On the evening that Donald Trump was elected the President of the United States in 2016, Canada’s immigration website crashed because so many Americans researched emigrating to Canada. Very few followed through on that initial impulse. I Actually Did It! is the honest, humorous and insightful story of Stephen Shainbart Ph.D., a New Yorker and clinical psychologist. He spent years after the 2016 election researching and undertaking the surprisingly difficult and complex process of emigrating to Canada. In November 2019, three years after his journey beganon that fateful night, he finally became Canadian. Faced with the terrible prospect of Trump winning another term, Stephen shares his reasons for moving to Canada and how you could do it too. Drawing from personal experiences he explains his concerns about Trump and his fears for America. Even if you aren’t planning on emigrating to Canada, Stephen’s funny stories, his guide on air travel and his view of the cultural differences between USA and Canada can offer fun yet perceptive observations for our troubled times. Read more

On the evening that Donald Trump was elected the President of the United States in 2016, Canada’s immigration website crashed because so many Americans researched emigrating to Canada. Very few followed through on that initial impulse. I Actually Did It! is the honest, humorous and insightful story of Stephen Shainbart Ph.D., a New Yorker and clinical psychologist. He spent years after the 2016 election researching and undertaking the surprisingly difficult and complex process of emigrating to Canada. In November 2019, three years after his journey beganon that fateful night, he finally became Canadian. Faced with the terrible prospect of Trump winning another term, Stephen shares his reasons for moving to Canada and how you could do it too. Drawing from personal experiences he explains his concerns about Trump and his fears for America. Even if you aren’t planning on emigrating to Canada, Stephen’s funny stories, his guide on air travel and his view of the cultural differences between USA and Canada can offer fun yet perceptive observations for our troubled times. Read more

In this debut Canadian novel Andrew Livingston unveils a portrait of coming of age in Vancouver, British Columbia, during the top-down, unseatbelted, joy-ride of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.The novel’s protagonist, ‘Handy Andy’ journeys from boy to young man, experiencing both the frustration of being an individual against the system and liberation as he discovers the transformative power of literature. Funny, honest, and smart, Train Wrecker also investigates life under the tyranny and ultimately, the tragedy of his father’s alcoholism.“Before I called it a night, I heard the Old Man’s big brogues stomping on the floor upstairs and the door to his bedroom slam shut with a heavy thud. The dogs closed their eyes. The kettle on the stove; the stools in the kitchen; the mattresses on the beds; the chair in the study; even the glasses in the cupboard; everything in the house let out a collective sigh of relief. “Train Wrecker is a phantasmagorical, no-holds barred, front-row seat to the contest in which we all participate, growing up. Read more

Graydon Carter: The Biography of a Canadian Journalist Who Defined Power, Prestige, and Pop Culture delves into the extraordinary life of a media icon whose influence reshaped journalism and entertainment. From his beginnings in Canada to his transformative tenure as editor-in-chief at Vanity Fair, Graydon Carter wielded his keen eye for culture and a talent for storytelling to define an era. This meticulously crafted biography unveils his journey through the glamorous world of Hollywood elites, political titans, and cultural visionaries, showcasing his unparalleled ability to merge power and prestige with pop culture.Learn how Carter redefined magazine publishing, cemented his place among media moguls, and left an indelible mark on modern journalism. Packed with compelling anecdotes, insider insights, and a profound exploration of his legacy, this book is a must-read for fans of journalism, pop culture enthusiasts, and aspiring powerhouses of the media world. Read more

Openly Karl is a frank and generous memoir by one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most well-known media figures.Dive into the private and public life of Karl Wells, as told in his own words. From his birth in Buchans and early life in St. John’s, to his rise in media and a 32-year career with Here and Now at the CBC, Openly Karl is a rare opportunity to bring the face and voice you know from your television back into focus. While he will forever be known as “the weatherman,” Openly Karl explores the expanse of Karl Wells’s career and the nuances of his personal life, including coming to terms with being gay during a less tolerant period of Newfoundland and Labrador’s history and throughout the subsequent decades of social change. At times fascinating and funny, at others harrowing and heartbreaking, Karl’s story will keep readers tuned in. Read more

