{"title":"Best British Columbia Books of 2025","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"blue-hours","title":"Blue Hours","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA novel about fatherhood, grief, unanswerable questions, and the small, magical moments that make up life.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKeith has always striven to break rules as he navigates full-time parenting and supports the career of his successful photographer wife. Her unexpected illness and death leaves both him and his son Charlie in bits. When they take a road trip, a journey begins that does not end when they return home.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKeith must deal with revelations that complicate his grief, even as Charlie's response is unsettling. Together, father and son connect with loved ones, strangers, and each other. Life's magical and mystical moments emerge. 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So, Josiah heads to the shipyard to find work as a riveter, fastening together the ribs and steel plates of Victory ships.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eOne night, Josiah spots Poppy singing at a navy club. Despite their different backgrounds, they fall for each other instantly and begin a starry-eyed romance that lasts until the harsh reality of their situation is made clear. Determined to prove himself, Josiah takes a train to Toronto where he’s finally given the chance to enlist. After volunteering for the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and jumping into Normandy on D-Day, he must fight through the battlefields of Europe to make it back to the woman he loves.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eBy turns harrowing and exhilarating, \u003cem\u003eThe Riveter\u003c\/em\u003e explores what one man must sacrifice to belong to the only country he has ever called home.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"None","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46217962520786,"sku":"9781487007614","price":24.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Kobo eBook","offer_id":46217962553554,"sku":"5e888856-2e9f-3a7e-a37c-2cd95799caa0","price":4.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0655\/8980\/5233\/files\/1_902b8d7e-504b-4161-8771-26eace74f729.jpg?v=1763715744"},{"product_id":"chinatown-vancouver","title":"Chinatown Vancouver: An Illustrated History","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA colourful illustrated history of the buildings in Vancouver’s Chinatown, celebrating the richness, diversity, and vibrancy of the Chinese community.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eBuildings are more than just bricks and mortar; they are keepers of secrets and history. With more than seventy vibrant illustrations, writeups on the buildings, interviews with community members, and select archival photographs, \u003cem\u003eChinatown Vancouver\u003c\/em\u003e celebrates the invaluable contributions of the Chinese to Canada. The colourful illustrations portray Chinatown during its thriving days as a commercial hub when iconic businesses such as Cathay Importers, Ho Inn Restaurant, Ming Wo Cookware, and Ho Ho Restaurant were pillars in the community.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eEarly Chinese settlers in Vancouver demonstrated immense resilience and perseverance in creating a self-sustaining safety net to weather racial hostility, discrimination, and segregation from broader Canadian society. The protection of cultural sites like Chinatown helps us understand our connection to place, the past, and the future. In showcasing the unique architecture, \u003cem\u003eChinatown Vancouver\u003c\/em\u003ehonours the neighbourhood as an irreplaceable living heritage site and cultural asset for all Canadians.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"None","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46249174466770,"sku":"9781487011970","price":29.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Kobo eBook","offer_id":46249174499538,"sku":"694973e0-9e79-3194-be7f-4339b2da61e1","price":18.39,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0655\/8980\/5233\/files\/1_3fff6061-adb9-482c-8521-9204dcf07043.jpg?v=1763715239"},{"product_id":"of-floating-isles","title":"Of Floating Isles: On Growing Pains and Video Games","description":"An immersive journey into the author's lifelong attachment to video games, revealing how they shape us, shatter us, and give us the courage to start againOf Floating Isles is a captivating collection of personal essays that unpack the mystifying and often intimate roles that video games play in our lives. Interweaving memoir with cultural critique, Kawika Guillermo explores the subtle yet transformative influences of video games in shaping them as a queer and mixed-race grandson of two preachers; as a traveller, immigrant, and games scholar; and as a father, caretaker, and mourner. Through a mixture of fanciful musing, rigorous inquiry, and unflinching self-reflection, Of Floating Isles reframes the gamer's retreat from others not as social isolation, but as a quest for a different community, one where they feel seen, heard, and understood. This deep-seated longing to belong, Guillermo suggests, forms the imaginative worlds of video games and the floating isles they conjureBy exploring his own lifelong attachment to video games, Guillermo shows how they can spark rage, confusion, and the desire to escape, but these emotions are not necessarily bad - they are the growing pains that many young people must work through. So too can games provide reflective realms to dwell, to imagine, and to build spaces for queer, trans, racialized, and neurodiverse groups. Envisioning games as forms of poetic interaction, Of Floating Isles boldly conveys their truth-telling powers: their ability to offer guidance in times of loss and hardship, and their power to reveal the oppressive mechanisms of our \"real\" world.","brand":"None","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46259574079698,"sku":"9781834050065","price":26.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Kobo eBook","offer_id":46259574112466,"sku":"198ee805-6ca6-3b54-8f1d-c0d3c2035b7c","price":10.69,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0655\/8980\/5233\/files\/1_c3128e2b-3d66-462f-a85f-57ff7b88ed23.jpg?v=1757117853"},{"product_id":"my-new-indian-kitchen","title":"My New Indian Kitchen","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"Vikram Vij is one of the greatest chefs on the planet.\"\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e-Michael Bublé\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e80 exciting new Indian recipes from one of North America's most innovative and beloved chefs.