of “a-ha!” moments, similar to his first book, The Psychology of Money. While still tied to the concepts of risk and reward which are synonymous with investing, the focus of this one is more on general human nature.

He is a fantastic writer, and each chapter is new story. He makes thoughtful concepts easy to understand, as his insights are experienced by us all. Insights that will both complement and challenge the way you think.

Happy reading!