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."
Some waterbirds can live away from land for months at a time, taking all of their food and rest from the ocean. However, these birds are not true creatures of the sea, and their relationship to the water is a superficial one. It is only when the bird dives down to catch its prey that it breaks the surface, and even then, it penetrates only a fraction of its depths. Humans, too, often live lives based on surface-on appearances alone, seldom breaking beyond the outer shell of the world that sustains us. It is rarely that we seek spiritual sustenance at deeper levels. In our society, we look to places beyond our planet for both religious concepts and scientific inquiry-whether we envision heaven as a place high above us or send telescopes out into the universe beyond our sight. 'The Waterbird' contemplates a look inward instead, a diving-down into our own consciousness for as long as we can hold our breath.
Robert Strandquist is the author of 'The Inanimate World' (stories), 'The Dreamlife of Bridges' (novel), and 'A Small Dog Barking' (stories). A graduate of the University of Victoria, he now lives in Vancouver.