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."
The music scene in the mid-eighties was in transition, just as the entire music business was, unaware that it was all about to change in 1991 when Nirvana's watershed release, Nevermind would unexpectedly hit number one on the Billboard chart. But that explosion didn't happen overnight. It was the product of many things: Toronto's developing music scene, club owners seeking original music, and the communities of musicians, artists, and fans supporting these new bands. No Flash, Please! documents an important period in Toronto's music community. As seen and heard by two journalists covering it for a number of monthly independent magazines, not only did they experience the local bands they knew and loved becoming famous, they also witnessed soon-to-be legends come through those same clubs and concert halls. Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Jesus Lizard, Mudhoney, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Henry Rollins, all played Toronto during this period to crowds that varied in size from twenty to five hundred. No Flash, Please! doesn't just focus on the music, it also captures the crowds and the community that spawned one of the richest periods in Toronto's music history.
Derek von Essen has created an extensive body of work while merging his own graphic art, photography, painting and mixed-media assemblage for visual communications specializing in fine arts, dance, theatre, music, film and publishing projects. He has facilitated artist workshops and has served on various panels and juries. His work has been widely exhibited and is held in several international collections. Phil Saunders wrote for the music magazines Nerve, Rear Garde, Exclaim, Graffiti, ID and HMV until the mid-nineties. He also promoted concerts, was a talent buyer, booking agent, and an independent record producer. After completing a Master's in Journalism in 1998 he worked for CBC News and produced the documentary film What About Me: The Rise of the Nihilist Spasm Band.