Man of the Trees: Richard St. Barbe Baker, The First Global Conservationist by Paul Hanley Published by University of Regina Press Review by Keith Foster $34.95 ISBN 978-0-88977-566-4 Americans have Johnny Appleseed as one of their folk heroes; Saskatchewan has Richard St. Barbe Baker, a real-life action hero. Although Baker is not as well known, he is the original tree hugger, so well documented in Paul Hanley’s biography, Man of the Trees: Richard St. Barbe Baker, The First Global Conservationist. Born in 1889, Baker was an eccentric Englishman obsessed with trees. As a youngster, he wandered through a forest, lost but thoroughly enjoying the trees’ embrace. It was as if they’d adopted him. He felt born again. Enthralled with stories he’d heard of Canada, Baker migrated and in 1909 took the train to Saskatoon. He...
every day we disappear by Angela Long Published by Radiant Press Reviewed by Toby A. Welch $22.00 ISBN 9781775183938 I am a firm believer that the best writing – or at least the most entertaining writing to read – comes from authors who hold nothing back. Those that dig so deep that they must’ve felt like they were laying in the gutter after they poured out their words are my favourites. In every day we disappear, Angela Long proves herself to be one of those writers. When she listed the lovers she’s had, I applauded her honesty. When she shared her inability to leave a toxic relationship, I felt her pain. Long spares nothing. It is refreshing to experience in the often politically correct world we live in. It was glorious to travel the world with Long from the coziness of my reading chair. I could almost feel the chaos of...
The Homesteaders by Sandra Rollings-Magnusson Published by University of Regina Press Review by Keith Foster $49.95 ISBN 978-0-88977-515-2 Have you ever wondered what life was like for the pioneers who settled the Prairies? Sandra Rollings-Magnusson’s The Homesteaders offers a rare glimpse into Saskatchewan’s homesteading history by the very homesteaders who made that history. Rollings-Magnusson based her coffee-table book primarily on questionnaires the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan devised in the 1950s, asking surviving pioneers for their reminiscences of the 1873-1914 period. The questions were grouped under a number of themes, including the types of food they ate, experiences in one-room schools, injuries and illnesses, and what they did for fun and entertainment. Incorporating the information she gleaned from these ...
Leadership Lessons from Downton Abbey By Jeanne Martinson and Laurelie Martinson Review by Michelle Shaw Wood Dragon Books $22 ISBN 9780995334281 Whether you’re an avid Downton Abbey fan or not, Leadership Lessons from Downton Abbey is a great introduction to the world of leadership and management and offers a handy overview of key leadership principles and management strategies. Regina-based sisters Jeanne and Laurelie Martinson, both recognized leaders in their fields, use characters and situations from the hit British TV series Downton Abbey to illustrate leadership principles and management strategies. “British estates, as characterized by Downton Abbey, represent one of the largest business models of their time,” the authors point out. “Their structure influenced what would become our traditional, hierarchical, business model...
Manufacturing Urgency: The Development Industry and Violence Against Women by Corinne L. Mason University of Regina Press Review by Rose Willow $34.95 ISBN 9780889774711 The title of this book, Manufacturing Urgency, immediately grabbed my attention, causing my mind to ponder. Why manufacture urgency? Isn’t there enough urgency already in today’s world? Isn’t violence against women an already urgent issue without “manufacturing” more? Corinne L. Mason looks behind the scenes of this perplexing issue and provides insight into the motives behind this manufacture of urgency. There are three big players in the manufacture of urgency including American foreign policy makers, World Bank, and the United Nations – their motive – to further the development of industry. Mason gives due consideration to Hillary Clinton, longtime advoca...
The Steeps of Time: Poems & Paintings by Victor Carl Friesen Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Reviewed by Ben Charles $25.00 ISBN 9781988783222 The Steeps of Time: Poems & Paintings is the latest publication from legendary Saskatchewan poet Victor Carl Friesen and his fourth collection of poems and accompanying paintings, both of which produce warm, nostalgic, and detailed recollections of the beautiful nature found in Saskatchewan and of life on the farm. Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing, this riveting collection of fifty-five poems is separated into two portions that each illustrate different themes in the author’s life. The first section, titled “A Burgeoning”, is comprised mainly of descriptive, traditional poetry that, as mentioned, describes natural phenomenon and rural life in Saskatchewan....
Horses, Dogs and Wives by Bryce Burnett Published by DriverWorks Ink Review by Keith Foster $19.95 ISBN 978-1-927570-44-9 A cowboy needs three things – his horse, a dog, and a wife. This is according to Bryce Burnett, author of Horses, Dogs and Wives, a collection of rhyming cowboy poems and short stories with a good dose of humour throughout. Burnett points out that he has several horses and numerous dogs, but only one wife, whom, he admits, he embarrasses with his poems. Horses, Dogs and Wives is divided into four sections – one each on horses, dogs, and wives, plus a bonus section for good measure. He also includes several quotes by American cowboy humorist Will Rogers. Burnett’s poems cover a variety of horses, from quarter horses, unbroken rodeo horses, even a rocking horse, to those bound for the processing plant. He shows...
Psychedelic Revolutionaries: LSD and the Birth of Hallucinogenic Research By P.W. Barber Published by University of Regina Press Review by Michelle Shaw $34.95 ISBN 9780889774209 Long before Timothy Leary and the psychedelic summer of love in San Francisco made LSD a global phenomenon, researchers were quietly testing the drug’s efficacy and possibilities in the middle of the Saskatchewan prairies. Researchers Humphry Osmond, Abram Hoffer and Duncan Blewett, among others, were fascinated about the possibilities of using LSD and other psychedelic drugs to treat certain conditions such as schizophrenia and alcoholism. Their research occurred at a unique time in Saskatchewan’s history. Tommy Douglas’s Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) government was in power, Medicare was on the horizon and the government was determined to add...
Jessie the Doo-Doo Dog Goes to the Vet by Bill and Jocelyn Hutchinson Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Amanda Zimmerman $14.95 ISBN 978-1-988783-31-4 Ever wonder what ideas run through a dog’s head during the course of a day? Do they use the words we do or make up their own? What troubles do they have? Get ready for a tail of adventure starring Jessie, her sister Jo-Jo, and their bigger cousins Katcha and Krissy as they get up to all sorts of neighbourhood highjinks in Jessie and the Doo-Doo Dog Goes to the Vet. In this first book of the series, proudly Canadian husband and wife team, Bill and Jocelyn Hutchinson, leave their politically oriented jobs behind to delve into a wonderfully simple canine world. Jessie is our main Maltipoo and it is through her curious nature and enthusiasm readers are shown how ...
Lena’s Story: The D-Day Landings by Patricia Sinclair Published by DriverWorks Ink Reviewed by Ben Charles $12.95 ISBN 9781927570463 Lena’s Story: The D-Day Landings, written by Patricia Sinclair, illustrated by Wendi Nordell, and published by DriverWorks Ink is a fantastic work of historical literature for young readers that is both beautifully crafted and exceptionally informative. The book cleverly educates the reader about the D-Day landings and World War II through a narrative of a young girl speaking with an elderly neighbor named Lena, who is about to move away. Like many real Canadians, the young girl in this story learns about the battle of D-Day and the history of World War II from elderly people in the community that either fought directly in the war or were alive during that time period. As I am writing this, Remembrance D...
