One of the cool things about Toronto is that it really is a city made up of neighborhoods. I live in the Kingsway, but went over one village to Bloor West Village, because it has a better independent bookstore, Book City. Bloor West Village (and my neighborhood) are both on the TTC, or local subway line.
I wanted some books about Canadian history and culture. It is amazing that I've lived South of the Border for so many years and really know nothing about Canada. Nothing about it's history, politics, etc. Yet Canadians are remarkably more worldly and well-educated about the world, including the U.S. The wonderful and informative salesperson was able to point me to these three, after remarking she hasn't read anything about Canadian history since high school!:
- A Short History of Canada
- A History of Canadian Culture
- Just Watch Me: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau
- Apparently Trudeau is a famous and influential politician, to the point that this is Volume 2 of his biography, but they didn't have volume 1 so I will have to start in the middle. Um, I've never heard of him before. I feel like this is like someone moving to America and never hearing of Roosevelt, so I feel particularly guilty.
Now that I've enrolled myself in Canada 101, I'm hoping to remedy my ignorance, and I'll let you know the high points. And because I'm a teacher, there may be a pop quiz. You never know.
On the fun reading side, I also picked up The Poisoner's Handbook, about how forensic science developed to identify death by poisoning, and Terry Pratchett's I Shall Wear Midnight, a new Tiffany Aching novel from his Young Adult series. If you've not read Terry Pratchett, go. read. him. right. now. (My favorites: Night Watch, Nation)
As for the weather, it got up to a balmy -1 degrees C, so we enjoyed the warm weather and didn't even wear gloves!
OMG.... "Trudeau is a famous and influential politician"... I'm such a horrible mother....
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you didn't know him....
It is pretty shameful however, that we don't know more about Canada! But we are learning.... : }
Margaret Wente, huh? Now I need to go check her out. :)
ReplyDeleteThe author of Just Watch Me, and the first volume, Citizen of the World, is a friend of mine! John is a superb biographer. He also wrote a two volume biographer of another famous PM, Lester Pearson.
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