National Network for Equitable Library Service

Rock ‘n’ Radio illustrates that Montreal was at the epicentre of the rock radio revolution in Canada, eventually attracting talented DJs from the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Their personal stories and the inevitable collision with the power of alternative FM rock radio in the late 60s take the reader through some of the best rock music recorded and the social changes that percolated in the background. The period 1926 to 1949 can be considered the Golden Age of radio when it was the hearth of the North American family.

A Place in Mind: The Search for Authenticity is the result of Avi Friedman’s worldwide quest for successful environments where people congregate and feel comfortable. Whether he writes of the conviviality of a teahouse in Istanbul; the serenity of Assisi; the squatter settlements of Tijuana, or the architectural harmony of neighbourhoods in London, Friedman conveys his excitement at discovering people-friendly places—antidotes to social isolation. His search for unique spots took him to spiritual places, workplaces, towns’ squares, very cold places and warm ones.

If Frederick Scott is remembered at all today, it is as minor Victorian poet or as the father of his illustrious son F.R. Scott. However, Frederick Scott was almost 55 years old and the pastor of St. Matthews Anglican Church in Quebec City when he volunteered to go overseas to serve as senior chaplain with the 1st Canadian Infantry Division during the First World War. The depth of his faith was tested when he lost a son at the Battle of the Somme.

The Veiled Sun: From Auschwitz to New Beginnings by Paul Schaffer and Translated from the French by Vivian Felsen with a Foreword by Serge Klarsfeld and an Introduction by Simone Veil. The Veiled Sun is a Holocaust memoir written in a highly literate style. Paul Schaffer spent his teenage years on the run from the Nazis in Austria, Belgium and France, and then in Auschwitz from 1942 to 1945. He survived to become a successful industrialist who was honoured by the government of France.

In the winter of 1868 a name Montreal society associated with art, good breeding, and culture became fodder for scandal mongers. The Notman name, synonymous with fine photography, was suddenly making headlines featuring the words "abortion" and "suicide." A dozen years earlier, two brothers fled their native Scotland . They were attracted to Montreal by its reputation for making the fortunes of go-getting Scotsmen. One was destined for fame, the other for notoriety. William Notman, the older brother, eventually owned the largest photography business in North America.

A Mohawk who thought he was the rightful king of France, an Anglican priest who could barely speak English and just maybe the assassin of Abraham Lincoln: what do these three men have in common? Not much, perhaps, except the Montreal air they breathed. From Montreals founding nearly four centuries ago down to the present day, an astonishing range of people have trod the citys streets. Priests and princes, heroes and the humble, financial wizards and outright fools all have their stories to be told. Here we have no ordinary history of Montreal.

Bill Brownstein tells the colourful story of Schwartzs Hebrew Delicatessen and the origins of its unique smoked meat.

The area now called Little Burgundy was the birthplace of jazz in Montreal. Explore the textures of Montreal’s jazz era through an array of rare jazz artifacts, including swizzle sticks and menus from renowned Montreal nightclubs, flapper dresses of the 1920s, porter uniforms, old LP vinyl records, cocktail shakers, and sheet music. Each object tells a fascinating story! 

Near the end of October 1941, a few hundred soldiers from New Brunswick were among the 1,975 Canadian troops who set sail from Vancouver to reinforce the British Colony of Hong Kong. Within two short months, after a hard-fought but disastrous battle against the Imperial Japanese Army, the island fell to the invaders on Christmas Day, and its defenders were ordered to surrender by the governor of Hong Kong.

Shortlisted, New Brunswick Book Award for Non-Fiction. During the Second World War, hundreds of New Brunswick woodsmen joined the Canadian Forestry Corps to log the Scottish Highlands as part of the Canadian war effort. Patrick "Pat" Hennessy of Bathurst was one of them. For five years, Pat served as camp cook with 15 Company of the Canadian Forestry Corps near the ancient town of Beauly, Scotland.