The Four Walls of My Freedom - Why I Wrote This Book

"The trick to helping communities find their own answers to caring for their citizens is not in locating charismatic leaders, but in forming "leader-full" alliances of of elected officials, bureaucrats, members of the medical community, caregivers and care receivers."  

From the updated paperback edition of my book, "The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned from a Life of Caregiving (House of Anansi Press, 2014)

When I was writing my book in 2009 and 2010, I had one objective in mind.  I wanted to use our family story to ignite a public conversation about care.  Not just any old conversation - I wanted people to talk about social policy around the dinner table the same way folks discuss politics generally.  I wanted our story to be anyone's story.

I am proud to announce that the paperback edition of my book, with two new chapters including one on the future of caregiving, is available now from all booksellers in Canada.   It will be released in the U.S. in August, 2014.

"A clear-eyed look at the value of a life...What if life was not judged by its monetary worth or possible economic benefits to society, but as a series of of complex and rewarding relationships?" Elizabeth Renzetti, Globe and Mail

"This book should be read by all who seek to understand what it means to be human."
Jean Vanier, founder of L'Arche

"(Thomson) makes a powerful case for caring to be accorded with respect, and demands that we all think about what really matters."
The Times (UK)