SaskBooks Reviews

The Iconic Elevator: Vanishing Horizons of the Western Prairiesby Fritz StehwienPublished by Landscape Arts PublishingReview by Michelle Shaw$29.95 ISBN 9780991964925 There are few more iconic images on the prairies than the majestic grain elevators. In the latest release from the Fritz Stehwien Estate, 37 works of art showcasing these aptly named Prairie Giants are collected together in a beautiful hardcovered book. Barbara Stehwien, who compiled The Iconic Elevator, says that the giant wooden structures under enormous skies left a large impression on the Stehwien family when they arrived in Saskatchewan and Fritz was fascinated by what he saw. “These old elevators add a scale to the vast perspectives like no other structures do. [They appear] to simply dot the landscape in the distance, [but] become quite momentous when up close.” She says the book is a tribute to the incredible visuals of the wide open spaces of Saskatchewan. The Iconic Elevator features images from around the province, including Yorkton, Swift Current, Marchwell, Sintaluta, Fleming, Melfort and Hanley. One painting shows a view from Meewasin Park and another features the University of Saskatchewan Elevator in 1982. Some paintings are simply titled Prairie Summer, Harvest Time and Winter Road. I particularly loved…

Of Prairies Past: Vintage Canadian Prairie Motifsby Fritz StehwienPublished by Landscape Art PublishingReview by Michelle Shaw$29.95 ISBN 9780991964994 When German -Canadian artist, Fritz Stehwien, arrived in Saskatchewan in 1968 he was enchanted by what he saw and began painting and sketching whenever he could. Of Prairies Past is the latest collection of his works, and features a variety of prairie scenes, both rural and urban, captured in oils, pastels, pen and ink and charcoal drawings. This small hardcover book features 39 different prairie motifs from the iconic grain elevator to tiny country churches, the University of Saskatchewan and the Saskatoon skyline. The North Battleford and Melfort Post Offices are featured (both in the 1970s), along with Whitkow Church (1990s) and the Medical Arts Building (1970s) at the University of Saskatchewan. One of Stehwien’s gifts is capturing moments in time. I loved his sketch of a milk delivery truck in the 1970s, delivering milk while the neighbourhood children, all bundled up, slide down the snowbanks on sleds. I was also fascinated to see a drawing of a ski jump pictured at the University of Saskatchewan. The drawing also dates to the 1970s. Naturally I turned to Google and sure enough the…

Fact, Fiction, & Fantasyby Saskatoon Writers’ Club Inc.Published by Saskatoon Writers’ Club Inc.Review by Marlin Legare$15.00 ISBN 9781777528928 Fact, Fiction, & Fantasy can be best described as a delightful reminder of the great things that can be achieved with community, teamwork, and passion. Written and published by the Saskatoon Writers’ Club Inc., this anthology includes 18 distinct Saskatoon authors who have come together to create a whopping 59 separate pieces of literature into one comprehensive celebration of the literary arts. Not only that, but it is a celebration of passion for writing and the great things that can come of a local community’s “Do It Yourself” spirit. To judge a book by its cover, the homespun nature of this book is reflected in the book’s photographic cover of Saskatoon’s beautiful river and skyline taken by the club’s very own president, Stacey Simpkins. Writing is always more fun to read when it comes from a place of love and passion. I have not read a book in a long time that embodies this more than Fact, Fiction, & Fantasy. The reader is treated to a literary buffet within the 186 pages of this project that spans from short stories, poetry, recollections,…

Love or Baseball?by Jesse A. MurrayPublished by Off the Field PublishingReview by Toby A. Welch$21.99 ISBN 9781775194613 This is not a claim I make lightly in the first quarter of the year – Love or Baseball? will be on my top 10 list of books in 2022. If you are looking for a gripping read that starts with a coming-of-age story that morphs into the turmoil of adult life, look no further! In a nutshell, this book tells the story of a boy growing up with a father whose dream was for his son to make it to Major League Baseball. The boy lives, breathes, and dreams baseball. He has no chance to think of anything other than baseball. As often happens, he falls in love in high school and his girlfriend takes some of his attention away from the little white ball. As he finishes school and looks forward to what is next in his life, he is torn between his love for the sport and his love for his lady. This book is a slow burn. Murray takes us through the years with no hurry in his pacing. Clocking in at 423 pages in the softback version, he…