A Love Affair with the Unknown: Leaning Into the Uncertainty of Modern Life

By Gillian Deacon

A refreshing look at the inevitability of uncertainty and how it can help make the hard parts of life more manageable.

"Gill--high level of comfort with uncertainty," a producer once noted. But Gill Deacon's comfort level is put to the test over the course of an illness that is as mysterious as it is debilitating. During this time of not knowing, Deacon investigates the nature of uncertainty itself and demonstrates how we can choose to draw on our innate resilience and learn to thrive in an ever-changing world. She reminds us that, like comedy improvisation and jazz music, beautiful things can result from the unpredictable and unplanned. While providing evidence of the beauty in not knowing, she makes a clear and compelling case that uncertainty is a condition we are built for. In fact, our best shot at creativity, innovation, and human connection occurs when we radically embrace the uncertainty we habitually struggle against.

This thoughtful examination of uncertainty by a warm and wise fellow traveller is a balm that can soothe us in troubling times.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1487013787
• ISBN13: 9781487013783
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: House of Anansi Press
• Length: 240 Pages