2024!
Great B.C. books to give this Christmas!
We stopped exchanging huge, multi-item Christmas presents with loved ones a few years back. Somehow, though, we couldn't quite break the habit of giving special gifts to our close family and friends. But now, rather than blowing the budget on massive piles of pressies, we take the time to carefully choose one perfect book for each person on our list.
Whether it's a history book for a heritage buff, a nature tome for a wildlife lover or a cute picture book for a junior reader, there's a delightful gift volume for everyone out there, so long as you know where to look. Here at the Vancouver Christmas Guide, we've made it easy for you this year by profiling some of our recently published favourites. Better yet, each of these is written by a B.C.-based author, so you'll also be supporting hardworking local authors at the same time!
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New World Dreams: Canadian Pacific Railway and the Golden Northwest
by David Laurence Jones (Heritage House Publishing; $49.95; ebook $22.99)
Perfect for: Fans of history, nostalgia and trains
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A brilliantly researched, engagingly written and lavishly illustrated volume detailing the creation and colourful history of the iconic Canadian Pacific Railway––and the impact if had on shaping the country we know today. There are richly evocative photos on almost every page, including some nostalgic CP posters from the gold age of rail travel. (2023 Buy Here button disabled).
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Freddie: The Rescue Dog Who Rescued Me
by Grant Hayer-Menzies (Heritage House Publishing; $24.95; ebook $12.99)
Perfect for: Fans of dogs, pets, animals and memoirs
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A charming and heartfelt memoir detailing the life of a very special rescue dog, the challenges he overcame and the family that adopted and bonded with him. Anyone who has ever had a pet that meant the world to them will thoroughly enjoy this book and the remarkable canine tale it relates. (2023 Buy Here button disabled).
Gone Viking III: The Holy Grail
by Bill Arnott (Rocky Mountain Books; $30)
Perfect for: Fans of travel, history, Vikings, Scandinavia
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The latest installment in Arnott's richly entertaining (and bestselling) historical travelogue series takes readers along on a witty, adventurous quest into the ancient Viking world––unravelling spellbinding tales and legends in his search for the Holy Grail. (2023 Buy Here button disabled).
Grizzly Bear Science and the Art of a Wilderness Life:
Forty Years of Research in the Flathead Valley
by Bruce McLellan (Rocky Mountain Books; $32)
Prefect for: Fans of nature, ecology, grizzly bears, British Columbia wilderness
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A meticulously researched yet surprisingly accessible volume detailing a decades-long study by McLellan on the grizzlies of B.C.'s Flathead Valley region––and the rich personal experience of raising his family in a small, remote cabin in situ. A deep and evocative fusion of science and personal memoir. (2023 Buy Here button disabled).
Galena Bay Odyssey: Reflections of a Hippie Homesteader
by Ellen Schwartz (Heritage House Publishing; $26.95; ebook $13.99)
Perfect for: Fans of 1970s B.C., social history, nostalgia, homesteading, memoirs and back-to-the-land movements
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Join 1970s urbanites Ellen and Bill Schwartz as load their car in the US and head for a new life in rural West Kootenay. Follow their trials and tribulations as they learn how to live off the land (50km from the nearest town), ultimately building a successful homestead and an adventurous new back-to-the-land life. (2023 Buy Here button disabled).
The Snow Women's Butterfly Adventures: A Magical Colouring Book
by Naomi Ambrose (Brillyshine Entertainment Inc.; $9.99
Perfect for: Fans of colouring young and old and those who need to slow down and relax!
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A perfect respite from the hectic pace of the festive season, why not slow down, grab some pencils and start colouring in some charming (and nicely hatted) original images of snow women? Aimed at adults but great for kids as well, this your big chance to bring some magical snow creatures (and butterflies) to life. (2023 Buy Here button disabled).
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