Yasuko Thanh after Evelyn Lau
There is much in Thanh’s memoir Mistakes to Run With to ponder about sacrifice, human nature, and acceptance, says reviewer… FULL STORY
Escape from the fish farm
A new biography shines a light on this wild steelhead in a sea of Canlit farmed fish says reviewer John… FULL STORY
Ginger beef and fried macaroni
“Chop suey” cafes and restaurants continue to dot the Canadian landscape. Imogene Lim reviews Ann Hui’s overview from Victoria to… FULL STORY
The ferry-less Gulf Islands
Harder-to-reach remote islands are special places where ingenuity, creativity, passion, and hard work lie at the heart of making satisfying… FULL STORY
From navvy to Okanagan rancher
A new book tracks O’Keefe from Nepean, Ontario in 1861 seeking fortune in the West, to establishing the historic O’Keefe… FULL STORY
Tales from North of 60
Reviewer Paul Falardeau says Van Camp’s tone is conversational, whether hearing a tape recording or the gossip of aunties, we… FULL STORY
Superscript and sex in bed together
Reviewer Theo Dombrowski unravels and praises a challenging read that is “centrally about the mottled and myriad worlds of sexual… FULL STORY
Rolf Knight (1936-2019)
Possibly his most important work is Indians at Work: An Informal History of Native Indian Labour in British Columbia 1858-1930… FULL STORY
George Payerle (1945-2019)
A sentimentalist would be tempted to describe him as an unknown soldier of Canlit. For decades within the Writers Union… FULL STORY
Bound to be homeward
Like Alex Colville paintings and Alice Munro short stories that stay with us, his stories can range from vaguely disconcerting… FULL STORY
Ode to Island Life
A new book examines the layered life on islands in the Salish Sea, including Salt Spring Island. Review by Theresa… FULL STORY
Sea Otters: A History
The B.C. sea otter population (approx. 6,000) are descendants of 89 Alaskan otters relocated to Vancouver Island in 1969-72. Review by… FULL STORY
Guatemalan refugees on the West Coast
Pam Withers’ latest young adult novel is a suspenseful tale that imagines the plight of stowaways at the mercy of… FULL STORY
From alienation to adulation
Flow is a wonderful, 640-page tribute by Michael Barnholden and Talonbooks, according to Grahame Ware, who providess an extensive response.
From sawmills to eco-density
Ray Spaxman is touted by Larry Beasley as the “Father of Vancouverism” in his 425-page celebration of planning for the… FULL STORY
A Peakbagger’s Guide
Glorious Mountains lists North Shore peaks by height, difficulty, best berry patches, best for kids, most masochistic, etc. The Glorious… FULL STORY
Spiritualism in the pews
The title of Pamela Klassen’s The Story of Radio Mind refers to unorthodox telepathy experiments conducted by Du Vernet. The… FULL STORY
Resnick: Classical, Political, Biblical
Philip Resnick’s “Fugue” is a terse, elegiac, moving tribute to Tiananmen Square’s Liu Xiaobo who faced the tanks. Passageways by… FULL STORY
Shale fellow, well met
Yoho National Park, on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains in B.C., figures prominently in Rocks, Ridges, and Rivers…. FULL STORY
The birdman of Tofino
For hardcore birders and casual watchers alike, Adrian Dorst’s 560-page volume has been gleaned from sixty years of experience. The… FULL STORY
