#ICYMI, this month on the blog, we’re counting down to our most anticipated forthcoming reads. Last week, we shared our top poetry and prose picks of the season. Today, we’ve got an exciting list of upcoming nonfiction titles by BC’s publishers that are sure to delight any memoir reader, history buff or hobbyist. Read on!
Memoir and Essays
Between Us: Adad Hannah’s Social Distancing Portraits by Adad Hannah with a foreword by William Gibson (Royal BC Museum)
A collection of photography by artist Adad Hannah, who took to the streets of Vancouver to capture the first hand experience of daily life during COVID-19. The book includes a series of photographs, stories, and augmented-reality-accessible video portraits.
Coming May 3, 2023!
The Fire Still Burns: Life In and After Residential School by Sam George (UBC Press)
An unflinching look at the horrors of the Residential School system and the long-term effects on survivors as told by Squamish Elder Sam George.
Coming May 31, 2023!
Hand on My Heart: A Canadian Doctor’s Awakening in Afghanistan by Maureen Mayhew (Caitlin Press & Dagger Editions)
“From first touchdown on a desolate airfield, Hand on My Heart travels beyond the journalistic and political images of Afghanistan and lifts the veils to reveal the hearts of the Afghan people. Through the lens of a physician, Dr. Mayhew brings the reader on her daily adventures, confronting fears, and isolation with respect and joy.” — Thomas A. Burke, PhD, MPH, Professor Emeritus, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health
Out Now!
Stoneface: A Defiant Dene by Stephen Kakfwi (Caitlin Press & Dagger Editions)
A powerful memoir by Stephen Kakfwi, whose family was torn apart by tuberculosis and alcohol and who endured the traumas of residential school. He emerged as a respected Dene elder and eventually the Premier of the Northwest Territories, living a life that blends traditional Dene practices with daily political duties.
Coming March 23, 2023!
Galena Bay Odyssey: Reflections of a Hippie Homesteader by Ellen Schwartz (Heritage House)
“What compelled a nice Jewish girl from the suburbs of New York to spend a decade of her life as a hippie homesteader in the BC wilderness?” Ellen Schwartz shares her own story in this intriguing memoir, as well as exploring what motivated a generation of young hippies in the 1970s.
Coming April 11, 2023!
History
Clara at the Door with a Revolver: The Scandalous Black Suspect, the Exemplary White Son, and the Murder That Shocked Toronto by Carolyn Whitzman (UBC Press)
A riveting true story of how a Black woman successfully defended herself in a sensational 1890s murder trial. Set in 19th century Toronto, this groundbreaking story is told in three acts and illuminates not only the riveting case but also exposes the flaws that existed in the justice system.
Coming February 1, 2023!
Gold, Grit, Guns: Miners on BC’s Fraser River in 1858 by Alexander Globe (Ronsdale Press)
Only four extensive miners’ journals are known to have survived from 1858. Alexander Globe’s Gold, Grit, Guns is the first detailed study of 1858 mining practices, and quotes directly from these surviving journals. The book is accompanied by illustrations of life on the Fraser in 1858 and maps of the area.
Available now!
White Riot: The 1907 Anti-Asian Riots in Vancouver by Henry Tsang (Arsenal Pulp Press)
From the creator of 360 Riot Walk, a 360-degree video walking tour through downtown Vancouver, White Riot includes essays and photographs that document the anti-Asian riots of 1907 in the context of contemporary anti-Asian sentiment.
Coming April 4, 2023!
This Place Is Who We Are: Stories of Indigenous Leadership, Resilience, and Connection to Homelands by Katherine Palmer Gordon (Harbour Publishing)
“Katherine Palmer Gordon, a consummate listener, weaves a powerful tapestry of ten First Nations people, deeply grounded in land, memory and story. Their lives honour the inextinguishable inter-connectedness of humans and nature, in righteous defiance of colonization. These are stories that point to an optimistic future based on the teachings of Ancestors and Elders with a view to making the world better for children, grandchildren, and children yet to come.” — Shelagh Rogers, O.C. Host/Producer of The Next Chapter
Coming May 6, 2023!
Decrim: How We Decriminalized Drugs in British Columbia by Kennedy Stewart (Harbour Publishing)
Since the province of British Columbia declared a public health emergency in 2016, more than 9,400 people have died of drug poisoning in BC. Written by Kennedy Stewart, mayor of Vancouver from 2018 to 2022, Decrim recounts the historic progress in addressing this crisis, and the importance of stigma-free harm reduction work.
Coming May 13, 2023!
Hobbies
Crip Up the Kitchen: Tools, Tips and Recipes for the Disabled Cook by Jules Sherred (TouchWood Editions)
Jules Sherred works as a commercial food photographer and stylist, writer, journalist and is an outspoken advocate for disability and trans rights. In Crip Up the Kitchen Sherred offers a comprehensive guide and recipe collection that makes the kitchen more accessible and enjoyable to disabled and neurodivergent cooks.
Coming May 9, 2023!
Pressed Plants by Linda P.J. Lipsen, with illustrations by Derek Tan (Royal BC Museum)
A compact guide to collecting, drying, and storing plants. This beautiful book is accompanied by rich illustrations from Derek Tan and tips on best practices to enjoy the hobby.
Coming February 10, 2023!
Four Seasons by the Salish Sea: Discovering the Natural Wonders of Coastal Living by Carolyn Redl, with photographs by Nancy Randall (Heritage House)
Described by the publisher as “part travelogue, part natural history,” Four Seasons by the Salish Sea documents daily life in Port Renfrew on the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Desolation Sound. The book is accompanied by stunning photographs from Nancy Randall.
Coming May 2, 2023!
The Coastal Forager’s Cookbook: Feasting Wild in the Pacific Northwest by Robin Kort (TouchWood Editions)
Robin Kort is a Pacific Northwest chef, forager, and sommelier. In The Coastal Forager’s Cookbook she shares a collection of 40 tasty recipes that showcase foraged ingredients from the Pacific Northwest coast.
Coming June 3, 2023!