French Boy / A 1950s Franco-American Childhood is a glimpse into a young life both at the margins and at the center of the 1950s American experience. Born in 1947, Denis Ledoux had a childhood that almost seems to have been lived in another country and another century, but it is typical of what many Franco-Americans of his generation experienced.French Boy explores much: the developmental stages of childhood; family dynamics, bilingualism, acculturation and assimilation, alienation and shame.In French Boy, you will read about:• the conflict inherent in bilingualism,• persistent nostalgia for a past,• looking for mentors beyond one’s reach,• how the unassimilable ethnics assimilated, and• the discomfort and shame of “otherness.”What others have said of Denis Ledoux's writing:“The stories of Denis Ledoux come from a quietly strange culture—that of the French in America—which gives them their own quiet strangeness. Clear and deep, these stories try to understand something just beyond understanding.”— David Plante / novelist, essayist / National Book Award nominee“[Ledoux’s] stories are fragile islands of the human heart where the unspoken epiphanies of joy and sorrow are given voice and presence. And Ledoux’s own voice shimmers with a distinct Québecois-American sensibility that makes these stories heart-breaking and haunting.”— A. Poulin, Jr. / poet, editor / founder of BOA EDITIONS[In Ledoux’s stories,] “French-English language and culture conflict exist as an undercurrent...The problem for a writer will nearly always be uncovering the social subtleties arising from insistent domination...and thatLedoux [does].”— Elizabeth Hardwick / Novelist, Guggenheim Fellow / a founder of The New York Review of Books"French Boy put me in awe of Denis Ledoux’s talent, work ethic, good sense, and common humanity. These qualities add up to a touch of genius, which in summary displays Ledoux's ability to bring drama and feeling, as well as meaning, to the reportage of ordinary life."— Ernest Hébert / Novelist / Whirlybird Island"In French Boy, Denis Ledoux paints an intimate and informative portrait of his Franco-American boyhood in 1950s Maine, where he felt “separate from the present which seemed foreign—and American.” Ledoux’s abiding affinity for story enriches this tale of a thoughtful boy seeking more than his parents could provide."— Steven Riel / Poet / Edgemere"French Boy shines a spotlight on our complex Franco history and rich culture, and I found many points of connection throughout. You will, too."— Susan Poulin / dramatist / Pardon My French!; Author / Finding Your Inner Moose; Blogger / Just Ask IdaWith vivid and painstaking detail, Denis Ledoux recreates Maine’s Franco-American community in French Boy as it was when he was growing up in the 1950s. His memoir is so close to life as then lived that it evokes both pride and pain, regret and remembrance, in equal measure.— Douglas Rooks / Biographer / First Franco: Albert Beliveau in Law, Politics and LoveBuy French Boy today. The cost is little and the rewards are great. Read more

Not for King or Country tells the story of Edward Cecil-Smith, a dynamic propagandist for the Communist Party of Canada during the Great Depression. Born to missionary parents in China in 1903, Cecil-Smith came to Toronto in 1919 where he joined the Canadian militia and lived a happy life ensconced in the Protestant missionary community of Toronto. He became increasingly interested in radical politics during the 1920s, eventually joining the Communist Party in 1931. Worried by the growing strength of fascism around the world, particularly in China, Germany, Italy, and Spain during the summer of 1936, Cecil-Smith quietly departed Canada and became among the first volunteers to fight for the Republic in the Spanish Civil War. Cecil-Smith was motivated to fight not out of any sense of traditional patriotism ("for king or country") but out of a sense that the onward march of fascism had to be stopped, and Spain was where the line had to be drawn.Not for King or Country is the first biography of a Canadian commander in the Spanish Civil War, and is also the first book to critically analyse the major battles in which the Canadian and American volunteers fought. Drawing upon declassified RCMP files, records held in the Russian Archives in Moscow, audio recordings of the volunteers, a detailed survey of maps, and battle records, as well as the Communist Party press, Not for King or Country breaks down the battles and the Party's activities in a way that will be accessible to interested readers and scholars alike. Read more

The Saint Joseph Concordance Collection is pleased to present a transcription of Volume 2 of Blessed Marie Sainte-Cécile of Rome (Dina Bélanger) A Life in Christ, also known as the autobiography, volume 2 covers the religious life anddeath of Dina Bélanger. An article on a visionary from Marmora Ontario is included at the end.-Evann Yakabuski, General Editor Read more

