Here are 100 books that Svaha fans have personally recommended if you like Svaha. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Snow Crash

Andrew Johnson Author Of Neon Skies and Misread Stars

From my list on genre-defying SF books that resist labels.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I discovered science fiction and fantasy as a kid, I loved playing in other worlds. It didn’t take me long to start creating my own to play in, so I thought I might as well write them down. I also learned that it’s more fun to throw disparate elements and genres together. Why not throw some time travel and aliens in a Western? Or put some aliens and a little cyberpunk in an alternate history? I always find the most interesting worlds are the ones where things are not so easily categorized.

Andrew's book list on genre-defying SF books that resist labels

Andrew Johnson Why Andrew loves this book

This is a cyberpunk classic, but what I really love about it is the combination of modern computer technology with Sumerian mythology, the Tower of Babel myth, and how well Stephenson is able to integrate them, so we have hackers throwing around Sumerian terms like 'me' and 'nam-shub'.

And for me, I love that there’s just a lot of cool stuff happening here, like a biker with an atomic bomb on a deadman switch, a nuclear-powered needle gun. And our lead character is named Hiro Protagonist. But probably the biggest point for me is that despite the dystopian setting, there really is more hope in this story than one would think.

By Neal Stephenson ,

Why should I read it?

20 authors picked Snow Crash as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The “brilliantly realized” (The New York Times Book Review) breakthrough novel from visionary author Neal Stephenson, a modern classic that predicted the metaverse and inspired generations of Silicon Valley innovators

Hiro lives in a Los Angeles where franchises line the freeway as far as the eye can see. The only relief from the sea of logos is within the autonomous city-states, where law-abiding citizens don’t dare leave their mansions.

Hiro delivers pizza to the mansions for a living, defending his pies from marauders when necessary with a matched set of samurai swords. His home is a shared 20 X 30…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of The Anubis Gates

James Kinsley Author Of Parallels

From my list on scifi fantasy regular men doing amazing things.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a genre reader since childhood, I’m all-too-familiar with the tropes of the Chosen One, the Prophecy and all those things that lead the unsuspecting child of humble birth to fulfil their Great Destiny. I’ve no complaint against it, it’s been the source of many rich and inventive stories, but I find myself increasingly drawn to stories where the protagonist is an ordinary Joe (or Jo), sucked into uncommon events beyond their normal lives and forced to find a way to survive. It’s easy to grab attention with the threatened destruction of the galaxy. How much more satisfying, then, to make a reader care about the soul of one character.

James' book list on scifi fantasy regular men doing amazing things

James Kinsley Why James loves this book

My journey with this book came at a young age, recommended to me by my older brother, and was a formative experience. Not only was it an early experience with a more adult version of the fantasy literature I’d grown up reading but it also built a bond between my brother and I, it was a shared literary experience that became special because of who I shared it with.

It opened my eyes to the idea that you could write this kind of stuff for grown-ups, and therefore, a whole new world of reading was opened to me.

By Tim Powers ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Anubis Gates as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Brendan Doyle is a twentieth-century English professor who travels back to 1810 London to attend a lecture given by English romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This is a London filled with deformed clowns, organised beggar societies, insane homunculi and magic.

When he is kidnapped by gypsies and consequently misses his return trip to 1983, the mild-mannered Doyle is forced to become a street-smart con man, escape artist, and swordsman in order to survive in the dark and treacherous London underworld. He defies bullets, black magic, murderous beggars, freezing waters, imprisonment in mutant-infested dungeons, poisoning, and even a plunge back to…


Book cover of 1632

Andrew Johnson Author Of Neon Skies and Misread Stars

From my list on genre-defying SF books that resist labels.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I discovered science fiction and fantasy as a kid, I loved playing in other worlds. It didn’t take me long to start creating my own to play in, so I thought I might as well write them down. I also learned that it’s more fun to throw disparate elements and genres together. Why not throw some time travel and aliens in a Western? Or put some aliens and a little cyberpunk in an alternate history? I always find the most interesting worlds are the ones where things are not so easily categorized.

Andrew's book list on genre-defying SF books that resist labels

Andrew Johnson Why Andrew loves this book

This is one of those ideas that I wish I had thought of—Germany of the Thirty Years War meets Appalachia of the early 2000s. I enjoy the unexpected things that time travel can bring, like a high school library being the most potent source of knowledge in the world or a high school cheerleader confronting the king of Sweden. And for those who appreciate historical accuracy, Flint does not disappoint.

