National Network for Equitable Library Service

Short-listed for the 2010 Banff Mountain Book Festival Competition The Mountain Knows No Expert epitomizes George Evanoff’s philosophy towards the outdoors, while presenting an intriguing contrast with the man himself. Widely regarded as an "expert," he was a knowledgeable, experienced, and practical outdoorsman, teacher, and mentor, yet ironically lost his life in the mountains in an encounter with a grizzly.

Paddles Up! provides an in-depth look at dragon boating from its beginnings in ancient China to the modern-day prominence of Canadian teams on the international scene, as told in the words of top coaches of men's and women's teams, experts and enthusiasts, and sports health professionals across Canada. Contributing writers include Mike Haslam, executive president International Dragon Boat Federation; Matthew Smith, president Dragon Boat Canada; Kamini Jain, Vancouver; Albert MacDonald, Halifax; Jamie Hollins, Pickering; Matt Robert, Montreal; and Jim Farintosh, Toronto.

Imagine you’re one of India’s most decorated athletes, a country of more than a billion people. You were largely responsible for your homeland’s first Olympic gold medal as an independent nation after a violent, murderous Partition, yet you walk the streets anonymously, and your contributions have been all but forgotten. What if your statistics, awards, and accolades spoke for themselves, but no one was speaking for you? In November of 2014, Canadian journalist Patrick Blennerhassett set out for India.

“Many of Nova Scotia's best sports stories have never entirely been told, at least not to the extent they deserve.” In Inside the Game, sports columnist Chris Cochrane goes beyond the headlines to tell the real stories behind ten of the province's most memorable sporting events and achievements: Clyde Gray's boxing battles with the young, brash Chris Clark; NHL player Bill Riley's persistence in the face of racism; Andrew Haley's stunning performance at the 1996 Paralympic Games; and the surprising break-up of Colleen Jones' curling rink, one of Canada's a

Bryant Freeman was born by a river, and the sound of roaring water was both magical and constant. For the rest of his life, Freeman, an icon in the New Brunswick fly-fishing community, would be drawn to the outdoors, and, invariably, rivers. Freeman has been honoured for his many contributions to fly tying and the conservation of Atlantic salmon and his specialty fly shop, Eskape Anglers in Riverview, New Brunswick, has been a destination for decades, a gathering place for tyers and anglers.

From his start as an owner in the World Hockey Association at the age of 28 (“slim and none” was a Boston sportswriter’s assessment of Howard’s chances when he was first awarded the New England Whalers franchise), to winning the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins and then on to Hollywood success, sports entrepreneur and film producer Howard Baldwin recounts his spirited and hugely entertaining life story.Howard Baldwin has lived his life according to his belief that the life best-lived is one in which we pursue our heart’s desire.

Contributors include Julian Ammirante (Laurentian University at Georgian), Jason Blake (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia), Robert Dennis (Queen's University), Jamie Dopp (University of Victoria), Russell Field (University of Manitoba), Greg Gillespie (Brock University), Richard Harrison (Mount Royal College), Craig Hyatt (Brock University), Brian Kennedy (Pasadena City College), Karen E.H. Skinazi (University of Alberta), and Julie Stevens (Brock University).

Mike Babcock is the only hockey coach in the history of the game to lead teams to victory in the Stanley Cup, the World Championship, and the Olympic Games. Currently head coach for the Detroit Red Wings, he is arguably the best coach in the game today. In this book, against the dramatic backdrop of the Canadian men's gold medal victory in Vancouver, Babcock provides an inspiring roadmap for achieving goals and fulfilling dreams. This is not just a book about hockey but a book about life, rooted in Babcock's "Leave No Doubt" credo.

On December 27, 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, a distant land unknown to most Canadians. A crucial fall-out was the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow, which Canada eventually joined, forcing 212 Canadian athletes to shelve their Olympic dreams, some temporarily, many forever. For the athletes, there was and is sadness at a missed opportunity to excel on the Olympic stage and disappointment that their sacrifice was but a token response, still largely unacknowledged.

Jeff Croonen was a force, both on and off the field. As a player for six years with the Canadian Football League, he was determined and unyielding. As a pharmaceutical sales representative, he was a sales award winner many times over and a personality no client could resist. As an inspirational speaker and coach, he was full of wisdom gained from the worst kinds of experience: betrayal, injury, and abuse. But Jeff always came back stronger than ever, and he was at his happiest when he was sharing with others the lessons he’d learned from a life of bouncing back.