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Book List: Women in Canadian History
Looking for a good place to start reading about Canadian women? Just browse through our list for ideas.
chapters.indigo.ca
Aboriginal Women
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Mohawk Saint: Catherine Tekakwitha and the Jesuits.
by Allan Greer
Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.
ISBN: 0-19-517487-9
$39.95 (hardcover), 249 pages
A biography of Catherine Tekakwitha (1656-1680), a Mohawk woman who became the first Aboriginal person in North America to be declared venerable by the Catholic Church. The book looks at the life of Catherine Tekakwitha as well as the interactions of Native Americans and French missionaries in the Mohawk village of Kahnawake. Alan Greer is a professor of history at the University of Toronto.
Buy from
amazon.ca
Book review from H-France
- Devil in Deerskins: My Life with Grey Owl
By Anahareo
Markham, Ont.: Paperjacks, 1975.
- Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary
by Gretchen M. Bataille (ed.). New York/London: Garland Publishing, 1993.
An excellent resource, featuring many Canadians.
- During My Time, Florence Edenshaw Davidson, A Haida Woman
by Margaret B. Blackman
Vancouver: Douglas & McIntryre Ltd., 1982
- Sadie Brower Neakok, An Inupiaq woman
by Margaret B. Blackman
Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1989
- The Life and Death of Anna Mae Aquash
by Johanna Brand
Toronto: James Lorimer & Company, 1978
The story of a Canadian woman active with the American Indian Movement, and her murder in 1976.
- Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Iroquois Virgin, 1656-1680
Quebec: Editions Magnificat, 1981 (1894)
- Fifty Dollar Bride: Marie Rose Smith: A Chronicle of Metis Life in the 19th Century
by Jock Carpenter Sidney, B.C.: Gray’s Publishing, 1977
- Life Lived Like a Story: Life Stories of Three Yukon Native Elders
by Julie Cruikshank et al
Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 1990
- My Name is Masak
by Alice French
Winnipeg, Man.: Peguis Publishers, 1977.
- Stoney Creek Woman, The Story of Mary John
by Bridget Moran
Vancouver: Tillacum Library, 1988
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Paddling to Where I Stand
by Martine J. Reid, ed.
Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2005
ISBN: 0774809132
$22.95 (paper), 283 pages; also available in hardback
The memoirs of Agnes Alfred, a Qwiqwasutinuxw noblewoman who lived c. 1890-1992.
Buy from
amazon.ca
- I Am Nokomis, Too: The Biography of Verna Patronella
by R.M. Vanderburgh
Johnston. Don Mills, Ont.: General Publishing, 1977.
- “Many Tender Ties”: Women in Fur-Trade Society in Western Canada, 1670-1870
by Sylvia Van Kirk
Winnipeg: Watson & Dwyer Pub., 1980
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Inuit Entertainers in the United States: From the Chicago World's Fair through the Birth of Hollywood
by Jim Zwick
West Conshohocken, PA: Infinity Publishing.com, 2006
ISBN 0-7414-3488-1
Paperback, 205 pages
This book tells the fascinating stories of Inuit from Labrador who became successful entertainers in the United States back in 1892. The lively account begins when twelve Inuit families were taken to the United States to perform in the Chicago World's Fair, in an attraction called the Eskimo Village. The families and their American-born offspring subsequently appeared at fairs, museums and expositions across North America and abroad at such events as the Paris World's Fair.
Esther and baby Columbia (Courtesy of Jim Zwick) | Two notable women figure prominently in the book: Esther Eneutseak and her daughter Columbia, who was born in Chicago. Columbia eventually acted in the first Hollywood film with an Inuit cast.
Author Jim Zwick writes extensively about the history of U.S. imperialism, and wrote the book Mark Twain's Weapons of Satire: Anti-Imperialist Writings on the Philippine-American War.
Review article from the Canadian Review of Materials.
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amazon.ca
Adventurers/Explorers/Wilderness Lovers
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Women of the Klondike
by Frances Backhouse Vancouver/Toronto: Whitecap Books, 1995
- The New North: An Account of a Woman’s 1908 Journey Through Canada to the Arctic
by Agnes Deans Cameron 1909
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Following the Curve of Time
by Cathy Converse
Victoria: Touchwood Editions, 2008
ISBN-1894898680
Hardcover, 312 pages
Ever heard of M. Wylie "Capi" Blanchet? This book investigates the life of a fascinating woman who spent much of her time on the West Coast of Canada. After being widowed in 1926, Blanchet packed up her five children and their dog on a 25-foot boat and began exploring.
Buy from
amazon.ca
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Her Daughter the Engineer: The Life of Elsie Gregory MacGill
by Richard I. Bourgeois-Doyle
Ottawa: NRC Research Press, 2008
ISBN-139780660198132
332 pages
A new biography about Canadian pioneer Elsie MacGill, who was the first woman in the world to become an aeronautical engineer. And also the first female aircraft designer. Daughter of the influential judge Helen MacGill, Elsie was also a feminist who played a notable role in the Royal Commission on the Status of Women.
