Research shows that most of the books we read are the result of one thing: someone we know, trust, and/or admire tells us it's great. That's why we're starting our new series, The Recommend. Every two weeks, we'll reach out to people—readers, writers, reviewers, bloggers, and others—whose taste we respect and ask them to tell us about a book they'd recommend to a good friend ... and why.

This week we're pleased to present the picks of Trena White, co-founder of Page Two and former publisher of Douglas & McIntyre; Missy Marston, author of the Ottawa Book-award winning The Love Monster; Trevor Corkum, contributing author to the very apropos short story collection, Friend. Follow. Text.; Alexis Kienlen, poet and agricultural journalist; and JC Sutcliffe, writer, editor, and translator.

*****

Trena White picks The Golden Spruce, by John Vaillant: "The Golden Spruce creates a riveting mystery out of a little-known event, outdoorsman Grant Hadwin’s massacre in the late 90s of a revered tree on Haida Gwaii. From that story, Vaillant jumps off into a wide-ranging, evocative history of the West Coast: the devastation European contact wrought among coastal First Nations, the rough-and-tumble logging camps, the dangers of felling coastal giants. He packs a phenomenal amount of research into a vivid, fast-paced narrative. And he turns a small regional event into a sweeping history. Brilliant."

Trena White is the co-founder of Page Two, a new form of book publishing agency that helps non-fiction authors navigate their full range of publishing options, and that provides high-level support for organizations’ publishing activities. You can find her on Twitter @trenawhite.

Trevor Corkum picks Bang Crunch, by Neil Smith: "Bang Crunch is a wicked first collection of fiction, a brilliant debut. Neil Smith's stories walk the perfect line between out-of-the-blue weirdness and tender attention to the hearts and lives of his characters. Here you'll find the story of a girl who ages prematurely; members of a support group for people with benign tumours; and a widow who talks to the curling stone that houses her late husband's ashes. A laugh-out-loud, cry-inside collection from a short fiction magician."

Trevor Corkum's fiction has been published widely across Canada, appearing most recently in Joyland Magazine and the anthology Friend. Follow. Text. #storiesFromLivingOnline. You can find him on Twitter @trevcorkum.

Missy Marston picks Pontypool Changes Everything by Tony Burgess: "People will get tired of me recommending this book, but ... it's a perfect blaze of glory from start to finish. Worth it for the title alone (What is Pontypool? How does it change everything?). Worth it for the premise (zombie-cannibal plague spread by the spoken word). Worth it for the unwavering, hair-raising atmosphere (creepy, woodsy, small-town Ontario). But what makes me get all evangelical is this: the rhythm of this book is so relentless and driving and beautiful, I am pretty sure you could enjoy it on a purely phonetic level without having any idea what the hell is going on. How does anyone do that?"

As explained in her National Post Afterword columns, Missy Marston loves Margaret Atwood, aliens, and Donald Sutherland. Her first novel, The Love Monster, is an ode to all three. She has been called “an irreverent Canadian” by Commentary Magazine and “weird, funny and moving” by The Globe and Mail. She is fine with that. You can find her on Twitter @MissyMarston.

JC Sutcliffe picks For Sure, by France Daigle, translated by Robert Majzels: "This book is a must-read for so many reasons. It’s “about” Chiac, a fascinating language/dialect that most of the Canadians I’ve asked have never heard of. It’s set in an endlessly interesting but little-known (to me) corner of New Brunswick. For Sure blends great characters with beguiling word games and will intrigue any word lover. Daigle is a great writer, blending emotionally satisfying narrative with an exhilarating fragmented style—and Majzels has created an absolutely magnificent translation."

JC Sutcliffe, writer, editor, and translator, writes about books at www.slightlybookist.wordpress.com. You can find her on Twitter @slightlybookist.

Alexis Kienlen picks The Unfinished Child, by Theresa Shea: "This debut novel skillfully tackles complex issues about motherhood, family, and female friendship. The story, told in two parts, explores past and present attitudes towards mothering and people born with Down syndrome. Shea's book examines complex ethical issues while presenting an honest, riveting story that rings true without feeling heavy handed or emotionally manipulative. The characters in this book speak with their own well-developed voices and are complicated and flawed. Shea's writing explores the grey, nuanced areas of everyday life, just like a good novel should."

Alexis Kienlen is the author of two collections of poetry, 13 and She Dreams in Red. She works as an agricultural journalist and is involved in many other literary endeavors including teaching and book reviewing. Learn more about her at www.alexiskienlen.com or on Twitter @alexiskienlen.