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCelebrated chef, bestselling author, and media personality Vikram Vij is known for his innovative and elevated approach to Indian cooking.  \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e  has praised his flagship restaurant Vij's as \"easily among the finest Indian restaurants in the world\" and the Michelin Guide awarded it a Bib Gourmand designation in 2023 and 2024. More than 30 years after it opened, diners still flock to Vij's to enjoy his signature dishes, like the wine-marinated lamb popsicles that offer a modern take on Indian food.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNever one to rest on his laurels, Vikram is back in  \u003ci\u003eMy New Indian Kitchen\u003c\/i\u003e  with 80 easy-to-follow recipes that marry the vibrant flavors of Indian cuisine with elegant culinary techniques. Designed with the home chef in mind, these dishes are accessible, comforting, imaginative - and unmistakably Vij's.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecipes include:\u003cbr\u003e- Chilled Pea Soup with Fried Mint\r\n- Burrata with Spiced Fig-Mango Chutney\r\n- Gnocchi with Garam Masala Tomato Sauce and Paneer\r\n- Spicy Cod Pakoras\r\n- Vij's Chicken Korma\r\n- Chili-Spiced Lamb Rogan Josh\r\n- Indian Tiramisu\r\n\r\n\u003cbr\u003eThis cookbook also traces Vikram's culinary journey, with stories of the people, travels, and ingredients that have inspired him over the years. Packed with striking food photography and inspiring cooking tips,  \u003ci\u003eMy New Indian Kitchen\u003c\/i\u003e  is an invitation to cook with heart, embrace the joy of Indian cuisine, and share the food you love with those around you.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"None","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":46315684561106,"sku":"9781773272610","price":40.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0655\/8980\/5233\/files\/1_941486d2-db9b-46d4-bb11-64f3bfe61f30.jpg?v=1763633853"},{"product_id":"a-season-in-the-okanagan","title":"A Season in the Okanagan","description":"\u003cb\u003eExperience the spellbinding allure of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley through the vivid imagery and captivating travel tales of bestselling author Bill Arnott.\u003c\/b\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eEmbark on another thrilling adventure with acclaimed travel writer Bill Arnott in \u003ci\u003eA Season in the Okanagan\u003c\/i\u003e. Join Bill as he once again hits the open road from Vancouver for an epic trip through British Columbia’s picturesque Okanagan region and its surrounding areas. From meaningful encounters with locals to uncovering hidden treasures, Bill captures the essence of why the Okanagan Valley stands as another of BC's premier tourist destinations. Indulge in exquisite cuisine, world-class wines, unique natural landscapes, and captivating wildlife encounters as Bill paints a vivid picture of life in British Columbia’s scenic interior.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing captivating original artwork throughout, \u003ci\u003eA Season in the Okanagan\u003c\/i\u003e is the perfect keepsake for anyone enchanted by the region’s charm and allure.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"None","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46314609049810,"sku":"9781771607247","price":20.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0655\/8980\/5233\/files\/1_a5f888fa-6045-4522-b71b-298174d2305d.jpg?v=1763634255"},{"product_id":"21-things™-you-need-to-know-about-indigenous-self-government","title":"21 Things You Need to Know About Indigenous Self-Government: A Conversation About Dismantling the Indian Act","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom the bestselling author of \u003ci\u003e21 Things™ You May Not Know About the Indian Act\u003c\/i\u003e comes a powerful new book on dismantling the Indian Act and advancing Indigenous self-governance.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBob Joseph’s \u003ci\u003e21 Things\u003csup\u003e™\u003c\/sup\u003e You May Not Know About the Indian Act \u003c\/i\u003ecaptured the attention of hundreds of thousands of Canadians by shining a light on the Indian Act and the problems associated with it. In that book, readers learned that the Consolidated Indian Act of 1876 has controlled the lives of Indigenous Peoples in Canada for generations, and despite its objective to assimilate Indians into the economic and political mainstream, it has had the opposite effect: segregation. They live under different laws and on different lands.\u003cbr\u003ePeople came away from that book with questions such as \"Can we get rid of the Indian Act?\" and \"What would that look like? Would self-government work?\" These are timely questions, given that 2026 will mark 150 years since the Consolidated Indian Act of 1876. The short answer to these questions is, yes, we can dismantle the Act, and there are current examples of self-government arrangements that are working.\u003cbr\u003eWith his trademark wisdom, humility, and deep understanding, Bob Joseph shows us the path forward in\u003ci\u003e 21 Things\u003csup\u003e™ \u003c\/sup\u003eYou Need to Know About Indigenous Self-Government: A Conversation About Dismantling the Indian Act,\u003c\/i\u003e in which Indigenous self-governance is already happening and not to be feared—and negotiating more such arrangements, sooner rather than later, is an absolute necessity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e21 Things\u003csup\u003e™\u003c\/sup\u003e You Need to Know About Indigenous Self-Government: A Conversation About Dismantling the Indian Act is \u003c\/i\u003ea call to action. 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Despite the powderkeg atmosphere, Lowther found wonder by kayaking the inlets and settling down to life in unceded Tlaoquiaht territory where she still gratefully resides.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBlockade\u003c\/em\u003e is a celebration of resilience and a powerful account of successful environmental activism. It highlights the continuing threat to old-growth forests, with a nod to Fairy Creek, and commends the June 18, 2024 announcement of 76,000 hectares of new conservancies in Clayoquot (Tlaoquiaht) Sound, nearly doubling the protected temperate rainforest within this iconic region.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrilling, evocative, and necessary, Christine Lowther’s \u003cem\u003eBlockade\u003c\/em\u003e showcases the need to defend remnant intact crucial ecosystems hand in hand with the Indigenous peoples whose ancestral gardens these lands are. 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