Buy from
National Research Council of Canada
- Silent Partners, Wives of National Park Wardens
by Ann Dixon
Pincher Creek, Alta.: Dixon and Dixon Publishers, 1985 Life stories and photos collected by Ann Dixon, the wife of a former National Park Warden. This limited edition publication is available directly from the author at the price of $15.00 for paperbacks and $40.00 for hardcovers; these prices include all taxes but postage is extra.:
Dixon and Dixon Publishers
Box 1893
Pincher Creek, Alberta T0K 1W0
Phone: (403) 627-5137
- La Premiere canadienne au Nord-Ouest.
by B. Dugas
Saint-Dizier, France: J. Thevenot, 1907.
The life of Marie-Anne Gaboury (1780-1875), first French-Canadian woman to travel and settle in the Northwest of Canada.
- A Woman’s Way through Unknown Labrador.
by Mrs. Leonidas Hubbard
London: John Murray, 1908.
- Lilies&Fireweed: Frontier Women of British Columbia.
by Stephen Hume Harbour Publishing.
Profiles aboriginal and pioneer women in B.C.
- Wilderness Women.
by Jean Johnston Toronto: Peter Martin, 1973.
Biographies of eight adventurous women in Canadian history, beginning with Gudrid the Viking.
- Alone in Silence: European Women in the Canadian Arctic before 1940.
by Barbara E. Kelcey Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2001. This well-documented book was wrritten by Manitoba historian Barbara E. Kelcey. It describes a variety of Canadian women (of European descent) who travelled or settled in the Northwest Territories prior to World War II.
- Catherine Schubert
By Vicky Metcalf Don Mills, Ont.: Fitzhenry & Whiteside Ltd., 1978.
Written for young readers. A biography of the only woman among the Overlanders of 1862, the group who crossed the Rockies in search of gold in the Cariboo.
- Wild West Women: Travellers, Adventurers and Rebels
by Rosemary Neering Vancouver/Toronto: Whitecap Books, 2000.
- Oltmann, Ruth. Lizzie Rummel, Baroness of the Canadian Rockies
by Ruth Oltmann
Exshaw, Alta.: Ribbon Creek Publishing Company, 1983.
The story of Lizzie Rummel (1879-1980), who ran a wilderness lodge in the Canadian Rockies.
- Old Indian Trails
by Mary Schaffer
London: Knickerbocker Press, 1911.
The explorations of Mary Schaffer in the Rockies in 1907 and 1908.
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This Wild Spirit: Women in the Rocky Mountains of Canada
Edited by Colleen Skidmore
Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, 2006
ISBN-10: 0888644663
ISBN-13: 978-0888644664
Paperback, 508 pages
This fascinating book documents how a variety of adventurous women reacted to their explorations of the Rocky Mountains in the late 19th and 20th century. A great collection of reproductions of stories, travel writing, poetry, posters, photographs, embroidery and beadwork, letters and diaries.
Buy from
amazon.ca
Fashion
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The Unmentionable History of the West
by Nancy Millar
Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2006
ISBN-10: 0889953740
ISBN-13: 978-0889953741
Paperback, 128 pages
A humorous look at underwear (and other unmentionables like birth control and abortion) and its effects on women's history. Winner of the Alberta Publishers Non-Fiction Award.
Buy from
amazon.ca
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Fashion: A Canadian Perspective
by Alexander Palmer, editor Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2004.
ISBN: 0802085903
$35.00 (paper)
A collection of essays about what Canadians have been wearing for the past three centuries. Learn about everything from Hudson Bay Company blanket coats to fashions featured on the runways of international stages, and how clothing reflects Canadian identity.
Settlers/Pioneers/Immigrants
- Angel of Hudson Bay: The True Story of Maud Watt
by William Ashley Anderson Toronto: Clarke, Irwin, 1974.
- I Married the Klondike
by Laura Berton Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1972.
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Maria Mahoi of the Islands: The Worth of an Everyday Woman
by Jean Barman Vancouver: New Star Books, 2004. The story of a pioneer on the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, where she was born to a Hawaiian father and a First Nations mother.
- I Was No Lady ... I Followed the Call of the Wild: The Autobiography of a Fur Trader’s Wife
by Jean W. Godsell Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1959.
- Woman of Labrador
by Elizabeth Goudie Toronto: Peter Martin, 1973.
- Sisters in the Wilderness: The Lives of Susanna Moodie and Catharine Parr Traill
by Charlotte Gray Toronto: Penguin Books Of Canada, Limited, 1999.
- Les filles du roi au XVIIe siecle: Orphelines en France, pionnieres au Canada.
by Yves Landry Ottawa: Lemeac Editeur, 1992.
