One prime minister, two books.
biography
Norman Bethune: Stepping forward to revolution
Extraordinary Canadians: Norman Bethune
(Penguin Canada,
2009;
$26.00)
When Norman Bethune left Montreal for Spain in 1936 to help the Republicans in their doomed effort to hold back Franco's fascists, he spoke no foreign languages and had no fixed role waiting for him. But he was among a group of determined individuals who believed "if fascism could be stopped in Spain, a larger war would not break out," and he wasted no time making himself useful. When Bethune left Madrid less than a year later, he had created and implemented a mobile blood transfusion unit, the first of its kind, that treated soldiers right at the front and drastically reduced fatalities. He was also on the verge of collapse, drinking heavily and making enemies on all sides.
Betty Krawczyk's story
This Dangerous Place: My Journey Between the Passions of the Living and the Dead
(Friesen Press,
2011;
$30.18)
While imprisoned for Contempt of Court in the spring of 2003, Betty Krawczyk searched for understanding into her own actions, especially her stubbornness and intransigence before the Supreme Court of British Columbia. In this inner search Krawczyk is struck by some of the similarities between herself and her father. In This Dangerous Place Krawczyk takes us back to her childhood home where her father struggled with a ghost he didn't know, refused to acknowledge, and didn't believe existed. Until it was too late.
Atlantic by Simon Winchester book launch
Apr 18 2011 - 7:30pm
Apr 18 2011 - 9:30pm
Location
Frederic Wood Theatre
6354 Crescent Road UBC
Vancouver, BC Canada
49° 16' 4.9548" N, 123° 15' 25.2756" W
See map: Google Maps
Simon Winchester, bestselling author of Krakatoa and The Meaning of Everything, returns to the natural world with his epic new book, a "biography" of the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic: Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms, and a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories. The book follows the ocean from its origins 370 million years ago to its current state of degradation from pollution, overfishing, and climate change. Winchester's sea saga is essential reading for those who want to better understand the ocean, and by extension, the planet.
Malalai's story
A Woman Among Warlords:The Extraordinary Story of an Afghan Who Dared to Raise Her Voice
(Scribner,
2009;
$32.99)
I come from a land of tragedy called Afghanistan.
Christina McCall: 'Feminist in arms'
My Life as a Dame: The Personal and the Political in the Writings of Christina McCall
(House of Anansi,
2008;
$32.95)
In her youth, Christina McCall dreamed of becoming a theatre critic, where she could hobnob in the theatre districts of London or New York. Instead, she crafted a career as a magazine writer, immersing herself in the drama of the Canadian political stage.
Though she might best be remembered for her in-depth coverage of the Liberal Party of Canada, McCall's breadth included issues of urban planning, Canadian nationalism, and of course, feminism.
