We Oughta Know – How Four Canadian Women Ruled the 90s and Changed Canadian Music – By Andrea Warner – Book Review

Eternal Cavalier Press

Review by Natalie Paterson

Fans of Canadian music young and old will be able to appreciate the wit and critique involved in this book, focusing on the four best-selling Canadian artists: Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, and Sarah McLachlan. Author Andrea Warner takes a look at a five-year period from 1993 to 1997 and reflects back on their influences on her as a teenage girl growing up in the 90s.

In the second chapter, she likens the four women to members of The Babysitter’s Club, a staple novel series in the lives of girls who grew up in the 90s. This is where she had me sold. The book is formatted in a way that each chapter is like a critical essay on each of the four artists, and Warner’s research prowess is clearly demonstrated in her critical analysis, while still maintaining a very casual tone of writing. Her writing style is what kept me drawn in throughout the book.

“Dion, Twain, Morissette, and McLachlan are these hugely important artists, they really did change everything, but they don’t always get the respect they deserve,” says Warner. “Sometimes even from me.”

The book gives us an interesting view on growing up in a world where these four women were at the top of the charts, and loved by all. Warner grants us a glimpse into her journey through feminism in the 90s, how these four women shaped her ideals and helped her through different parts of her life, and keeps it all relevant, interesting, and captivating.

I really enjoyed this book, and I definitely recommend picking this one up when it hits store shelves and online retailers in April 2015.