The story of the young women sent to New France as brides by King Louis XIV of France.
- Laura Secord. The Lady and the Legend
by Ruth McKenzie Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1971.
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The Canadian Housewife
by Rosemary Neering
Vancouver: Whitecap Books, 2005.
ISBN: 1552857174
$29.95 (hardcover), 256 pages
Author Rosemary Neering of Victoria has written a lively account of the Canadian housewife, from the 1600s to the 1950s. Includes historical images, quotes, recipes and household tips.
Buy from
amazon.ca
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Sisters in Two Worlds
by Michael Peterman
Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2007
ISBN-0385662882
Hardcover, 176 pages
An attractive collection that illustrates the lives of the pioneer sisters Catharine Parr Traill and Susanna Moodie. This book includes historical images, letters, photos of artefacts and the places associated with the sisters and their families.
Buy from
amazon.ca
- A Harvest Yet to Reap: A History of Prairie Women
by Linda Rasmussen Toronto: Women’s Press, 1976.
- Pioneer Profiles of New Brunswick Settlers
by Charlotte Gourlay Robinson Belleville: Mika Publishing Company, 1980.
- Arctic Bride
by Wanda Neill Tolboom Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1956.
Life at a Hudson Bay post in northern Quebec.
- I Was There
by Mary Edith Tyrrell Toronto: Ryerson, 1938.
Experiences of the author, who was married to J.B. Tyrrell of the Geological Survey.
Music, Painting, Photography and Performing Arts
- Sybil Jacobson: Painting in the West
by Mary G. Alexander Toronto: HMS Press, 1984.
Biography of painter Sybil Jacobson (1881-1953).
- The Life of Emily Carr
by Paula Blanchard Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1987.
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Pegi By Herself: The Life of Pegi Nicol MacLeod, Canadian Artist
by Laura Brandon Montreal/Toronto: McGill-Queens University Press, 2005.
ISBN: 0773528636
$49.95, 280 pages
A biography of the prominent Canadian artist Pegi Nicol MacLeod, who painted pictures of Women's Services during World War II.
Buy from
amazon.ca
- Pauline Donalda: The Life and Career of a Canadian Prima Donna
by Ruth C. Brotman Montreal: Eagle Publishing Co., 1975.
Story of opera store Pauline Lightstone Donalda.
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And Beauty Answers: The Life of Frances Loring and Florence Wylie
by Elspeth Cameron
Toronto: Cormorant Books, 2007
ISBN-978-1-897151-13-6
504 pages
The story to two Canadian artists who met at the Chicago Art Institute in 1906, where they developed an enduring partnership.
The women played an important role in the development of sculpture in Canada.
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amazon.ca
- Growing Pains: An Autobiography of Emily Carr
by Emily Carr Toronto: Clarke, Irwin, 1966.
- Eight Women Photographers of British Columbia, 1860-1968
by Myrna Cobb and Sher Morgan Victoria: Applied Communication Program, Camosun College, 1979.
- Mary Pickford, From Here to Hollywood
by Scott Eyman Toronto: Harper Collins, 1990.
Biography of actress and producer Mary Pickford, from Toronto.
- From Women’s Eyes: Women Painters in Canada
by Dorothy Farr and Natalie Luckyj, eds. Kingston, Ont.: Agnes Etherington Art Centre, 1975.
- Kathleen Parlow, A Portrait
by Maida Parlow French Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1967.
Biography of Calgary violinist Kathleen Parlow, born in 1890.
- Life Before Stratford, The Memoirs of Amelia Hall
by Amelia Hall Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1989.
Story of professional actress Amelia Hall (1916-1984), who ran Canadian Repertory Theatre of Ottawa.
- Anne Savage: The Story of a Canadian Painter
by Anne McDougall Montreal: Harvest House, 1977.
Biography of painter Anne Savage (1896-1971).
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Unsettling Encounters: First Nations Imagery in the Art of Emily Carr
by Gerta Moray
Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2006
ISBN-10: 0295986085
ISBN-13: 978-0295986081
Hardcover, 386 pages
An interesting book written by an art history professor, who focuses on Emily Carr's depiction of the First Nations of British Columbia but looks at the entire life of the painter. Author Gerta Moray spent more than two decades putting together this new biography, which includes 91 large colour illustrations.
Buy from
amazon.ca
- Nightingale of the North: Georgina Stirling, Marie Toulinquet
by Amy Louise Peyton St. John’s Nfld.: Jesperson Press, 1983.
- Memoires d’Emma Albani
by Gilles Potvin, trans. and ed. Montreal: Editions du Jour, 1972.
Story of an international star of the opera: Emma Albani (1847-1930).
- Emilie Chamand, tisserande
by Angeline Saint-Pierre Quebec: Editions Garneau, 1976.
