3 Historic Titles with Modern Lessons By Dr. Catherine Zahn, President of CAMH

Whether they move us to action or move us to tears, some books leave us changed forever. These classics left a permanent mark on Dr. Catherine Zahn who says they’re as relevant today as when they first appeared. Here’s why…

AS TOLD TO JASMINE MILLER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARGOT PATERSON

I read these books decades ago, but I use the lessons from these stories to this day. I use them in my work and in mentoring of women leaders. In a leadership role, when I explain about being creative and opening your mind and not being scared to have a different perspective… I rely on these lessons still.

 
SIDONIE-GABRIELLE
COLETTE, CHERI. 1920.

A ONCE BEAUTIFUL COURTESAN FACES THE END OF HER SEXUAL CAREER AND THE END OF HER LOVE AFFAIR WITH A MUCH YOUNGER MAN.

I wasn’t grabbed by the young man or even by the relationship between old and young, but by what it means for a woman to age. I was 29 when I read this book and it was the first time I imagined not being young. Two scenes were absolutely riveting.

In one, the main character is described as looking old and, with mascara running, roots not touched up, she makes a gesture toward her lover, fixing his hat. She’s trying to be cute, coquettish, but she appears desperate, and I read it with horror.

My self-talk was this: watch for that age when you must give up being cute, that age when you need to be sophisticated, but not give up your femininity, that time when you must stride into a room and know you have the most information and you have stature.

Because you don’t want your audience to just look — you want them to listen.

WOOLF IMAGINES SHE’S BEEN ASKED TO DONATE MONEY TO DIFFERENT CAUSES. IN EXPLAINING WHICH ONE SHE’LL CHOOSE, SHE DEFENDS A RADICAL IDEA — THAT INEQUALITY BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CAUSE.

I read this in my late 30s when I had gone back to school to do a master’s in health administration. Medical school is not the most broadening of experiences, it’s rule-based and doesn’t require imagination, just diligence. But one of my professors in the MA program was a very articulate feminist. She activated me and radicalized me in some way.

Each person in the story is asking for a guinea, not an insubstantial sum at the time. There’s someone from the anti-war society, another wanting to build a college for women, and another helping women have meaningful work and professions.

Woolf uses that set-up as a platform to rail against the patriarchy that causes war, doesn’t support women as worthy of education, and puts up barriers to their success.

When young women come to me for mentoring now, often they say “I’ve not experienced any evidence of sexism.” I want to put my arms around them and say, “I hope you never do.” But the truth is, you’ll experience not being heard. You’ll experience people speaking about your physical appearance in a way that silences you.

I often ask women to read this book to get a feel for the scope and scale of what has happened in the world — and realize that the fight is not over.

A CAST OF CHARACTERS, REPRESENTING A MICROCOSM OF PRE-WAR EUROPE, DEBATE WEIGHTY THEMES INCLUDING ART, POLITICS, LOVE AND HUMAN FAILINGS.A young man goes to a tuberculosis sanitarium in the Swiss Alps — all famous ski resorts in the Alps were once sanitariums, did you know that? He goes to visit a cousin who is sick. It’s supposed to be a short visit, but he ends up being diagnosed with TB himself and stays for seven years. The book is about the discussions that go on in the sanitarium.

One character is understood to be a humanist, with a very positive, optimistic outlook on life, with lots of passion, faith in humanity and also in human nature. He argues with another character who has the opposite perspective on everything. The theme that compelled me most is about time and the passage of time. The question was does time really fly when you’re enjoying yourself, or does it stretch?

I’m an optimist and I believe time stretches if you are active and always learning. I use this story in my mentoring to talk about being creative and open. You need to open your mind to different experiences, because that makes life bigger and our time expansive; and only then we can be truly creative.

Dr. Catherine Zahn is President and CEO of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto.