National Network for Equitable Library Service

Canadian surgeon Lucille Teasdale and her husband founded Lacor Hospital in northern Uganda in 1961. For 35 years the two doctors treated such contagious diseases as malaria, TB, and AIDS, and Teasdale performed thousands of operations under difficult conditions. They lived through civil war, hostage takings, and epidemics. Teasdale received the highest humanitarian awards from the U.N. for her lifes work in Africa.

Louis Riel devoted his life to the Metis cause. A fiery activist, he struggled against injustice as he saw it. He was a pioneer in the field of Aboriginal rights and land claims but was branded an outlaw in his own time. In 1885, he was executed for treason. In 1992, the House of Commons declared Riel a founder of Manitoba. November 16 is now designated Louis Riel Day in Canada.

I was only six when I suspected my skin might be the wrong colour… Born female on the wrong side of the tracks, Eve Mills Nash, with the help of co-author Kenneth J. Harvey, tells a hard-hitting tale of a lifelong fascination with men of a darker hue. From early childhood, Nash knew it was "something to do with what was inside the bottles" that encouraged the groping male fingers that casually abused her during her parents’ drunken parties. She soon discovered that the wine remnants in the revellers’ discarded cups would numb her pain.

By taking on more than 120 judiciously chosen questions about wine and answering them clearly and rigorously, Marc Chapleau has dared to go into areas where others have feared to tread. A memory aid and a research tool thanks to its comprehensive index, this book is by a Canadian writer about wine available in this country. Let’s Talk Wine! is an ideal companion for wine lovers, whether they are beginners or connoisseurs.

Leaside is a most comprehensive look at the people, significant events and built heritage, all of which contributed to the creation of this distinctive community. Named after John Lea, a successful farmer, whose house, built in 1829, is believed to be the first brick house in York County, Leaside grew from a railway settlement into a prosperous urban town.

John Grierson, founder of both the British documentary film movement and the National Film Board of Canada, was one of the twentieth century’s most influential personalities in film culture. He gave the word "documentary" to the English language.

At the age of nine, John Diefenbaker announced, "I'm going to be prime minister when I grow up." He never lost sight of his goal. Diefenbaker was prime minister of Canada from 1957-1963. He believed in social justice, opening up the North, and making things better for western farmers. Canadians responded to his campaign call to "Follow John." This compelling book recreates the tensions of the Diefenbaker era - the time of the Cold War, spy scandals, and the Cuban Missile Crisis - when the world seemed on the brink of nuclear war.

Jacque Plante, the first National Hockey League goalie to regularly wear protective facemask, was known for roving out of his net. "The Masked Marvel" won the Vezina trophy seven times and became a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

George Grants Lament for a Nation led some to call him a Red Tory and the dominant force behind the Canadian nationalist movement of the 1970s. Today, reading George Grants books helps us to understand the full implications of American-led, technology-driven globalization on everyday life.

In 1945, Gabrielle Roy skyrocketed to fame and fortune when her first novel, The Tin Flute, was an instant hit. Over 700,000 copies sold in the United States, and the book was awarded the prestigious Prix Fna in France. In Canada, The Tin Flute received a Governor Generals Award. Gabrielle Roy dedicated herself to her vocation as a writer.