A moving and deeply personal excavation of Indigenous beauty and passion in a suffering world The novel Jonny Appleseed established Joshua Whitehead as one of the most exciting and important new literary voices on Turtle Island, winning both a Lambda Literary Award and Canada Reads 2021. In Making Love with the Land, his first nonfiction book, Whitehead explores the relationships between body, language, and land through creative essay, memoir, and confession.In prose that is evocative and sensual, unabashedly queer and visceral, raw and autobiographical, Whitehead writes of an Indigenous body in pain, coping with trauma. Deeply rooted within, he reaches across the anguish to create a new form of storytelling he calls “biostory”—beyond genre, and entirely sovereign. Through this narrative perspective, Making Love with the Land recasts mental health struggles and our complex emotional landscapes from a nefarious parasite on his (and our) well-being to kin, even a relation, no matter what difficulties they present to us. Whitehead ruminates on loss and pain without shame or ridicule but rather highlights waypoints for personal transformation. Written in the aftermath of heartbreak, before and during the pandemic, Making Love with the Land illuminates this present moment in which both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people are rediscovering old ways and creating new ones about connection with and responsibility toward each other and the land.Intellectually audacious and emotionally compelling, Whitehead shares his devotion to the world in which we live and brilliantly—even joyfully—maps his experience on the land that has shaped stories, histories, and bodies from time immemorial. Read more

A noted Canadian novelist details her tortured childhood as the victim of her father's incestuous desires, the devastating impact of incest on her life, and her life-long struggle to overcome its effects to live a whole life Read more

None

Tom Longboat was a hero. A member of the Onondaga Nation, he was born on the Six Nations reserve in Oshwegen, near Brantford, Ontario. Despite poverty, poor training, and prejudice, Longboat went on to become one of the world’s best runners. In 1907, at the height of his fame, he won the Boston Marathon and ran in the 1908 Olympic Marathon. Longboat was one of the best-known people of his day, and certainly the most prominent member of the Six Nations. Throughout his career he had to race against opponents, as well as rumors of illegal running activities. Nevertheless, he maintained his dignity, and his achievements still inspire people who understand the great pleasure of running, and running fast. Read more

Montgomery Scott, the endlessly resourceful chief engineer of the Starship Enterprise, has been a familiar presence in our collective imagination for over three decades. All around the world, everyone knows "Scotty" - but far fewer know the true story of actor James Doohan, who has brought Starfleet's legendary "miracle worker" to life for three seasons on television and in seven major motion pictures. Here at last are all the colorful details of Doohan's life and times, including how war hero Jimmy Doohan charged the beach at Normandy on D-Day, and how World War II left its mark on him forever; how Doohan landed the part of Scotty on the classic Star Trek television series, and how the character acquired an accent; memories of William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and all of the original crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, and the feuds and friendships that formed among them; how Doohan made his peace with Star Trek: the Next Generation - and brought Scotty back to television for one very special episode; and the long and affectionate bond between Doohan and generations of Trek fans - and how Star Trek brought true love into Doohan's life. Read more

Drugs, addiction, mental illness, homelessness, and incarceration. These are not the words or wishes for any parent for their children. Join in with Alex on a raw, vulnerable and heartbreaking story of his journey with his son. The real life prodigal son story is told through the heart of a father who takes you on a twenty-year battle that includes addiction, depression, boundaries, trauma, and hopelessness. Yet, through it all, Alex managed to hold onto his faith in God even during all of his trials. You will feel the challenges and difficulties he honestly shares on the pages of his book. The journey still continues as the reader will see and feel through each chapter. Read more

A True story of Tragedy, Grief, Redemption, Joy and FulfilmentMargie, a beautiful young widow with four children, created a haven in her family home on 2nd Line West for people who needed a place to land after life offered them up sadness, depression or misfortune. 2nd Line West became their place for a second chance.In this loving memoir, Tom Herstad shares the story of his mother’s impact on many lives.You'll witness a woman’s life, look deep into a family’s story, then read the amazing stories from so many of those she helped. Margie used her wisdom and strength to influence and coach the positive transformation of many souls, all the while reinventing herself.These stories remind us of something we are born with, most everyone has forgotten.A GRIPPING, UNFORGETTABLE true story of Grief, Redemption and JOY, YOU CAN'T PUT DOWN!...BONNIE KOGOS, AUTHOR AND NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST FOR THE SUDBURY STAR... .A book is a tool that can be used as a pointer for the reader to look within, but not every book does this. Tom’s book, 2nd Line West does this and can be used to enhance one’s life.Michael Cupo – Author “It’s Monday is only in your mind”Tom Herstad has done a lovely job of sharing with us the amazing story of his mother, Margie, and his family in 2nd Line West. I highly recommend this book for any individual or family wishing deeper and more loving connections with each other.Paul Saltzman, Emmy award winning Movie and Television Director/Producer Read more

