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West Coast books for your Christmas list
It’s that time of year when we’re all scrambling around to buy Christmas gifts. We actually have quite a number of talented published local authors in and around Tofino and Ucluelet. So I’d like to suggest a few books which could make great gifts for people who either already love the West Coast, or who you may want to introduce to the West Coast.
Beyond the Outer Shores, by Eric Enno Tamm
Beyond the Outer Shores is an account of the life of Ed Ricketts - scientist, writer, and mentor and best friend to John Steinbeck. Ricketts co-authored two books on the Pacific Coast with Steinbeck, and was working on a third to complete the trilogy when he died. That third book, The Outer Shores, was to be the "northern sequel" to the first two, and Ricketts’ research took him to the Tofino and Ucluelet shores. Author Eric Enno Tamm was born in Tofino and raised in Ucluelet, although he currently lives in Ontario.
Penny Loves Wade, Wade Loves Penny, by Caroline Woodward
This novel, set in the BC Interior, is written by Tofino-area writer Caroline Woodward. I say Tofino "area" because Caroline actually lives offshore, juggling her writing time with taking care of the Lennard Island Lighthouse (Lennard is the small island that you can see from Chestermans Beach, near Tofino). In the author’s words, "I am returning to my Peace River roots with this novel, which is a retelling of The Odyssey and my own tribute to hardworking ranch and farm couples who work as a team and endure the vagaries of the climate, the markets and the romance-corroding strain of financial hardship."
Voices from the Sound, by Margaret Horsfield
This is the book for any history buff on your list. Writer and researcher Margaret Horsfield is also author of the prize-winning Cougar Annie’s Garden. Voices from the Sound is the product of years of research, from personal letters to grocery lists and ledger books from the archives, which Margaret uses to paint a vibrant and accurate look at life in Clayoquot Sound in the pioneer days between 1899 and 1929.
Writing the West Coast, edited by Christine Lowther and Anita Sinner
This collection of essays, penned by over thirty B.C. authors, explores the idea of "home" on the coast. Contributors include Betty Krawzcyk, Valerie Langer, Susan Musgrave, Briony Penn, Andrew Struthers, Brian Brett, and many more. Co-editor Christine Lowther lives on a floathouse in Clayoquot Sound.
