About BC Books Online
BC Books Online was created for anyone interested in BC-published books, and with librarians especially in mind. We'd like to make it easy for library staff to learn about books from BC publishers - both new releases and backlist titles - so you can inform your patrons and keep your collections up to date.
Our site features print books and ebooks - both new releases and backlist titles - all of which are available to order through regular trade channels. Browse our subject categories to find books of interest or create and export lists by category to cross-reference with your library's current collection.
A quick tip: When reviewing the "Browse by Category" listings, please note that these are based on standardized BISAC Subject Codes supplied by the books' publishers. You will find additional selections, grouped by theme or region, in our "BC Reading Lists."
Description
When Jackie Mittoo and Leroy Sibbles migrated from Jamaica to Toronto in the early 1970s, the musicians brought reggae with them, sparking the flames of one of Canada’s most vibrant music scenes. Professional reggae musician and scholar Jason Wilson tells the story of how reggae brought black and white youth together, opening up a cultural dialogue between Jamaican migrants and Canadians along the city’s ethnic frontlines. This underground subculture rebelled against the status quo, broke through the bonds of race, eased the acculturation process, and made bands such as Messenjah and the Sattalites household names for a brief but important time.
Contributor Notes
Jason Wilson is a bestselling author, two-time Juno Award nominee, and winner of a Canadian Reggae Music Award. He is the author of The Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club: Official Centennial Publication, 1917–2017 and Soldiers of Song: The Dumbells and Other Canadian Concert Parties of the First World War. The latter was turned into a play that toured across Canada. Wilson’s life story has been featured in documentaries on CBC’s The National and BBC Radio. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Guelph.
Awards
- Winner, Joseph Brant Award, Ontario Historical Society
Editorial Reviews
...maybe the most comprehensive focus on reggae and Jamaican culture in Canada's most populous city.
— Jamaica Observer
King Alpha's Song in a Strange Land is a vital contribution to scholarship on reggae and Canadian music and culture... Wilson disrupts many notions asasociated with reggae, leaving readers with a deeper appreciation for the music in Canada and all over the world.
— CAML Review
