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The Elsewhere Community (The CBC Massey Lectures)
by Hugh KennerAcclaimed literary critic Hugh Kenner examines Western culture's insatiable need for stimulation encountered elsewhere - from the eighteenth century's Grand Tour, to the self-imposed exile of modernist writers, to the disembodied global journeys the Internet avails us today. Kenner brings to this fascinating study knowledge of a wide array of disciplines. Hugh Kenner has written on topics ranging from geodesic domes to Bugs Bunny, but is perhaps best known for The Pound Era, his definitive study of Ezra Pound's life and work.
Every Trail Has a Story: Heritage Travel in Canada
by Bob Henderson James RaffanLIMITED TIME OFFER Canada is packed with intriguing places for travel where heritage and landscape interact to create stories that fire our imagination. Scattered across the land are incredible tales of human life over the centuries. From the Majorville rock formation (dated as being older than Stonehenge), through the systems of walking trails developed by pre-contact Native Peoples, and the fur trade routes, to the more recent grand stories of the Chilkoot Gold Rush of 1897, Bob Henderson, the traveller, captures our living history in its relationship to the land – best expressed through the Norwegian quote "nature is the true home of culture." The diversity of fascinating content includes the ancient James Bay landmark (the "Wonderful" Stone); the mountain treks of naturalist Mary Schaffer Warren; the west coast observations of George Vancouver; practices such as dog sledding, warm winter camping and canoeing that allow for heritage insights; the trails of Dundas, Ontario; the exploits of missionary Gabriel Sagard; the recluse Louis Gamache of Anticosti Island; the abandoned gravesites along the coast of Newfoundland – to name but a few. As historian Michael Bliss once said, "We have to find a way to make history smell again." Author Bob Henderson brings the "fragrance of the past" into the present and invites us to imagine and participate. "Like an enthused hummingbird too eager to land, Bob Henderson leads a wide-ranging tour of the vast garden of Canadian history and landscape. Once entrusted with the scent of intrigue we are invited to follow these stories and trails deeper, make them speak and inform our own travels and impressions. Here are stepping stones and touchstones, paths toward richer engagements via a storied and fabulous past."— Alexandra & Garrett Conover, co-authors of The Snow Walker’s Companion "I pulled off the river; a log cabin set back in the woods had caught my eye. Though very old it was in good shape — there was no lock on the door. A framed note beside it read, ’Leave as you found it.’ The interior was neat and tidy, a complete set of blackened pots hung on the walls, a small stack of kindling by the open door of a Findlay stove. ’A perfect place,’ I thought to myself. As I turned to take in the rest of the cabin I saw before me Canada/Yukon rivers, Labrador fiords, Prairie medicine wheels, Superior’s north shore, portage and trail - it was all there before me, across space and time. As I stood there ghosts emerged from the walls, trappers, cowboys, ill-fated explorers, lucky canoeists — all in the same room, all eager to tell their stories. Such is the nature of Bob Henderson’s wonderful book."- Ian Tamblyn, songwriter Watch for More Trails, More Tales coming November 2014.
Exploring Toronto: A Guide to 28 Unique Public Spaces
by Ken Greenberg Eti GreenbergA full-colour guide to dozens of unique outdoor spaces that highlight Toronto as a sustainable, liveable city.Toronto is rich in public spaces — deeply incised ravines, lively neighbourhoods, lush gardens and parks, iconic bridges, even repurposed industrial silos and undercrofts of elevated highways. Urban designer Ken Greenberg and Toronto aficionado Eti Greenberg have combed the city on foot and by tandem bike, discovering some of Toronto’s best outdoor public spaces.In Exploring Toronto, they have gathered twenty-eight of their favourite spots, each offering something unique — a flash of ingenious design, a surprise vantage point, or simply relief from the hum of traffic. Ken and Eti bring their distinctive perspective, informed by years of work in urban design, to each of their choices, providing readers (and explorers) with the full story of the history, design, and appeal of each one-of-a-kind place.
Falling for London: A Cautionary Tale
by Sean MallenWhen Sean Mallen finally landed his dream job, it fell on him like a ton of bricks.Not unlike the plaster in his crappy, overpriced London flat. The veteran journalist was ecstatic when he unexpectedly got the chance he’d always craved: to be a London-based foreign correspondent. It meant living in a great city and covering great events, starting with the Royal Wedding of William and Kate. Except: his tearful wife and six-year-old daughter hated the idea of uprooting their lives and moving to another country. Falling for London is the hilarious and touching story of how he convinced them to go, how they learned to live in and love that wondrous but challenging city, and how his dream came true in ways he could have never expected.