Elite sniper Jody Mitic loved being a soldier. His raw, candid, and engrossing memoir follows his personal journey into the Canadian military, through sniper training, and firefights in Afghanistan, culminating on the fateful night when he stepped on a landmine and lost both of his legs below the knees.Afghanistan, 2007. I was a Master Corporal, part of an elite sniper team sent on a mission to flush out Taliban in an Afghan village. I had just turned thirty, after three tours of duty overseas. I’d been shot at by mortars, eyed the enemy through my scope, survived through stealth and stamina. I’d been training for war my entire adult life. But nothing prepared me for what happened next. A twenty-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, Jody Mitic served as a Master Corporal and Sniper Team Leader on three active tours of duty over the course of seven years. Known for his deadly marksmanship, his fearlessness in the face of danger, and his “never quit” attitude, he was a key player on the front in Afghanistan. As a sniper, he secured strongholds from rooftops, engaged in perilous ground combat, and joined classified night operations to sniff out the enemy. One day in 2007, when he was on a mission in a small Afghan village, he stepped on a landmine and the course of his life was forever changed. After losing both of his legs below the knees, Jody was forced to confront the loss of the only identity he had ever known—that of a soldier. Determined to be of service to his family and to his country, he refused to let injury defeat him. Within three years after the explosion, he was not only walking again, he was running. By 2013, he was a star on the blockbuster reality TV show Amazing Race. In 2014, Jody reinvented himself yet again, winning a seat as a city councillor for Ottawa. Unflinching is a powerful chronicle of the honour and sacrifice of an ordinary Canadian fighting for his country, and an authentic portrait of military life. It’s also an inspirational memoir about living your dreams, even in the face of overwhelming adversity, and having the courage to soldier on. Read more

From breaking wild horses in Colorado to fighting the Red Baron's squadrons in the skies over France, here in his own words is the true story of a forgotten American hero: the cowboy who became our first ace and the first pilot to fly the American colors over enemy lines.    Growing up on a ranch in Sterling, Colorado, Frederick Libby mastered the cowboy arts of roping, punching cattle, and taming horses. As a young man he exercised his skills in the mountains and on the ranges of Arizona and New Mexico as well as the Colorado prairie. When World War I broke out, he found himself in Calgary, Alberta, and joined the Canadian army. In France, he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as an "observer," the gunner in a two-person biplane. Libby shot down an enemy plane on his first day in battle over the Somme, which was also the first day he flew in a plane or fired a machine gun. He went on to become a pilot. He fought against the legendary German aces Oswald Boelcke and Manfred von Richthofen, and became the first American to down five enemy planes. He won the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in action.   Libby's memoir of his cowboy days in the last years of the Old West evokes a real-life Cormac McCarthy novel. His description of World War I combines a rattling good account of the air war over France with captivating and sometimes poignant depictions of wartime London, the sorrow for friends lost in combat, and the courage and camaraderie of the Royal Flying Corps. Told in charming, straightforward vernacular, Horses Don't Fly is an unforgettable piece of Americana. Read more

Seal Wars: Twenty-Five Years on the Front Lines is the bold and sprawling memoir of Canadian rebel Paul Watson. To some a hero, to others a 'fokking seal-loving piece of merde,' Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson recounts his 25 years on the front lines in the war to stop the slaughter of the Canadian harp seal. The memoir begins with an incident in 1995 when Watson was holed up in a hotel in the Magdalen Islands with actor Martin Sheen. An angry mob of sealers stormed the hotel and Watson had to be taken out by police and airlifted to safety. Watson then remembers the childhood experiences that shaped his adult consciousness. He runs through a history of the seal hunt, and moves into the campaigns he has fought in, starting in 1976 with a Greenpeace crew off Laborador, including forays onto the ice floes with Brigitte Bardot, Farley Mowat and Pierce Brosnan. Captain Paul Watson grew up on Canada's east coast. He was a founding member of Greenpeace, is an active supporter of North American native peoples and a veteran of Wounded Knee. He is the founder and president of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. And he has been the captain of a succession of ships dedicated to the protection of the world oceans, most recently Whales Forever. Read more

None

The national bestseller that tells the story of Wolfe and Montcalm and the Plains of AbrahamIn September 1759, a small band of British troops led by James Wolfe scaled the tall cliff overlooking a farmer’s field owned by Abraham Martin and overpowered the French garrison that protected the area, allowing the bulk of the British army to ascend the cliff behind and attack the French who, led by Louis-Joseph Montcalm, were largely unaware of Wolfe’s tactics. The battle that ensued on what would become known as the Plains of Abraham would forever shape the geography and politics of Canada.Montcalm and Wolfe, written by one of the finest writers this country has ever produced, is the epic story of this battle told through the lives of the two generals, Wolfe and Montcalm. The book is a dual biography of the men and their most famous battle written by a master storyteller. What kind of life did they have before they took up arms? What were the two men really like? And, most importantly, what forces brought the two men to face each other in a battle that forged a nation? Read more