“... without a doubt the greatest poet English Canada has ever produced.”

—Dennis Lee

“A hundred years from now, one of the few Canadian poets whose work will still be read will be Al Purdy.”

—Maclean’s

Al Purdy (1918–2000), known as Canada’s unofficial poet laureate, wrote poetry that anyone could read. Having come from working-class …

Gerry St. Germain's story begins in "Petit Canada" on the shores of the Assiniboine, growing up with his two younger sisters, his mother and his father--a shy Metis trapper and construction worker who sometimes struggled to put food on the table. St. Germain was initially troubled in school, scrapping with classmates and often skipping out to shoot …

Beginning in 1880, thousands of young, upper-class British men with few prospects were sent to the Canadian West to distance them from British society. Still supported by their families, thus earning them the title "remittance men," these men set out to continue their lives of leisure in this new land.

With education, respectable breeding and the b …

The name Farrell is synonymous with quality boats to those in the know up and down the British Columbia coast. Working in and around Pender Harbour on the Sunshine Coast, Barrie's father, Allen Farrell, was a much loved eccentric and noted wooden boat builder who created offshore sailing vessels from beachcombed lumber using only basic hand tools. …

Rich in nutrients, used in products from cosmetics to explosives to fertilizers, and vital to our coastal marine ecosystems, seaweeds can be found on any rocky shore or beach in the Pacific Northwest. The waterproof, pocket-sized Field Guide to Seaweeds of the Pacifc Northwest is packed with full-colour photos and information on a select variety of …

A born naturalist, Ian McTaggart-Cowan grew up exploring the woods around his North Vancouver home and went on to embrace his passion and energize others with his enthusiasm and knowledge. He greatly influenced conservation and scientific documentation of nature within the province and beyond.

Ian McTaggart-Cowan contributed significantly to the Roy …

Clarke had no interest in "trophy climbs" and never did ascend many of BC's highest peaks. On the other hand, he explored more virgin territory and racked up more first ascents than any other climber--perhaps more than any climber who ever lived.

Although he came to be honoured far and wide and is one of the few mountaineers to be awarded the Order …

British Columbia's colourful story has been told many times, but until now no one has attempted to relate the chronicle specifically for young readers. From the gold rush to the Gumboot Navy and from "brideships" to W.A.C. Bennett, BC history comes alive in this highly illustrated and vivid account by award-winning writer and historian Daniel Franc …

The West Coast evokes visions of polished driftwood and raging waves, tranquil sand dunes and crimson sunsets--a savage beauty that draws visitors from around the world. Some lucky visitors, like renowned photographer Adrian Dorst, find a reason to stay. In Reflections at Sandhill Creek Dorst reflects upon his chosen home of thirty-five years, capt …

Earle Birney (1904-1995), the father of modern Canadian poetry, was one of Canada's finest writers and the author of "David," arguably the most popular Canadian poem of all time. One Muddy Hand: Selected Poems features Birney's best work, spanning his entire writing career from 1926 to 1987.

Born in Calgary, Birney grew up in different parts of Alb …

Who planted the first wheat in the Prairies?
* How do you say "polar bear" in Inuktitut?
* What's the real name of the Manitoba town Margaret Laurence immortalized as Manawaka?
* What actress from Medicine Hat made her name opposite a giant ape?
* Name the rock guitar wizard from Regina, and the jazz guitar ace from Hochfeld, Manitoba.
* What town …

With humour and sensitivity, Boys, Girls & Body Science provides no-nonsense answers for children - and parents - with questions about sex. Specifically designed for young readers, Boys, Girls & Body Science walks children through the wonders of their bodies in a direct, easy-to-read manner. The story begins with Nicholas, 7, and Jenny, 5, learning …

What was the three-letter last name of the Ladysmith native who is "the world's most recognizable Canadian?"

What is the four-letter name of the character Burnaby native Michael J. Fox played on Family Ties?

What's the four-letter word for the amount of clothing required at Wreck Beach?

What's the nine-letter pass near Sparwood where the CPR started c …

Flo Anderson and her husband Trevor worked as lightkeepers for 20 years, at Lennard Island and then at Barrett Rock, McInnis Island, Green Island and Race Rocks. In this extraordinary memoir Anderson speaks candidly about the challenges of learning to live on an exposed, isolated island where precipitous cliffs and gale-force winds were everday haz …

Harvey Reginald MacMillan (1885-1976) is one of the most significant figures in Canadian corporate history. Born into extreme poverty in rural Ontario, MacMillan continued his education after high school and went on to study at Yale. Despite serious setbacks, including a bout with tuberculosis, MacMillan persevered, and in 1912 became the first chi …

Tom Wayman has been writing and publishing the poetry of everyday life for over twenty years. This anniversary collection gathers the best of Wayman's published work from eleven previous volumes, along with some provocative new poems, in celebration of his commitment to honest, accessible writing with a sense of humour.

Although Wayman laments the d …

Paperwork, a provocative sampling of the best new work writing in North America, breaks this taboo. These poems are written by people who build houses and machines, catch fish, take care of children, manage companies, work hard at looking for work, and much more. The writing is funny and tough and sad and angry, and the poems come from insiders - m …

The first non-Bennett to lead BC's Social Credit Party, a former mayor of Surrey, nurseryman, husband, father, defeated Vancouver mayoralty candidate. . . As minister of Human Resources and later, of Education, he became for some the most hated man in BC. During his time as Municipal Affairs minister he was an autocrat who pushed through the develo …

This humourous look back at a neglected part of B.C.'s history will be of interest to those who were there . . . and to those who missed it!

Frozen inkwells on winter mornings, black bears coming to class, and wolves on the trail home in the evening are only some of the trials and adventures that one-room schoolteachers faced in the wilds of B.C. Jo …

Kids will love The A to Z of Absolute Zaniness. While their parents read the six-line alliterative captions, children will be dazzled by the bold, colourful drawings illustrating each letter with objects, animals, and people.

Carol Mills wrote the short stories that describe the bizarre feats of people and animals, real and ridiculous. Susanne Ferri …

With 81 contributors, Women & Words was the most ambitious collection of writing published during the rise of Canada women's writing in the 1980s, and the first one to be published in both French and English. It includes short fiction, poetry and dramatic pieces by well-known writers like Marian Engel, Nicole Brossard, Jane Rule, Louky Bersaniuk an …