A Florence Diary
by Diana AthillA recently discovered gem from the bestselling author of Somewhere Towards the End, A Florence Diary is the charming and vivacious account of Athill’s travels to post-war Florence.In August 1947, Diana Athill travelled to Florence by the Golden Arrow train for a two-week holiday with her cousin Pen. In this playful diary of that trip, delightfully illustrated with photographs of the period, Athill recorded her observations and adventures — eating with (and paid for by) the hopeful men they meet on their travels, admiring architectural sights, sampling delicious pastries, eking out their budget, and getting into scrapes.Written with an arresting immediacy and infused with an exhilarating joie de vivre, A Florence Diary is a bright, colourful evocation of a time long lost and a vibrant portrait of a city that will be deliciously familiar to any contemporary traveller.
Forgetting Lamido
by Chike Frankie Edozien Ellah Wakatama AllfreyIlluminating African narratives for readers both inside and outside the continent. Representing the very best of African creative nonfiction, Safe House brings together works from Africa's contemporary literary greats. In a collection that ranges from travel writing and memoir to reportage and meditative essays, editor Ellah Wakatama Allfrey has brought together some of the most talented writers of creative nonfiction from across Africa. This creative nonfiction single from the Safe House anthology is Chike Frankie Edozien's writing of a lost love and the burden of silence.
Foundations of Faith: Historic Religious Buildings of Ontario
by Violet M. HolroydThe Ontario landscape is dotted with places of worship, from the simple log cabin to lofty cathedrals. Behind each lie personal stories of exceptional individuals and historical events, all of which have helped shape our lives.The lovers of Anne of Green Gables may be pleasantly surprised by Lucy Maud Montgomery’s long association with the Leaksdale Manse just north of Toronto. From the James Bay lowlands comes an unusual example of ingenuity involving a historic Moose Factory landmark, while the poignant love story involving Florence Nightingale and a local minister is depicted in the attractive stained glass window of a church in Elora. A more recent page of history is captured through the side-by-side relationship of a synagogue and mosque. Throughout, Foundations of Faith will delight the armchair traveller and invite the mobile history buff to explore Ontario.
Four Degrees Celsius: A Story of Arctic Peril
by Kerry KarramA dramatic story of the rescue of eight men on a prospecting mission in the Arctic that covers a period of four suspenseful months in the fall of 1929. This true story began in August 1929. A group of eight prospectors, led by C.D.H. MacAlpine of the Dominion Explorers, flew into the Arctic in search of mineral wealth. Grossly underequipped, the expedition ran out of fuel and was stranded above the Arctic Circle. Within days, Western Canada Airways sent a rescue team headed by Captain Andy Cruickshank, in what was to become the most extensive aviation search in Canadian history.The searchers encountered trouble: turbulent weather, forced landings, and plane crashes. The prospectors were also struggling, as they waited edgily for freeze-up and the anticipated crossing to Cambridge Bay. While Cruickshank and his team were trying to reconstruct a damaged aircraft, MacAlpine and his men were forced to run more than 112 kilometres on barely frozen ice to arrive at Cambridge Bay, where they still awaited rescue.
The Franklin Conspiracy: An Astonishing Solution to the Lost Arctic Expedition
by Jeffrey Blair Latta John Robert ColomboThe Franklin Conspiracy is an absorbing account of the single most enigmatic event in Canadian history. In 1845, two British Royal Navy ships, the Erebus and the Terror, commanded by Sir John Franklin, entered the Canadian Arctic in search of the Northwest Passage. Neither ship returned. A fifteen-year search uncovered evidence of unparalleled disaster, but to this day no one knows exactly how the 129 men of the Franklin Expedition met their deaths. Although the expedition did not run out of food, there is clear evidence of cannibalism. The ships carried two hundred message cylinders with them, yet failed to leave records. Stranger still, an earlier explorer, Thomas Simpson, was reputedly murdered for the "secret of the Northwest Passage." What was this "secret"? The Franklin Conspiracy is an exhaustively researched, compellingly reasoned answer to that question. The result is a shocking saga of conspiracy, cover-up, and unbelievable secrets the.
