Fascinating Canada


Book Description

Few people have read as widely in the field of Canadiana as has John Robert Colombo. The curiosity of this Toronto writer, editor, and anthologist knows few if any bounds when it comes to the lore, literature, history, culture, and character of Canada. He has an inquiring mind and he seems able to find national and even international twists to subjects of interest or importance. Fascinating Canada, his latest book, is the product of over half a century of research, reading, writing, and thinking. Some years ago the author produced a trilogy of question-and-answer books 1,000 Questions about Canada, 999 Questions about Canada, 1,000 Questions about Canada. The first two were published by Doubleday Canada, the third one in 2001 by Dundurn Press. The same format is adapted to the material in the present book, but this time the majority of the questions are short whereas a good many of the answers are quite long discussions of the subjects at hand: concise questions followed by considered answers. Here is a book about the Canadian past, present, and future. The information in Fascinating Canada is organized under four headings (People, Places, Things, Ideas) and there is a detailed Index for ready reference. This book may serve as a work of popular reference, but it has been written to stimulate inquiry and spark the sense of surprise in the minds of readers who know something about this amazing country but perhaps not as much as the author. Open this book and begin to read ... and match wits with author and researcher John Robert Colombo.




So You Think You Know CANADA, Eh?


Book Description

A collection of fun and interesting facts about Canada, the kind people who live there, all things maple syrup, hockey and lacrosse, its unique history, the breathtaking nature, and a few words to help you speak Canadian. Inside are fun nuggets of knowledge and trivia about whether or not Santa Claus is a Canadian citizen, why hockey is not the official national sport of Canada, what Canada could have been named, that parts of Canada are as cold as Mars, and that peanut butter was invented by a Canadian pharmacist. To test the reader's knowledge of Canada, a fun short quiz with answers are at the end of the book. If you're Canadian, know any Canadians, traveling to Canada or have ever wanted to know more about Canada, this fun little fact book will help.




101 Fascinating Canadian Music Facts


Book Description

101 true stories to surprise and delight Canadian music fans. Did you know that Serena Ryder played the quietest concert ever from the ocean floor during low tide at Fundy National Park? Or that “I’ll Never Smile Again,” the hit that launched Frank Sinatra’s career, was written by Toronto pianist Ruth Lowe? What about 12-year-old Liberty Silver singing in a reggae band that opened for Bob Marley at Madison Square Garden? Did you know that the title of the Tragically Hip’s 1991 album, Road Apples, is not talking about apples? In 101 Fascinating Canadian Music Facts, author and historian David McPherson shares these and 97 other tales gathered from his more than 25 years working in the music industry. Music lovers and trivia buffs alike will enjoy perusing this collection of stories — collected from coast to coast — to discover surprising facts and hilarious tales from Canada’s music industry.




101 Fascinating Canadian Film and TV Facts


Book Description

101 lesser-known stories to delight Canadian cinema and television fans. Do you know who was in the first on-screen nude scene in a Canadian feature film? Or which David Cronenberg film was raided for obscenity? Why was Oliver Reed arrested while shooting The Brood ? Which iconic Canadian television series was syndicated in over fifty different countries? Which Canadian film critic wrote a full-page retraction after reconsidering a positive review he gave a film? And what role did Canada play in the creation of Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider? With an eye for the unique and the absurd, 101 Fascinating Canadian Film & TV Facts, from one of Canada’s leading film critics, is a lively and humorous look at the best and the worst, the firsts and the lasts, and the groundbreaking truths behind Canada’s film and television industry.




