Saffron Beckwith's Picks • Kate Walker & Company • [email protected]
Plastiki
by David de Rothschild Chronicle Books Ecology/Current Events
978-1-4521-0002-9 $27.50 (US) HC 250pp April
Explorer, global green leader, and eco-TV host David de Rothschild recounts
the extraordinary journey of the Plastiki, an innovative and mostly untested
sixty-foot catamaran that floats on 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles. It was a
voyage that took de Rothschild and a five-person crew 10,000 miles from the
U.S. to Australia, sailing through rarely traveled, dangerous waters, risking
their lives to call attention to our fragile oceans.
Visual Complexity
by Manuel Lima Princeton Architectural Press Art
978-1-56898-936-5$50.00 HC 240pp May
Our ability to generate information now far exceeds our capacity to understand
it. From representing networks of friends on Facebook to depicting
interactions among proteins in a human cell, Visual Complexity presents one
hundred of the most interesting examples of information-visualization by the
field's leading practitioners.
The Klondike
by Zach Worton Drawn and Quarterly Graphic Novels/Literary
978-1-897299-87-6 $25.95 PB 320pp May
The history of how a handful of colourful characters sparked the largest
mobilization of gold seekers in history is brought vividly to life in this debut
graphic novel. Worton draws the reader into an absorbing historical tale of
political intrigue and personal adventure, played out amid the free-for-all
atmosphere of the Wild West
Sins of the House of Borgia
by Sarah Bower Sourcebooks Fiction
978-1-4022-5963-0 $14.95 (US) PB 544pp March
In 1492, when Ferdinand and Isabella expel the Jews from Spain, six year old
Esther Sarfati finds herself travelling to Rome. Nine years later, Pope
Alexander VI offers Esther a place in the household of his daughter, Lucrezia.
Against her own better judgment, Esther converts to Christianity. Flattered
by Lucrezia''s favour, seduced by the friendship of her cousin, and swept off
her feet by Lucrezia''s glamorous and dangerous brother, she is drawn into a
web of intrigue and deceit which will test her heart to its utmost and burden
her with secrets she must carry to her grave.
Song of Slaves in the Desert
by Alan Cheuse Sourcebooks Fiction
978-1-4022-4299-1 $25.99 (US) HC 528pp March
Based on historically accurate roots, this novel explores one New Yorker''s
involvement in his family''s rice plantation and the wild tensions involved as he
tries to right the wrong he sees at work in his family. Beginning in Timbuktu
in the 1500s, this is a story about one man''s struggle with the legacy of
slavery and the loyalty of family, brought into sharp focus as he finds himself
attracted to one young slave woman.
Eat Naked
by Margaret Floyd New Harbinger Health
978-1-60882-013-9 $16.95(US) PB 192pp May
In Eat Naked, nutritionist and holistic health counselor Margaret Floyd
introduces readers to the easy-to-implement Eat Naked lifestyle. Eating naked
means eating without the extra sodium, corn syrup, additives, and packaging
so common in the American diet. This book shows readers simple ways to
begin eating naked right away, offering guidance for eating naked in every
food group and preparation techniques that help maximize the nutritional
value of food.
That Summer in Franklin
by Linda Hutsell-Manning Second Story Press Fiction
978-1-89787-89-0 $18.95 PB 320pp March
In 1955, two fifteen-year-olds with immeasurable optimism shared a summer
working as waitresses in the small town of Franklin's flourishing Britannia
Hotel. Forty years later, Hannah, now a successful teacher with a younger
lover, rushes home from Toronto to find her mother in hospital while Colleen,
still in Franklin and married with five children, copes with her alcoholic father.
Both women try to deal with the pain and guilt of admitting their parents to
the local nursing home.
Reinventing the Rose
by Kenneth J. Harvey Dundurn Fiction
978-1-55488-921-1 $22.99 PB 328pp June
Anna discovers she is pregnant, but her gynecologist boyfriend, Kevin,
considers the time just not right to have children. Anna moves to a 100-yearold house in Bareneed, an abandoned cove in Newfoundland. All goes well
until a car arrives delivering a court summons. Kevin has filed a statement of
claim seeking the termination of the embryo as "return of property."
The Sixth Extinction
by d Leonard freeston Dundurn Fiction
978-1-55488-903-7 $22.99 PB 424pp September
Jason Conrad, a man with the wealth of Bill Gates, decides to preserve for
posterity the seeds of as many animal and plant species as possible in a vast
and remote underground facility. Soon it becomes apparent that highly
organized, ruthless abduction teams are raiding seed banks around the world,
as well as scooping up the finest animal specimens from zoos, nature preserves,
and the wild.
The Astonishing General
by Wesley B. Turner Dundurn Biography
978-1-55288-777-4 $35.00 PB 304pp July
The Astonishing General is about Major General Sir Isaac Brock (1769-1812). It
tells of his life, his career and legacy, particularly in the Canadas, and of the
context within which he lived.
Storyteller Guitar
by Doug Larson Dundurn Music
978-1-55488-887-0 $39.99 PB 224pp May
Every object around us contains the history of all the people and places that
brought it here. But rarely is that history explored. In this book, instead of
breaking an object apart to reveal those stories, they are told by building the
object - a guitar named Storyteller - from scratch. The text and illustrations
reveal the rich lives of the people, places, and projects that breathed life into it.
Walking Backwards
by Mark Frutkin Dundurn Travel
978-1-55488-932-7 $19.99 PB 208pp May
Walking Backwards is a return to 10 cities and what happened there. Whether
inadvertently smuggling "cloth" into Istanbul, reading poetry in New Delhi to
a crowd expecting a world-famous pianist, or wandering endlessly through
Mantua searching for a non-existent hotel on a street that has fallen off the
map, Mark Frutkin is a master at rediscovering the magic at the heart of all
travel.
