Review
FITZHENRY & WHITESIDE CANADIAN BOOK OF FACTS AND DATES
edited by Richard W. Pound
Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 988 pp.
Review
CANADIAN HISTORY FOR DUMMIES
by Will Ferguson
John Wiley & Sons, 502 pp.
"Canadian history" is often derided as an oxymoron. That criticism, long ago disproved, suggests the country is so young that nothing interesting or relevant can ever possibly have happened here. However, too close a reading of these books, particularly Fitzhenry & Whiteside’s Canadian Book of Facts and Dates, leads me to believe that there might be something to that claim.
Dick Pound, erstwhile Olympic drug czar and McGill University chancellor, is the guiding force behind the Fitzhenry & Whiteside book. He has overseen the publication of a work that is part encyclopedia, part almanac and part gossip magazine. Therein lie both the book’s charm and, sadly, the seeds of its partial failure. Despite espousing lofty goals, it tends to waste too much time and space on the mundane and trivial. The writers and editors may not have fallen into the trap of confusing celebrity and fame with true relevance and real achievement, but they have made an implicit choice that says the events included are worthy of our attention. I am all for the recognition of popular culture and social/everyday history, but it’s possible to take the exercise too far. Judicious editing – say, the removal of one line of text in any of the 13 Gretzky entries – would have freed up sufficient space for a listing of the names of the first four Canadian women to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship on December 5, 1976. Their names, however, were not deemed worthy of inclusion. I was perplexed. Why wouldn’t they name names? In other instances I found myself wondering why they had even bothered to include a particular entry.
Canadian Facts and Dates has a grand scope. It covers, in chronological order, all of Canadian history from the formation of the country until the end of 2003. This approach lets a reader follow a particular topic or event, such as the War of 1812, as it unfolds over time. The book will not eliminate the need for other reference materials like encyclopedias, but it has some value for anyone seeking a broad overview of Canadian history.
For those who also like their learning leavened with humour, there’s Canadian History for Dummies by Will Ferguson, one of Canada’s funniest writers. In compiling the second edition of this popular and award-winning volume, Ferguson has, apparently, responded to feedback from readers and others. Some new topics have been included and others looked at in greater depth. The big problem that I have with Ferguson’s book is that some of what he writes about does not yet fall within the purview of the historian. It’s great to be up to date, but the Gomery inquiry is ongoing and Bill C-38 (same-sex marriage) is still before the House of Commons. Pronouncing upon such matters is fine for a columnist – it’s even fine for a humorist-fool telling the Queen what she needs to know. It’s not OK for a historian, who may lack the necessary objectivity and access to the facts needed to tell the story properly. Still, there is much to recommend about this book. Ferguson is irreverent, witty and knowledgeable about his subject. He delves into the back-story and he does not hesitate to call things as he sees them. Racist policies are racist policies. A coup d’état is a coup d’état.
Structurally, the book is a good one. Over the years, the people associated with the "For Dummies" franchise have learned how best to compile these manuals. Appropriate experts are consulted and quoted, salient points are stressed, contentious statements are made, and the reader is entertained and challenged.
|
Copyright ©2005 FFWD. All rights reserved.