For me, it’s the characters that really connect me to the story. There are a lot of them—from both 2000s America and 1630s Europe—but Flint gives enough time that I really feel like I got to know a lot of them.

By Eric Flint ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked 1632 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

1632


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century: Stories

Andrew Johnson Author Of Neon Skies and Misread Stars

From my list on genre-defying SF books that resist labels.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I discovered science fiction and fantasy as a kid, I loved playing in other worlds. It didn’t take me long to start creating my own to play in, so I thought I might as well write them down. I also learned that it’s more fun to throw disparate elements and genres together. Why not throw some time travel and aliens in a Western? Or put some aliens and a little cyberpunk in an alternate history? I always find the most interesting worlds are the ones where things are not so easily categorized.

Andrew's book list on genre-defying SF books that resist labels

Andrew Johnson Why Andrew loves this book

This anthology has many fine stories, including alternate history classics such as Moon of Ice and Bring the Jubilee, but for me, my all-time favorite is Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner’s Mozart in Mirrorshades and the combination of 80’s cyberpunk culture with a Baroque aesthetic in an alternate Salzburg.

Some of my favorite stories are the kitchen-sink-type stories that throw everything together, and this story has it. If you want to see time travel, an evil mega-corporation threatening Thomas Jefferson, or Mongol mercenaries, this story’s got them. Personally, I loved seeing a punk rock Mozart (with Marie Antoinette as one of his groupies, no less).

By Harry Turtledove (editor) , Martin H. Greenberg (editor) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Explore fascinating, often chilling “what if” accounts of the world that could have existed—and still might yet . . .

Science fiction's most illustrious and visionary authors hold forth the ultimate alternate history collection. Here you'll experience mind-bending tales that challenge your views of the past, present, and future, including:

• “The Lucky Strike”: When the Lucky Strike is chosen over the Enola Gay to drop the first atomic bomb, fate takes an unexpected turn in Kim Stanley Robinson's gripping tale.
• “Bring the Jubilee”: Ward Moore's novella masterpiece offers a rebel victory at Gettysburg which changes the course of…


Book cover of The Fourth World: An Indian Reality

Radhika Natarajan Author Of Hear Our Voices: A Powerful Retelling of the British Empire Through 20 True Stories

From my list on why imperial history matters today.

Why am I passionate about this?

I first became interested in the history of the British Empire as an undergraduate. Understanding this history helped me relate my parents’ experiences growing up in a postcolonial nation with the history of the United States, where I grew up. As an academic historian, my research and teaching emphasize connections—between disparate places, between the past and present, and between our personal experiences and those of people born in distant times and places. My first children’s book allowed me to translate my scholarly work for a young audience. I hope this list of books that inspire my approach to history encourages your own investigations of imperialism and its pasts!

Radhika's book list on why imperial history matters today

Radhika Natarajan Why Radhika loves this book

George Manuel was once asked by a white coworker, “Does Indians have feelings?” Refusing dehumanization, Manuel reveals the ongoing colonial relations between First Nations and the Canadian settler state. He charts his political journey from Secwepemcúl̓ecw to the National Indian Brotherhood to the World Council of Indigenous Peoples.

Manuel argues that the victories of the anti-colonial independence movements of the twentieth century did not end colonial domination of Indigenous Peoples—what he calls the Fourth World. The Fourth World is not a destination but the right to travel on your own road in your own way.

With a new insightful introduction, foreword, and afterword, the book's latest edition shows how Manuel’s analysis of colonialism and vision for solidarity continue to be relevant to contemporary struggles for decolonization. 

