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."
In his third book on the adventures of Frank Swannell, historian Jay Sherwood continues his account of one of BC's most famous surveyors. The 1930s was the era of bush planes, packers and riverboats in northern BC. Swannell photographed them and recorded his experiences with some of BC's colourful characters, including Skook Davidson, who worked with Swannell for four seasons. Swannell provides much valuable information about the life of Davidson before he started his famous Diamond J Ranch. Return to Northern British Columbia includes a photo gallery of unpublished Skook Davidson photographs found in Swannell's photo albums.
From 1979 to 1986, Jay Sherwood lived and taught school in Vanderhoof where he learned about the ledgendary land surveyor, Frank Swannell, through his involvement with the local history society. A former surveyor himself, Sherwood embarked on a study of Swannell that would result in the publication of this book as well as Surveying Northern British Columbia (a 2005 BC Book Prize finalist) and Surveying Central British Columbia (second-prize winner in the 2007 BC Historical Federation Writing Competition). He now lives in Vancouver, where he works as a teacher-librarian.