PraiseforTheyCallMeGeorge
"Fosterhadthecouragetoexaminetherealitiesofraceinthiscountrylongbeforeitwascommonplacetodoso...Canadianmulticulturalismrestsontheshouldersofthesleepingcarporters."—GlobeandMail
"EveryCanadianofeveryethnicityandwalkoflifeshouldreadthiswonderfulaccount...TheyCallMeGeorgeisariveting,tourdeforcewrittenbyanawardwinning,masterstory-tellerwhoentertainswhileheteaches."—TheCaribbeanCamera
"In[TheyCallMeGeorge]...FosteraimstorestoretheidentitiesoftheBlackmenwhoonceworkedonCanadianrailroads.Intheprocess,healsoexcavatesachapterofCanadianhistorythathasbeenlargelyerasedfromthecollectivememory:therolethatBlacktrainportersplayedinfurtheringsocialjusticeandshapingCanadaintothecountryitistoday."—TorontoStar
"FosterhasdissectedthemythofCanadiantolerance,bornofourhistoryasahavenforrefugeeslaves—exposinginsteadapastinwhichtheEnglishandFrenchelitesfoughttocreateawhitenation...BlacksandotherCanadiansofcolourarenotmerelythebeneficiariesofmulticulturalism;theyareitsarchitects."—DonnaBaileyNurse,LiteraryReviewofCanada
"Informativeandwell-written...Weoweadebtofgratitudeto[theporters],andtoFosterforhismasterfulandinsightfulresearchandwriting."—DailyNation(Barbados)
"Anexcellent,well-written,andhistoricallyaccuratevolume."—UKBarbadosNation
"Aboldbookbyaself-assuredscholarwhohasrewrittenourconventionalhistory...saysFoster:'ThisimportantpieceofCanadianhistoryhasyettobefullytold.'TheyCallMeGeorgeis[his]efforttodojustthat."—WinnipegFreePress
"Manyofusstillregard“blackhistory”asanichesubject,andBlackHistoryMonthasmorepoliticalcorrectnessthanseriousreflectiononourpast.Wearewrongtodoso...[Foster]showsjusthowwrongweare...hemakeshiscaseverywell."—TheTyee
"Mr.Foster’swell-writtenbookaboutblacktrainporterscontainsawealthofinformationthatisilluminating,revealingand,attimes,disappointing.ThebeautyoftheCanadianrailroadhaditsuglyside,too."—TheWashingtonTimes
"Foster’sresearchwasextensive,andthebookiswellputtogether.Itsanecdotesandpersonalaccountsmakeforalivelyandengagingread.ThisreviewerurgeseveryBlackhouseholdtogetacopyandsuggeststhateveryone—Black,WhiteandBrown—shouldreadit."—MontrealCommunityContact
PraiseforCecilFoster
"CecilFosterisawisemanwithaflairforstorytellingandwritingthatenterstheheart.”—Quill&Quire(StarredReview)
“Foster’sstoryofaWestIndiescommunityintransitionisamarvelousread,filledwithhumour,sorrow,andwit,andtoldwiththedeftandgentletouchofamasterstoryteller.”—ThomasKing
“CecilFosterkicksuponehellofaclass-warfussandproveshe’sgotstuffenoughtoshowthosemediocrestorytellershowit’sreallydone...Unforgettable.”—TorontoStar
“WithIndependence,Fosterelegantlyequatesthecomingofageofhisprotagonistswiththecomingofageofthenation.Atthesametime,heinterpretsthatenduringthemesoaptlyarticulatedinthewritingsofcriticWilfredCartey:Igoingaway.Igoinghome.”—NationalPost
“Idon’tknowwhenI’vereadamoreevocativebookaboutblackmen.Readitandyouwillseetheworlddifferently.”—VancouverSun
“Fosterbringshistoricaldepthtohisworkandshowsthatthesocialandpoliticalrecognitionofblacknessandmulticulturalismisitselfacontingentmomentinhistory.”—GeorgeDei,UniversityofToronto
“Sharp-edged…moving.”—KirkusReviews