By George Manuel , Michael Posluns ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Fourth World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A foundational work of radical anticolonialism, back in print


Originally published in 1974, The Fourth World is a critical work of Indigenous political activism that has long been out of print. George Manuel, a leader in the North American Indian movement at that time, with coauthor journalist Michael Posluns, presents a rich historical document that traces the struggle for Indigenous survival as a nation, a culture, and a reality. The authors shed light on alternatives for coexistence that would take place in the Fourth World-an alternative to the new world, the old world, and the Third World. Manuel was the…


Book cover of Grounded Authority: The Algonquins of Barriere Lake Against the State

Jeremy Bendik-Keymer Author Of Involving Anthroponomy in the Anthropocene: On Decoloniality

From my list on how we got to climate change and mass extinction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the grandson of a coal miner from a multi-generational, Ohio family. What matters most to me is having some integrity and being morally okay with folks. I never thought of myself as an environmentalist, just as someone trying to figure out what we should be learning to be decent people in this sometimes messed-up world. From there, I was taken into our environmental situation, its planetary injustice, and then onto studying the history of colonialism. This adventure cracked open my midwestern common sense and made me rethink things. Happily, it has only reinforced my commitment to, and faith in, moral relations, giving our word, being accountable, and caring.

Jeremy's book list on how we got to climate change and mass extinction

Jeremy Bendik-Keymer Why Jeremy loves this book

Maybe, this book seems tangential to put on the list. It’s about the struggle to maintain legal authority over ancestral land in a part of what is today called eastern “Canada”. The scare quotes are there because older nations still live on this land and have not ceded their authority. The book shows how the very same problems Gardiner detailed are actually the result of the colonial order that has shaped our international politics and its capitalist system. The book also suggests a way out through an “ontology of care” for the land.

By Shiri Pasternak ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Grounded Authority as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Western Political Science Association's Clay Morgan Award for Best Book in Environmental Political Theory
Canadian Studies Network Prize for the Best Book in Canadian Studies
Nominated for Best First Book Award at NAISA
Honorable Mention: Association for Political and Legal Anthropology Book Prize

Since Justin Trudeau's election in 2015, Canada has been hailed internationally as embarking on a truly progressive, post-postcolonial era-including an improved relationship between the state and its Indigenous peoples. Shiri Pasternak corrects this misconception, showing that colonialism is very much alive in Canada. From the perspective of Indigenous law and jurisdiction, she tells the story of the…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Indian Horse

Anton Treuer Author Of Where Wolves Don't Die

From my list on indigenous empowerment.

Why am I passionate about this?

I think about the positive identity development of Native youth all the time and not just because I am an educator and author. I love my Ojibwe language and culture, but I want to turn Native fiction on its head. We have so many stories about trauma and tragedy with characters who lament the culture that they were always denied. I want to show how vibrant and alive our culture still is. I want gripping stories where none of the Native characters are drug addicts, rapists, abused, or abusing others. I want to demonstrate the magnificence of our elders, the humor of our people, and the power of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Anton's book list on indigenous empowerment

Anton Treuer Why Anton loves this book

I loved this book because it grapples with some of the really tough topics that our people have to face.

The characters were relatable and dynamic. I think America and Canada need a wake-up call and an effort to reconcile with their historical treatment of Native people, especially with regard to residential boarding schools. People can only handle calls to justice when they relate to those who were treated unjustly.

In spite of the heavy topics, this book does that really well.

By Richard Wagamese ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Indian Horse as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Named a "Best Novel of the Decade" by Literary Hub

Saul Indian Horse is a child when his family retreats into the woods. Among the lakes and the cedars, they attempt to reconnect with half-forgotten traditions and hide from the authorities who have been kidnapping Ojibway youth. But when winter approaches, Saul loses everything: his brother, his parents, his beloved grandmother—and then his home itself.

Alone in the world and placed in a horrific boarding school, Saul is surrounded by violence and cruelty. At the urging of a priest, he finds a tentative salvation in hockey. Rising at dawn to…


Book cover of The Winter People

Suzanne Morgan Williams Author Of Bull Rider

From my list on teens facing the challenges and losses of war.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve never experienced war. But I grew up with children of World War II refugees. Other friends’ fathers served in the Japanese American military unit while their families were interned in the U.S. The Cold War was in full swing, complete with ducking under our desks to “protect” ourselves from an atomic blast. Later, my peers shipped out to Vietnam. Then came the wars in the Middle East. The mental and physical effects of war are lingering—for soldiers and their families. It doesn’t matter which war or how long it’s been. Their stories are eerily similar and very, very real. I’m passionate about sharing them.

Suzanne's book list on teens facing the challenges and losses of war

Suzanne Morgan Williams Why Suzanne loves this book

I’ve been lucky to work on projects with several tribal elders who’ve shared how indigenous peoples’ lives have been disrupted since the earliest European colonization. It’s not a perspective I was taught in school, but it’s so important that we know what happened and the consequences of those actions today.

