• Age: 16
• Grade: 11

The twenty contemporary writers featured in this anthology have one thing in common: a connection to British Columbia, to a specific time, landscape, or community in BC. Their essays and memoirs have been inspired by, or are in some way affected by, the particular "sense of place" that sets that left-hand corner of the country apart from other provinces. Some are humorous? others are poignant. Whether describing a family history in Kitsilano, the difficulties fitting in as an immigrant, or a close encounter with a grizzly bear, these stories communicate a sense of belonging to, or a trying to find, a sense of place.

Some of Canada's best-known writers, all members of the Federation of BC Writers, are featured in this anthology, including Pauline Holdstock, Harold Rhenisch, George Fetherling, Howie White, Katherine Gordon, and, M.A.C. Farrant. The book features an introduction by editor Daniel Francis, a historian and author of twenty books.

Daniel Francis is an historian and the author/editor of more than twenty books, including five for Arsenal Pulp Press: The Imaginary Indian: The Image of the Indian in Canadian Culture , National Dreams: Myth, Memory and Canadian History, LD: Mayor Louis Taylor and the Rise of Vancouver (winner of the City of Vancouver Book Award), Seeing Reds: The Red Scare of 1918-1919, Canada's First War on Terror and Imagining Ourselves: Classics of Canadian Non-Fiction. His other books include A Road for Canada, Red Light Neon: A History of Vancouver's Sex Trade, Copying People: Photographing British Columbia First Nations 1860-1940, The Great Chase: A History of World Whaling, New Beginnings: A Social History of Canada, and the popular Encyclopedia of British Columbia. He is also a regular columnist in Geist magazine, and was shortlisted for Canada's History Pierre Berton Award in 2010. Daniel lives in North Vancouver, BC.

Daniel Francis' profile page

"… the authors compiled in 'Imagining British Columbia: Land, Memory and Place' don't hesitate to tackle the more weighty issues. Editor Daniel Francis asked members of the Federation of B.C. Writers to submit stories with 'a strong sense of place that captures the writer's connection or setting in B.C,' from which he selected 20 pieces by contemporary writers that do indeed create a junction between people, place and experience. The result is a mix of older and newer writers offering a blend of memory pieces (B.C. as it was) and current experiences (B.C. as it is) that never fails to fascinate..." — Monday Magazine

Imagining British Columbia: Land, Memory & Place

To help celebrate BC’s 150th birthday, the Federation of BC Writers charged well-known writer and editor Daniel Francis with the task of compiling a collection of creative non-fiction writings with “a strong sense of place” as its focus. As might be expected, memoir plays a central role. Many of the pieces deal with another era and several pieces focus on the immigrant experience, while others deal more specifically with place. There’s even a piece on having eye contact with a grizzly.

Francis wrote The Imaginary Indian and many other titles. Several writers included here are award-winners: Harold Rhenisch, George Fetherling, Joan Skogan, M.A.C. Farrant and Pauline Hold stock.

Caution: One piece deals with street life and contains a description of shooting cocaine. A character in one piece is referred to as “retarded” and uses inappropriate language.