CanalWatch (by Ken Rivard, Mosaic Press, 2022). “Dissolving into life is the epitome of everything the canal has given me,” muses a character in Calgary author Ken Rivard’s engaging, thoughtful and at times brilliant collection of flash fiction (very short stories, about 500 words each). Rivard’s 11th book is centred on a nameless “mysterious canal that might be found anywhere.” Each story recounts a “passing image” at the urban canal—a pregnant woman contemplates her unborn child, a homeless man and a passerby discuss vegetarianism, a police officer recognizes an author who freaked out when no one knew his name. Often told in first person, the stories reveal pain, joy and vulnerability; tenderly observed moments of fleeting life.
100 Years of Connecting Lives: Calgary Humane Society, 1922–2022 (by Miriam Carey, published by the Calgary Humane Society, 2022). By telling the story of how the Calgary Humane Society (CHS) has “demonstrated a proven ability to put animals first, move with the times, lead social discourse, modify our practices, and educate our community and ourselves” over the last 100 years, author Miriam Carey has written an engaging, deeply researched coffee table book celebrating the centennial of the CHS. From early advocacy (Famous Five member Louise McKinney called for the formation of animal welfare societies and an end to the use of bird feathers for decorative purposes in hats in 1904), to recurrent battles with the Calgary Stampede, to profiles of volunteers, vets, philanthropists and rescued animals, it’s a fascinating window into Alberta’s history.