From Far and Wide: A History of Canada's Arctic Sovereignty
by Peter PigottIn the early 20th century the Canadian North was a mystery, but the Canadian military stepped in, and this book explores its historic activities in Canada’s Arctic. Is the Canadian North a state of mind or simply the lands and waters above the 60th parallel? In searching for the ill-fated Franklin Expedition in the 19th century, Britain’s Royal Navy mapped and charted most of the Arctic Archipelago. In 1874 Canadian Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie agreed to take up sovereignty of all the Arctic, if only to keep the United States and Tsarist Russia out. But as the dominion expanded east and west, the North was forgotten. Besides a few industries, its potential was unknown. It was as one Canadian said for later. There wasn’t much need to send police or military expeditions to the North. Not only was there little tribal warfare between the Inuit or First Nations, but there were few white settlers to protect and the forts were mainly trading posts. Thus, in the early 20th century, Canada’s Arctic was less known than Sudan or South Africa. From Far and Wide recounts exclusively the historic activities of the Canadian military in Canada’s North.
From Old Quebec to La Belle Province: Tourism Promotion, Travel Writing, and National Identities, 1920-1986 (Studies on the History of Quebec/Études d'histoire du Québec #34)
by Nicole NeatbyTourism promoters strive to brand their destinations in anticipation of what they think travellers hope to experience. In turn, travel writers react in part to destinations in line with their expectations. While several scholars have documented such patterns elsewhere, these have remained understudied in the case of Quebec despite the frequency with which the province was branded and rebranded and its status as a major North American travel destination in the decades leading up to Expo 67. The first comprehensive history of Quebec tourism promotion and travel writing, From Old Quebec to La Belle Province details changing marketing strategies and shows how these efforts consistently mirrored and strengthened French Quebec's evolving national identity. Nicole Neatby also takes into account the contentious role of English-speaking promoters in Montreal, belying the view that Quebec was unvaryingly represented and appreciated for being "old." Taking a comparative approach, Neatby draws on books and a wide array of newspapers, popular and specialized magazines, and written and visual sources from outside the tourist genre to reveal how the distinct national and cultural identities of English Canadians, Americans, and French Quebecers profoundly shaped their expectations and reactions to the province. From Old Quebec to La Belle Province traces and explains shifting promotional priorities for tourism and travel writers' varying reactions over the course of four decades, and how these attitudes harmonized with evolving national identities.
From Reindeer Lake to Eskimo Point
by Peter Kazaks George LusteCanoe across large lakes, up and down rivers and rapids; labour over portages and through a miasma of blackflies; bask in the golden evenings of the Subarctic. In this account of an 800-mile canoe trip – which begins at Reindeer Lake on the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border, continues into Nunavut past the treeline, and ends on Hudson Bay – Peter Kazaks conveys the experience of being in the north by describing the daily details that bring the trip to life. He captures the flavour of an extended wilderness canoe trip and reflects on living in unfettered wilderness. The reader will also grasp something of the serene beauty of the barren lands and begin to understand why its intoxicating nature keeps drawing some back. The first half of the trip, essentially from Reindeer Lake to Nueltin Lake, retraces P.G. Downes’ voyage described in his classic Sleeping Island. Next the four men of this expedition, led by George Luste, entered the barren lands and followed the Thlewiaza River, the Kognak River, South Henik Lake and the Maguse River north and east to the shore of Hudson Bay. These lands, seldom visited, are close to a true wilderness – one of the few remaining ones.
George Fetherling's Travel Memoirs 3-Book Bundle: One Russia, Two Chinas / Running Away to Sea / Indochina Now and Then
by George FetherlingThe travel writing of celebrated writer George Fetherling is filled with vivid prose and bizarre characters. Includes: One Russia, Two Chinas A travel narrative written over the course of ten years, One Russia, Two Chinas is about change and resistance to change in the postmodern world. A valuable document that freezes some important world events for close inspection. Running Away to Sea: Round the World on a Tramp Freighter At a turning point in his life, George Fetherling embarked on an adventure to sail round the world on one of the last of the tramp freighters. The four-month voyage carried him 30,000 nautical miles from Europe via the Panama Canal to the South Pacific and back by way of Singapore, Indonesia, the Indian Ocean, and Suez. Written with dash, colour, and droll humour, Fetherling’s narrative is peopled by a rich cast of characters, from the Foreign Legionnaires of French Polynesia to the raskol gangs of Papua New Guinea. Indochina Now and Then George Fetherling recounts multiple journeys through Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, keeping an eye peeled and an ear cocked for whatever faint traces of French rule might remain. Indochina Now and Then is a travel narrative that leaves an indelible impression in the readers imagination.
