Books

Retired music promotions rep RayMan Ramsay, a South Surrey resident, with the two “Promo Monkey” books he’s authored. (Photo: Tom Zillich)

‘Promo Monkey’ a B.C. man’s glimpse inside the world of rock stars and record-selling

RayMan Ramsay writes about some of the world’s most famous musicians and B.C. music-biz insiders

 

FILE - Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in Salt Lake City on Dec. 16, 2021. The wave of attempted book banning and restrictions continues to intensify, the American Library Association reported Friday. Numbers for 2022 already approach last year’s totals, which were the highest in decades. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

Book ban efforts surging in 2022, US library association says

681 challenges to books through the first 8 months of this year, involving 1,651 different titles

 

<em>Runaway Pumpkin</em> is Kathryn Fowkes’ sixth children’s book. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Observer)

Quesnel children’s author launches 6th book, illustrated by Williams Lake artist

Runaway Pumpkin will be available at the Bouchie Lake Harvest Festival

 

The Literacy Quesnel Society held a grand-opening Thursday, Sept. 8, at their new location inside West Park Mall. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Observer)

Literacy Quesnel Society opens new space at West Park Mall

International Literacy Day celebrated with a ribbon cutting

The Literacy Quesnel Society held a grand-opening Thursday, Sept. 8, at their new location inside West Park Mall. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Observer)
Andrew Weaver explores sustainable aviation fuel for one of his return blog posts in a bid to spur conversation and interest. (Courtesy Andrew Weaver)

Former B.C. Green leader returns to roots, seeking solutions through climate science

Andrew Weaver plans to pen book titled A Climate for Hope

Andrew Weaver explores sustainable aviation fuel for one of his return blog posts in a bid to spur conversation and interest. (Courtesy Andrew Weaver)
The Literacy Quesnel Society, Quesnel and District Community Arts Council (QDCAC) and Quesnel Library are pleased to carry on with supporting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for local children. Pictured are Rebecca Beuschel (left), Cathy Heinzelman, QDCAC summer student Mary-Jo Anderson and librarian Heather Lee. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Observer)

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library continues to connect Quesnel kids with books

Registrants receive a free book in the mail each month

The Literacy Quesnel Society, Quesnel and District Community Arts Council (QDCAC) and Quesnel Library are pleased to carry on with supporting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for local children. Pictured are Rebecca Beuschel (left), Cathy Heinzelman, QDCAC summer student Mary-Jo Anderson and librarian Heather Lee. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Observer)
Yves Côté and the book he co-authored, Metamorphosis: My path to transformation. Côté spent 32 years behind bars for serious crimes including murder, but he says this book is meant to show that change is possible. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)

B.C. man’s book co-authored by criminologist examines a life of murder and crime

Yves Côté spent just 11 months out of 32 years out of jail, but he believes in real transformation

Yves Côté and the book he co-authored, Metamorphosis: My path to transformation. Côté spent 32 years behind bars for serious crimes including murder, but he says this book is meant to show that change is possible. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)
Rebecca Beuschel says their last day in downtown Quesnel will be Friday, July 15. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Observer

Literacy Quesnel Society on the move to West Park Mall

The not-for-profit organization will be leaving its downtown location on Friday, July 15

Rebecca Beuschel says their last day in downtown Quesnel will be Friday, July 15. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Observer
Linda McIntyre, Sherry Fraser, Judy Alsager, Shannon Matter and Kathryn Fowkes are local independent authors. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Cariboo Observer photo)

Authors connect at independent book fair

The event was held last weekend

Linda McIntyre, Sherry Fraser, Judy Alsager, Shannon Matter and Kathryn Fowkes are local independent authors. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Cariboo Observer photo)
Henry Winkler arrives at the 25th annual Critics’ Choice Awards, on Jan. 12, 2020, in Santa Monica, Calif. Celadon Books announced Wednesday that it has a deal with Winkler to tell his life story. The memoir, currently untitled, is scheduled for 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Henry Winkler gets book deal, memoir to come out in 2024