The Suite Life
by Christopher Heard Dundurn Travl
978-155488-862-7 $24.99 PB 312pp April
The Suite Life is the culmination of a lifelong fascination with iconic hotels and
those who have opted to reside in them. It tells of the enchantment of being
exposed to many varied energies at the same time and describes the uniqueness
of life lived in a place where people can let their inhibitions relax.
Talk – Action = Zero
by Joe Keithley Aresenal Pulp Press Music
978-1-55152-396-5 $24.95 PB 224pp April
This large-format book is a sprawling visual history of the music group D.O.A.
as told by lead singer/guitarist Keithley. The book is made up of vintage
photographs, posters, handwritten lyrics, and other various ephemera that
offers a visceral glimpse into the hardcore life of one of the hardest-working
punk bands in the business.
Crass Struggle
by R. T. Naylor McGill-Queens University Press Cultural Studies - Economics
978-0-7735-3771-2 $34.95 HC 560pp May
A critique of the lifestyles of today's ultra rich Crass Struggle provides a
humorous commentary on "the bad side of the good life." Through a series of
outrageous but all too true stories, Crass Struggle reveals the appalling
consequences of consumerism run amok and its links to repetitive financial
swindles and the alarming degradation of the biophysical environment.
A Gentleman of Pleasure
by Brian Busby McGill-Queens University Press Biography – Literary Studies
978-0-7735-3818-4 $39.95 HC 400pp April
A Gentleman of Pleasure not only spans John Glassco's life but delves into his
background as a member of a once prominent and powerful Montreal family.
In a lively account of a man given to deception, who took delight in hoaxes,
Busby manages to substantiate many of the often unreliable statements
Glassco made about his life and work.
Phoenix
by Roderick Stewart & Sharon Stewart McGill-Queens University Press
Biography – Canadian History
978-0-7735-3819-1 $39.95 HC 488pp May
In Phoenix, Roderick and Sharon Stewart provide the intriguing details of
Norman Bethune''s controversial career as a surgeon, his turbulent personal
life, his passionate crusade to eradicate tuberculosis, and his pioneering
commitment to the establishment of medicare in Canada. They also examine
the reasoning that led Bethune to embrace Marxism and show the depth of his
faith in the triumph of communism over fascism.
The Man in Blue Pyjamas
by Jalal Barzanji The University of Alberta Press Memoir/Human Rights
978-0-88864-536-4 $24.95 PB 256pp April
From 1986 to1989 poet and journalist Jalal Barzanji endured imprisonment
and torture under Saddam Hussein's regime because of his literary and
journalistic achievements. . It was not until 1998, when he and his family took
refuge in Canada, that he was able to consider speaking out fully. This literary
memoir is the project Barzanji worked on while Writer-in-Exile.
The Pregnant Body Book
by Dorling Kindersley Dorling Kindersley Health & Fitness
978-0-7566-7559-2 $45.00 HC 256pp June
The Pregnant Body Book is a comprehensive visual guide to every aspect of
conception, pregnancy and birth exploring the important changes that take
place in a completely revolutionary way. State-of-the-art images, extraordinary
photography and accessible text track each stage of both the mother and baby's
development from fertilisation to birth week-by-week.
Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope
by Morgan Spurlock Dorling Kindersley Popular Culture
978-0-7566-8342-9 $27.99 HC 196pp May
Get an insider's look at the biggest pop culture and fan convention in the USA!
This 196 page hardcover book offers an in-depth look at the experience of
Comic-Con, minus the parking fees and hotel.
And Me Among Them
by Kristen den Hartog Freehand Books Adult Fiction
978-1-55481-054-3 $21.95 PB 200pp April
The protagonist in Kristen den Hartog’s new novel is a girl with
gigantism. From a bird’s-eye perspective, Ruth recollects her struggles to
connect with other children in small-town, post-WWII Canada, and observes
the lives of her parents, Elspeth, an English war bride and seamstress, and
James, a mailman.
Ortona Street Fight
by Mark Zuehlke Orca Book Publishers History
978-1-55469-398-6 $9.95 PB 128pp April
December 20, 1943: Two Canadian infantry battalions and a tank regiment
stand poised on the outskirts of a small Italian port town. They expect to take
Ortona quickly. But the German 1st Parachute Division has other ideas. Ortona
Street Fight is a riveting telling of what is considered one of the most epic
battles that Canadian soldiers have ever fought.
Generation Us
by Andrew Weaver Orca Book Publishers Reference
978-1-55469-804-2 $9.95 PB 128pp April
Generation Us explains the phenomenon of global warming and outlines the
threat it presents to future generations. Dr. Weaver, one of the world's leading
experts in the field, contends that, just as humans have been responsible for
creating the problem of global warming, we must also be the solution.
The Odious Child
by Carolyn Black Harbour Publishing Adult Fiction
978-0-88971-254-6 $21.95 PB 200pp March
In The Odious Child, Carolyn Black conceives of multiple situations, both
believable and fantastic, in which adeptly written characters attempt to channel
their powerful, desperate yearning for fulfillment within the intricate
labyrinths of social interaction.
Chicken Poop for the Soul
by Kristeva Dowling Harbour Publishing Current Affairs/Food
978-1-894759-60-1 $24.95 PB 256pp April
In the tradition of the "back-to-the-landers" of the '60s, Dowling sheds the
habits of her urban life and, with no agricultural background, begins an
emotional and political journey towards independence. Between rendering
maple syrup, mothering baby chicks, canning hundreds of pounds of preserves,
tracking wild game and growing her own wheat, Dowling finds time to reflect
on her new-found tangible skills, her intangible problems and the politics and
legislative barriers that face BC's small farming community.