Canada


Book Description

In this instant national bestseller, comedy superstar Mike Myers writes from the (true patriot) heart about his 53-year relationship with his beloved Canada. Mike Myers is a world-renowned actor, director and writer, and the man behind some of the most memorable comic characters of our time. But as he says: "no description of me is truly complete without saying I'm a Canadian." He has often winked and nodded to Canada in his outrageously accomplished body of work, but now he turns the spotlight full-beam on his homeland. His hilarious and heartfelt new book is part memoir, part history and pure entertainment. It is Mike Myers' funny and thoughtful analysis of what makes Canada Canada, Canadians Canadians and what being Canadian has always meant to him. His relationship with his home and native land continues to deepen and grow, he says. In fact, American friends have actually accused him of enjoying being Canadian—and he's happy to plead guilty as charged. A true patriot who happens to be an expatriate, Myers is in a unique position to explore Canada from within and without. With this, his first book, Mike brings his love for Canada to the fore at a time when the country is once again looking ahead with hope and national pride. Canada is a wholly subjective account of Mike's Canadian experience. Mike writes, "Some might say, 'Why didn't you include this or that?' I say there are 35 million stories waiting to be told in this country, and my book is only one of them." This beautifully designed book is illustrated in colour (and not color) throughout, and its visual treasures include personal photographs and Canadiana from the author's own collection. Published in the lead-up to the 2017 sesquicentennial, this is Mike Myers' birthday gift to his fellow Canadians. Or as he puts it: "In 1967, Canada turned one hundred. Canadians all across the country made Centennial projects. This book is my Centennial Project. I'm handing it in a little late. . . . Sorry."




Now You Know Canada


Book Description

A National Bestseller! A new collection of the best Canadian trivia in honour of Canada’s 150th birthday. Just in time for Canada’s 150th birthday comes this collection of the best in Canadian questions and answers, covering history, famous Canadians, sports, word origins, geography, and everything in between. In these pages, you’ll learn the answers to questions like: Where did the word Canuck come from? How did an aristocratic French girl become a Canadian Robinson Crusoe? What famous explorer played hockey in the Arctic? Who was the first black woman elected to Canada’s Parliament? What unlikely team beat Canada for the gold medal for hockey in the 1936 Winter Olympics? How did the Halifax Explosion occur?




Famous Canadian Trials


Book Description




The Rough Guide to Canada


Book Description

The Rough Guide to Canada is the ultimate travel guide to this staggeringly beautiful country with detailed coverage of all the top attractions. Inspired by stunning colour photography and insightful background information, discover both the urban and the wild with expert guidance on exploring everything from the glistening skyscrapers of Toronto, the restaurants of Montreal and the laid-back ambience of Vancouver, to the spectacular Niagra falls and the rolling plains of the Prairies. You'll find specialist information on a host of outdoor activities including winter sports in the Rockies, trekking through the Northwest Territories, and wildlife spotting in the country's great wilderness, complimented with full-colour sections on the National Parks and Skiing and Snowboarding. Choose what to see and do whilst relying on up-to-date descriptions of the best hotels, bars, clubs, shops and restaurants for all budgets. Explore every corner of this stunning country with clear maps and expert background on everything from sea cliffs and tidal bores in the Bay of Fundy to the walled Old Town in Qu�bec City. Make the most of your holiday with The Rough Guide to Canada.




The Rough Guide to Canada


Book Description

The Rough Guide to Canada is the ultimate travel guide to this staggeringly beautiful country with detailed coverage of all the top attractions. Inspired by stunning photography and insightful background information, discover both the urban and the wild with expert guidance on exploring everything from the glistening skyscrapers of Toronto, the restaurants of Montreal and the laid-back ambience of Vancouver, to the spectacular Niagra falls and the rolling plains of the Prairies. You’ll find specialist information on a host of outdoor activities including winter sports in the Rockies, trekking through the Northwest Territories, and wildlife spotting in the country’s great wilderness, with sections on the National Parks and Skiing and Snowboarding. Choose what to see and do whilst relying on up-to-date descriptions of the best hotels, bars, clubs, shops and restaurants for all budgets. Explore every corner of this stunning country with clear maps and expert background on everything from sea cliffs and tidal bores in the Bay of Fundy to the walled Old Town in Québec City. Make the most of your holiday with The Rough Guide to Canada.




101 Fascinating Hockey Facts


Book Description

Brian McFarlane, hockey history, author, and Hockey Hall of Fame broadcaster, delivers 101 fascinating facts about the game he’s loved for over eighty years.