At a Loss for Words

Conversation in an Age of Rage

By: Carol Off

Narrated by: Carol Off

AN INSTANT #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER
A HILL TIMES BEST BOOK 2024

Award-winning author and broadcast journalist Carol Off digs deep into six words whose meanings have been distorted and weaponized in recent years—including democracy, freedom and truth—and asks whether we can reclaim their value.

As co-host of CBC Radio's As It Happens, Carol Off spent a decade and a half talking to people in the news five nights a week. On top of her stellar writing and reporting career, those 25,000 interviews have given her a unique vantage point on the crucial subject at the heart of her new book—how, in these polarizing years, words that used to define civil society and social justice are being put to work for a completely different political agenda. Or they are being bleached of their meaning as the values they represent are mocked and distorted. As Off writes, “If our language doesn’t have a means to express an idea, then the idea itself is gone—even the range of thought is diminished.” And, as she argues, that’s a dangerous loss.

In six, wide-ranging chapters, Off explores the mutating meanings and the changing political impact of her six chosen words—freedom, democracy, truth, woke, choice and taxes—unpacking the forces, from right and left, that have altered them beyond recognition. She also shows what happens when we lose our shared political vocabulary: we stop being able to hear each other, let alone speak with each other in meaningful ways. This means we stop being able to reckon with the complexity of the crises we face, leaving us prey to conspiracy theories, autocrats and the machinations of greed. At a Loss for Words is both an elegy and a call to arms.

Critic reviews

"With wit and wisdom, the voice of Canada—Carol Off—delivers a thoughtful yet searing examination of the power of words, the necessity of truth, and the existential need for humanity to communicate with care, especially in these divisive and troubling times." —General Roméo Dallaire, author of The Peace

"Carol Off’s trenchant and no-nonsense skills are put to brilliant use in this compelling assessment of the crucial issues of our time. She brings both empathy and clarity to everything she does and they are in ample supply here." —Bob Rae, Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations

"An excellent, timely and perceptive engagement with some of the key elements that are going to determine the nature and shape of our political world in the very near future. A gifted storyteller, Carol Off brings a wealth of analysis, reporting and first-hand knowledge to At A Loss for Words. Absolutely compelling." —Michael Milde, associate professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Western Ontario

"At a Loss for Words is a testament to the power of words in a world divided. Driven by Carol Off’s unwavering dedication to uncovering the truth, this book is a rallying cry for those who believe that truth matters. Off also paints a picture of what it is to work as a journalist in a political landscape in which the tools of our trade—facts and truth—now appear in quotation marks. This book is essential reading for journalists and writers, and all those brave enough to bear witness and tell it like it is." —Tanya Talaga, author of The Knowing

"This eye-opening book should be required reading for all Canadians." —The Globe and Mail

Truth be told

A profound discussion on the historic and relevant meaning of words that impact us all in Western Democracies. This should be recommended reading for all high schools in Canada or anyone who exercises their power and privilege to vote.