Ghost Towns of Muskoka
by Andrew Hind Maria Da SilvaGhost Towns of Muskoka explores the tragic history of a collection of communities from across Muskoka whose stars have long since faded. Today, these ghost towns are merely a shadow – or spectre – of what they once were. Some have disappeared entirely, having been swallowed by regenerating forests, while others have been reduced to foundations, forlorn buildings, and silent ruins. A few support a handful of inhabitants, but even these towns are wrapped in a ghostly shroud. But this book isnt only about communities that have died. Rather it is about communities that lived, vibrantly at that, if only for a brief time. Its about the people whose dreams for a better life these villages represented; the people who lived, loved, laboured, and ultimately died in these small wilderness settlements. And its about an era in history, those early heady days of Muskoka settlement when the forests were flooded with loggers and land-hungry settlers.
Ghost Towns of Ontario's Cottage Country
by Andrew HindExplore the remnants of vanished villages across Ontario’s cottage country.Crumbling foundations lost in the forest, weathered buildings leaning wearily with age, cracked tombstones jutting from the ground — all serve as haunting reminders of once thriving villages that have since been abandoned. Each of these locales has a distinct story to tell, stories that until now were confined to fading memories and grainy photographs.From the northern shores of Georgian Bay to the eastern reaches of the Kawarthas, Ontario’s cottage country is littered with vanished villages, including settlementera farm communities, railway whistlestops, and logging hamlets. Within these pages, readers will venture into Ontario’s past to learn how these communities lived and died and to meet the people who invested their hopes and dreams in them. Dozens of photographs, many historical and never before published, bring these ghost towns back to life.Join Andrew Hind in exploring over a dozen villages across the districts of Parry Sound and Nipissing,Muskoka, and the Haliburton Highlands.
The Great Atlantic Canada Bucket List: One-of-a-Kind Travel Experiences
by Robin EsrockMost Canadians think of travel as a way to escape the snow, cold, and dreary winter skies. But Robin Esrock loves all that our eastern provinces have to offer visitors, and so will you! The Great Atlantic Canada Bucket List highlights the best travel experiences to be had on Canada’s East Coast. Not your typical travel guide, Robin’s recommendations encompass outdoor adventure and natural wonders as well as the unique food, culture, and history of the Maritimes. Categorized by province, The Great Atlantic Canada Bucket List will give you a first-hand perspective on: • Ziplining over a waterfall in New Brunswick. • Harvesting an iceberg for a Newfoundland cocktail. • Exploring Nova Scotia’s Cabot Trail. • Walking the seabed beneath Hopewell Rocks. • Cycling across Canada’s island province. • Rafting a tidal wave in the Bay of Fundy.
The Great Canadian Bucket List: One-of-a-Kind Travel Experiences
by Robin EsrockA National Bestseller! Fully revised with new chapters and fascinating destinations to explore, renowned travel writer Robin Esrock guides you to Canada’s most incredible experiences. Having visited more than 100 countries on 7 continents, Robin Esrock has built a career chasing the extraordinary. His bestselling Bucket List books feature experiences that are entirely unique, instantly memorable, wholly inspirational, and available to all. Celebrating his adopted home of Canada, Robin journeys to every province and territory to reveal the remarkable activities and destinations that are unique to the True North strong and free. Get ready to: Cross the mythical Northwest Passage Cycle across Prince Edward Island Float on Canada’s very own Dead Sea Feel the hot breath of a wild polar bear Cave bash along Quebec’s Magdalen Islands Sail among whales in the “Galapagos of the North” Taste Canada’s best poutine, smoked meat, and fish and chips Raft a tidal wave, roll your car uphill, camp in the Arctic and much more! Robin packs each chapter with colourful descriptions, unforgettable characters, quirky trivia, and eye-popping photography. With more than 70 exciting new experiences, the new edition unlocks an extensive online companion where you’ll find videos, galleries, maps, reading guides, and all the practical information you’ll need to follow in Robin’s footsteps.