This is beautifully written by Joseph Bruchac, a member of the Abenaki tribe. It’s set in 1759, during the French and Indian War, one of the bloodiest encounters between warring European factions in North America. Native people were drawn into the conflict, including Saxso’s family, who lived in a French mission village near the St. Laurence River. I love that Saxso isn’t a victim but a young man driven by love to save his family. 

By Joseph Bruchac ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Winter People as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Saxso is fourteen when the British attack his village. It?s 1759, and war is raging in the northeast between the British and the French, with the Abenaki people?Saxso?s people?by their side. Without enough warriors to defend their homes, Saxso?s village is burned to the ground. Many people are killed, but some, including Saxso?s mother and two sisters, are taken hostage. Now it?s up to Saxso, on his own, to track the raiders and bring his family back home . . . before it?s too late.


Book cover of Treaty Words: For as Long as the Rivers Flow

Jill Heinerth Author Of The Aquanaut

From my list on young explorers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a world-class underwater explorer, writer, photographer, speaker, and filmmaker. A pioneer of technical rebreather diving, I have led expeditions into icebergs in Antarctica, volcanic lava tubes, and submerged caves worldwide. As a child, these fanciful places were just a part of my wildest dreams. The Aquanaut tells the story of how I turned my imaginative journeys into reality and became a celebrated underwater explorer.

Jill's book list on young explorers

Jill Heinerth Why Jill loves this book

Simple lyrical illustrations bring this story about commitments to life. A wise grandfather guides his granddaughter on a journey of discovery teaching her about indigenous perspectives. This important book is moving and essential for readers of all ages. It offers authentic historic perspectives and helps to describe the responsibility of truth and reconciliation.

By Aimée Craft , Luke Swinson (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Treaty Words as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The first treaty that was made was between the earth and the sky. It was an agreement to work together. We build all of our treaties on that original treaty.

On the banks of the river that have been Mishomis's home his whole life, he teaches his granddaughter to listen-to hear both the sounds and the silences, and so to learn her place in Creation. Most importantly, he teaches her about treaties-the bonds of reciprocity and renewal that endure for as long as the sun shines, the grass grows, and the rivers flow.

Accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Luke Swinson…


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Book cover of Old Man Country

Old Man Country by Thomas R. Cole,

This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.

In these and other intimate conversations, the book…

Book cover of Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Aboriginal Life

Paul Hanley Author Of Eleven

From my list on transforming inscapes and landscapes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up ignorant of reality: of my/our history, of the place I grew up in, of the social-ecological reality of the planet. I swallowed “the red pill” in my youth and awakened to a combination of wonder and horror, wonder at the beauty of the ecosphere and of humanity and horror at what is being done to it, to us, by us. In response, I started a garden, got involved in food system change, and became a journalist and author writing on social-ecological issues. My commitment to change intensified when I became a father and again when I became a grandfather.

Paul's book list on transforming inscapes and landscapes

Paul Hanley Why Paul loves this book

I’m a prairie boy, son of the pioneers and all that. But I, like other prairie settlers’ descendants, grew up blissfully ignorant of our history. Daschuk’s book shatters that ignorance. It should be required reading for every child and adult in Canada, and it wouldn’t hurt Americans to read it too, as the story of colonial disaster for the Indigenous people throughout the continent is all of a kind. It is so very sad.

But ”the truth shall set you free.” We need this book as a foundation for reconciliation for past and present wrongs, to inform a new society on the Great Plains that includes everyone, at long last.

By James Daschuk ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Clearing the Plains as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In arresting, but harrowing, prose, James Daschuk examines the roles that Old World diseases, climate, and, most disturbingly, Canadian politics--the politics of ethnocide--played in the deaths and subjugation of thousands of aboriginal people in the realization of Sir John A. Macdonald's "National Dream." It was a dream that came at great expense: the present disparity in health and economic well-being between First Nations and non-Native populations, and the lingering racism and misunderstanding that permeates the national consciousness to this day. " Clearing the Plains is a tour de force that dismantles and destroys the view that Canada has a special…


Book cover of Snow Crash
Book cover of The Anubis Gates
Book cover of 1632

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Interested in Canada, American Indians, and cyberpunk?

Canada 476 books
American Indians 247 books
Cyberpunk 143 books