Come August, the spectre of time’s passage starts to rear its head and you’re reminded through small hints that the summer season—blue sunshine, white surf, dusty trails, lazy road trips, starry late-night twilights—might just end one day, and soon. Back to school sales, the sun’s journey arcing southwards again, pre-9 pm sunsets. They all arrive as tiny jolts of realization that one more summer is receding from your grasp like sand trickling through your fingers.
But summer’s not over yet. Whether you still have five hundred more plans to take advantage of the good weather, or you’re running out of ideas, we have a book list to help you with even more summer adventures.
Find things to do around the city, new ideas to try out in the kitchen, creative ways to engage with arts and crafts, and new places to commune with what’s “out there.”
Urban adventures
Freecouver: 101 Free Things to Do in and Around Vancouver by John Lee and Rebecca Bollwitt (Tidewater Press)
A day out in and around the most expensive city in Canada doesn’t have to break the bank––if you know where to go.
Whether you love fascinating museums and amazing galleries or prefer unexpected art trails and hidden gem gardens, they’ve tracked down the best free activities and attractions throughout Metro Vancouver. Each entry includes a first-hand description, location details, and a website address.
New release
Exploring Montreal by Robin Ward (Douglas & McIntyre)
Discover Montréal with this authoritative and highly readable guide to the city’s most interesting places and learn how, why and by whom the city’s urban environment was shaped. Over one hundred and fifty buildings and points of interest are illustrated with colour photographs and arranged into self-guided routes that cover various neighbourhoods.
Out now
Finding flavour
Burnt Ends by Andrew Calderone (Touchwood Editions)
When young chef Luca Russo finds a hidden clue suggesting his long-lost father is actually alive on the West Coast, he walks out of his family’s Toronto kitchen and hits the road. Burnt Ends is the perfect read for anyone who knows that food, culture, and family are inextricably intertwined.
Out now
West Coast Kitchen Garden: Growing, Gathering, And Eating Through The Seasons by Sabrina Currie (Touchwood Editions)
Lovingly crafted around the seasons of the West Coast, this sumptuous garden-to-table cookbook is a perfect guide to eating local, in season, and deliciously all year round.
Out now
Outdoor adventures
Swimming Holes and Beaches of Southwestern British Columbia: Including the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island by Alex McKeen and George Harwood Smith (Greystone Books)
Perfect for BC locals and travelers alike, discover 100 amazing places to swim outdoors in the Lower Mainland and on the Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast, and South-central Vancouver Island.
Out now
Once Upon This Land: Archaeology in British Columbia and the Stories It Tells by Robert J. Muckle, Foreword by Karen Rose Thomas (UBC Press)
Want to take a road trip across BC to visit various historical sites?
Once Upon This Land is a much-needed overview of archaeology in British Columbia that introduces readers to the fascinating evidence of human activities in this region from the last ice age up to the present day.
Out now
The Final Spire: ‘Mystery Mountain’ Mania in the 1930s by Trevor Marc Hughes (Ronsdale Press)
Trevor Marc Hughes describes The Final Spire as a road trip adventure of four young daredevils, determined to scale BC’s highest mountain rolled into the story of the historical apex Canadian mountaineering.
Mount Waddington is the highest peak that lies entirely within British Columbia and it is over 4000 meters high. It’s known for its brutal, extreme, and unpredictable weather and its peaks represent some of the most daring tests of a mountaineer’s nerve in North America.
Out now
Diving into creativity
The Nature of Play: A Handbook of Nature-Based Activities for all Seasons by Delfina Aguilar, Clare Aitken, illustrated by Sabrina Arnault (Greystone Kids)
Filled with bespoke crafts and seasonal activities for readers young and old, The Nature of Play is the perfect resource for exploring and engaging with nature and your creative side—whether you’re at home, in your backyard, or a local park.
Out now
Developing Glazes: Low-Fire Reduction and Oxidation by Mary Fox (Harbour Publishing)
Renowned potter Mary Fox shares her hard-earned knowledge about glazing in this book that encourages ceramic artists to experiment with confidence. She takes readers on an exploration of unique glaze materials, providing step-by-step instructions, and demonstrating how to bring a creative and adventurous attitude to the process.
Out now
Anecdotes from across the country
From Ragged Ass Road to Rideau Hall by Whit Fraser (Douglas & McIntyre)
From Ragged Ass Road to Rideau Hall is a sweeping memoir from veteran journalist and northern chronicler Whit Fraser, tracing a lifetime spent at the front lines of the events that shaped modern Canada. Woven throughout is Fraser’s personal journey—his years living in the North, his friendships with leaders who transformed the political landscape, and his partnership with Mary Simon, whose swearing-in as Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General brings his story full circle.
Out now
Meanwhile, Back in Nokomis by Will Ferguson (Douglas & McIntyre)
Will Ferguson recounts the small, revealing moments of a travel-writing career in this funny, eclectic collection of essays—and opinions—on Canada, the writing life and the world beyond. Ferguson brings readers on a journey, from a tiny theatre town in rural Alberta to the haunted (and horse-grazed) shores of Sable Island off the coast of Nova Scotia. In between, Ferguson muses about the defining elements of Canadian culture and offers readers some writerly advice.
Out now
Stories from local waterways
Coastal Connections: A History of British Columbia Ferries by Derek Hayes (Harbour Publishing)
In Coastal Connections, historian Derek Hayes describes early attempts to provide links between the Mainland and Vancouver Island as well as the upper mainland coast. Illustrated with hundreds of archival and modern photographs, artworks and ephemera, the book is a visual treat for anyone interested in the coastal history of British Columbia, the BC Ferries fleet and its operations.
Out now