‘The Fonz’ currently starring in HBO series ‘Barry’

Henry Winkler arrives at the 25th annual Critics’ Choice Awards, on Jan. 12, 2020, in Santa Monica, Calif. Celadon Books announced Wednesday that it has a deal with Winkler to tell his life story. The memoir, currently untitled, is scheduled for 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Author Christopher DiRaddo is seen at the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Canadian authors, booksellers say COVID-19 has both helped and hurt their industry

Book sales are up compared to pre-pandemic levels, but supply chain woes loom large

Author Christopher DiRaddo is seen at the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Jersey Leeson and Paige Grant stand in front of their little free library they built during “Genius Hour” at Lakeview Elementary. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Cariboo Observer)

Lakeview Elementary students build a little free library

“Take a book, Leave a book”

Jersey Leeson and Paige Grant stand in front of their little free library they built during “Genius Hour” at Lakeview Elementary. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Cariboo Observer)
January 31, 2022 - Writer Barbara Black in the standalone studio in the backyard of her Oak Bay home. Don Denton photo

Oak Bay “serial artist” Barbara Black turns to fiction

Short story collection Music from a Strange Planet

  • Apr 4, 2022
January 31, 2022 - Writer Barbara Black in the standalone studio in the backyard of her Oak Bay home. Don Denton photo
Jackson Kuhn, 7, of Chilliwack gave away a bunch of his books to other kids on Friday, March 25, 2022. (Jenn Kuhn photo)

B.C. boy, 7, spends spring break giving away own books to other kids

Jackson Kuhn of Chilliwack decided to hand out books he no longer reads to fellow young readers

Jackson Kuhn, 7, of Chilliwack gave away a bunch of his books to other kids on Friday, March 25, 2022. (Jenn Kuhn photo)
One local woman was upset with Indigo’s display of vibrators in the bookstore’s self help section. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)

Langley mom upset by vibrator display in bookstore

Indigo said it is responding to customer demand for sexual wellness products

One local woman was upset with Indigo’s display of vibrators in the bookstore’s self help section. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)
A grand opening will take place for the Hixon Book Nook located near Hixon Shoppers Food Mart north of Quesnel on Saturday, March 26. (Pat Suter photo)

Books galore in Hixon

A community book nook has been installed at the Shoppers Food Mart

A grand opening will take place for the Hixon Book Nook located near Hixon Shoppers Food Mart north of Quesnel on Saturday, March 26. (Pat Suter photo)
There is a wide variety of reading material available, although efforts have been made to challenge, suppress or ban certain works. (Black Press file photo)

QUIZ: How much do you know about the freedom to read?

The week of Feb. 20 to 26 is Freedom to Read Week in Canada

There is a wide variety of reading material available, although efforts have been made to challenge, suppress or ban certain works. (Black Press file photo)
The Choirboy and the Bellydancer is a memoir written by Christine Potter. It is a love story of the Fort Langley couple who met in the U.K as teenagers and moved to Canada in late ‘90s.

Choir boy and belly dancer settle in B.C. after roller coaster love story

Christine and Christopher met as teens in the United Kingdom

The Choirboy and the Bellydancer is a memoir written by Christine Potter. It is a love story of the Fort Langley couple who met in the U.K as teenagers and moved to Canada in late ‘90s.
William Shakespeare’s First Folio, published in 1623, acquired by UBC Library. (UBC handout photo)

UBC Library gifted Shakespeare’s 1623 First Folio

The first folio, published in 1623, features 36 of 38 known Shakespeare plays

William Shakespeare’s First Folio, published in 1623, acquired by UBC Library. (UBC handout photo)
Jim Hilton pens a column on forestry each week for the Quesnel Observer. (Black Press Media image)

FOREST INK: Book reccomendations from the past year

Jim Hilton pens a column for the Quesnel Observer each week

Jim Hilton pens a column on forestry each week for the Quesnel Observer. (Black Press Media image)