The province's coffee tables will receive a gorgeous boost this week with the launch of British Columbia: Spirit of the People, the celebratory book by Harbour Publishing honouring the province's 150th anniversary.
Coast Reporter arranged a sneak preview and an interview with author Jean Barman, a renowned historian.
The book's obvious strength lies in its full colour, outstanding photography, selected and edited by Harbour's Vici Johnstone, and its sumptuous design by the Coast's Roger Handling. Included are a few photos of Coast sites: the Howe Sound mill by photographer Dean van't Schip and a view of a heritage building in Powell River by Sechelt's Keith Thirkell. (An archival photo of the Beachcombers' gang at Molly's Reach is also included.)
But it is the history chapters that really sing. Among Barman's previous publication credits is the definitive The West Beyond the West: A History of British Columbia (UT Press), a comprehensive text book. To distill its essence into this 25,000 word volume is an extraordinary effort.
Barman's prose is accessible; not academic. An early chapter is devoted to the history of the province's First Nations, followed by the arrival of European and Asian settlers, gold rush hopefuls, loggers and fishers. No ethnic group is left unmentioned, from the Chinese who have lived here since the 1780s to the early Francophone settlers.
"These groups have always been part of our history," Barman said, "but history has been written from the perspective of white males." The author worked to include all of them. "They are my own interest, my own bias," she said. The engaging, upbeat and folksy images of B.C. are balanced by a description of the blemishes that also shaped our province. Japanese internment and native residential schools are mentioned, though Barman does not dwell on them, and she shows a keen dedication to promoting the role of women whose stories are often forgotten.
"I wanted to avoid letting the past overwhelm the present," she said. These meaty nuggets of history with their archival and contemporary photos are bookended by two less exciting chapters. The first section, divided into geographic regions, is a necessary introduction - not unlike a tourist brochure - to the vast geography of the province. The last chapter seems to bog down in a hodgepodge of immigration figures, a sprinkling of artwork, clichéd hopes for the future and other generalities. The celebratory book, commissioned by the province and tendered to Harbour, was designed as a gift. Every school and library in the province will receive one. The books will also be presented to visiting dignitaries and sold commercially.
When Premier Gordon Campbell launched the book last week at the Vancouver Public Library, the public may not have realized that he had read every word twice during its production.
"His comments were astute," said Barman. "But nothing was altered to please him." It was Campbell's suggestion that the geographical section lead off with a description of the interior of the province rather than the usual attention-hogging areas of Vancouver or Victoria. It does make a refreshing change.
British Columbia: Spirit of the People is available at bookstores for $49.95.