The Great Canadian Bucket List — Alberta
by Robin EsrockOn his personal quest to check off the best of his home country, travel writer and host Robin Esrock catalogues must-sees, including nature, food, culture, history, adrenaline rushes, and quirky Canadiana. After spending years crafting the definitive Canadian Bucket List, he’s packed in enough for a lifetime, at least. In this special excerpt, Esrock takes us to the wild west and Alberta’s wide-open spaces and majestic peaks, including such experiences as: the Calgary Stampede, riding the Rocky Mountaineer train, hunting for dinosaurs, and skiing a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Great Canadian Bucket List — British Columbia
by Robin EsrockOn his personal quest to check off the best of his home country, travel writer and host Robin Esrock catalogues must-sees, including nature, food, culture, history, adrenaline rushes, and quirky Canadiana. After spending years crafting the definitive Canadian Bucket List, he’s packed in enough for a lifetime, at least. In this special excerpt, Esrock takes us to Canada’s temperate, laid-back and culturally rich Left Coast and such fabulous experiences as: diving in a sunken battleship, sailing in Haida Gwaii, exploring and old-growth forest, tasting the Okanagan, and snorkelling with salmon.
The Great Canadian Bucket List — Manitoba
by Robin EsrockOn his personal quest to check off the best of his home country, travel writer and host Robin Esrock catalogues must-sees, including nature, food, culture, history, adrenaline rushes, and quirky Canadiana. After spending years crafting the definitive Canadian Bucket List, he’s packed in enough for a lifetime, at least. In this special excerpt, Esrock takes us to the diverse landscapes and cultures of Manitoba, a land of extreme beauty where cultures blend. Experiences include: Winnipeg’s huge folk music festival, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, seeing polar bears from a tundra buggy, and experiencing the life of the voyageurs.
The Great Canadian Bucket List — New Brunswick
by Robin EsrockOn his personal quest to check off the best of his home country, travel writer and host Robin Esrock catalogues must-sees, including nature, food, culture, history, adrenaline rushes, and quirky Canadiana. After spending years crafting the definitive Canadian Bucket List, he’s packed in enough for a lifetime, at least. In this special excerpt, Esrock takes us the east coast and the ancient Acadian land of New Brunswick, including such experiences as: walking the seabed, ziplining over a waterfall, biking in a kilt, and drinking a potato smoothie!
The Great Canadian Bucket List — Newfoundland and Labrador
by Robin EsrockOn his personal quest to check off the best of his home country, travel writer and host Robin Esrock catalogues must-sees, including nature, food, culture, history, adrenaline rushes, and quirky Canadiana. After spending years crafting the definitive Canadian Bucket List, he’s packed in enough for a lifetime, at least. In this special excerpt, Esrock takes us what is perhaps Canada’s most distinct place, where Celtic culture thrives in some of Canada’s must rugged wilderness. Experiences include: watching the sun rise on a continent, sleeping in a lighthouse, driving the Trans-Labrador Highway, and making an iceberg cocktail.
The Great Canadian Bucket List — Northwest Territories
by Robin EsrockOn his personal quest to check off the best of his home country, travel writer and host Robin Esrock catalogues must-sees, including nature, food, culture, history, adrenaline rushes, and quirky Canadiana. After spending years crafting the definitive Canadian Bucket List, he’s packed in enough for a lifetime, at least. In this special excerpt, Esrock takes us to the one of the largest, emptiest, most beautiful places in the world: the arctic plains of the Northwest Territories. Experiences include: watching the northern lights, exploring Canada’s largest national park, rafting the Nahanni, and hooking a northern pike.
The Great Canadian Bucket List — Nova Scotia
by Robin EsrockOn his personal quest to check off the best of his home country, travel writer and host Robin Esrock catalogues must-sees, including nature, food, culture, history, adrenaline rushes, and quirky Canadiana. After spending years crafting the definitive Canadian Bucket List, he’s packed in enough for a lifetime, at least. In this special excerpt, Esrock takes us to legendary Nova Scotia, land of a thriving and rich culture amid the crashing waves of the Atlantic shore, and such experiences as: walking around historic Lunenburg, exploring the Cabot Trail, and rafting a tidal wave.
The Great Canadian Bucket List — Nunavut
by Robin EsrockOn his personal quest to check off the best of his home country, travel writer and host Robin Esrock catalogues must-sees, including nature, food, culture, history, adrenaline rushes, and quirky Canadiana. After spending years crafting the definitive Canadian Bucket List, he’s packed in enough for a lifetime, at least. In this special excerpt, Esrock takes us to the remote heart of Canada’s Inuit culture, a land of long winters, polar bears, and vast distances, for some amazing experiences, including: swimming in an Arctic waterfall, hiking in the tundra, fishing for Arctic char, and watching belugas play in a river mouth.