Biography of famed weaver Emilie Chamand.
- This and That, Emily Carr
edited by Ann-Lee Switzer
Victoria, BC: Ti-Jean Press, 2007
ISBN: 1-894463-92-7
Paperback, 206 pages
Ann-Lee Switzer has put together a fascinating collection of previously unpublished stories penned by the legendary Emily Carr, painter and writer. Carr wrote these stories during the last couple of years of her life, with the intention of publishing them in a book. After discovering these writings in the British Columbia Provincial Archives, Switzer transcribed them and eventually slected 61 to be published.
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The Women of Beaver Hall, Canadian Modernist Painters
by Evelyn Walters
Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2005.
ISBN: 1550025880
$60.00 (hardcover), 192 pages
This beautiful book, featuring 65 colour illustrations, tells the stories of ten female Canadian artists considered to be the counterparts of the Group of Seven: Emily Coonan, Nora Collyer, Prudence Heward, Mabel Lockerby, Mabel May, Sarah Robertson, Anne Savage, and Ethel Seath. An opportunity to view artistic works that have been hidden away for many years.
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amazon.ca
- The Magic Box, The Eccentric Genius of Hannah Maynard
by Claire Weissman Wilks Toronto: Exile Editions Ltd., 1980.
Story of British Columbia photographer Hannah Maynard (1834-1918).
Collections of Biographies
- Profils feminins, trente figures de proue canadiennes
by Emilia B. Allaire Quebec: Editions Garneau, 1967.
- Some Black Women: Profiles of Black Women in Canada
by Rella Braithwaite and Tessa Benn-Ireland Toronto: Sister Vision, 1993.
- Jin Guo: Voices of Chinese Canadian Women
by Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto: Toronto Women’s Press, 1992.
- Femmes de chez nous
Saint-Boniface, Manitoba: Les Editions du Ble, 1985.
One hundred bios of Franco-Manitoban women.
- Wild Roses at Their Feet: Pioneer Women of Vancouver Island
by Elizabeth Forbes Vancouver: British Columbia Centennial Committee, 1971.
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100 Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces
by Merna Forster
Foreword by The Right Honourable Kim Campbell
Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2004
ISBN: I-55002-514-7
$24.99 (paper), 288 pages
- "...an exciting book of great characters."
The Beaver
Canada's History Magazine
- "...fresh and informative, even to the seasoned feminist reader. I'd never heard of half of these women before--what a shame! "
Penni Mit chell
HERIZONS
Buy from amazon.ca
More information
- Women in British Columbia
by Jan Gould Saanichton, B.C.: Hancock House Publishers, 1975.
- The Clear Spirit: Twenty Canadian Women and Their Times
by Mary Quayle Innis, ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1966. Reprinted 1967, 1973.
- Silhouettes acadiennes
by Therese Lemieux and Gemma Caron Federation des Dames d’Acadie, 1981. One hundred bios of women associated with Acadia. Born in the period 1815-1941.
- ...And Mighty Women Too
by Grant MacEwan Saskatoon: Western Producer Prairie Books, 1975.
- Extraordinary Ordinary Women: Manitoba Women and Their Stories
by Manitoba Clubs of the Canadian Federation of University Women Winnipeg: Winnipeg Sun, 2000.
- Notable Saskatchewan Women, 1905-1980
Regina: Saskatchewan Labour, Women’s Division, 1980.
- Maids and Matrons of New France
by Mary S. Pepper Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1901.
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Celebrating Penticton Women 1908-2008
by Cass Robinson
2007
82 pages, incuding many photos
ISBN-978-0-9784356-0-8
A book developed to commemorate some of those women who contributed to the development of Penticton, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2008. A second book will be launched in October 2008.
Buy from the author, who can be reached at 400bruce@telus.net. Can also be purchased in Pentiction at the local museum or the Lloyd Art Gallery.
- Pioneer Women of Western Canada
by Margot Smith and Carol Pasternak Curriculum Series, no. 32. Toronto: OISE,1978.
- Remarkable Women of Newfoundland and Labrador
by St. John’s Local Council of Women St. John’s, Nfld.: Valhalla Press Canada, 1976.
- Canadiennes
by A. Tessier Montreal: Fides, 1962.
Stories of heroic Canadian women, beginning in 1617.
- The Finest Kind, Voices of Newfoundland and Labrador Women
by Marian Frances White, ed. St. John’s Nfld.: Creative Publishers, 1992.
- A Century of Women
by Zonta Club of Charlottetown Charlottetown: Zonta Club of Charlottetown, 1967.
Short bios of women (born pre 1902) associated with Prince Edward Island.
Science and Technology
- Despite the Odds: Essays on Canadian Women and Science
by Marianne Gosztonyi Ainley, ed. Montreal: Vehicule Press, 1990.
Includes bios of many accomplished scientists, including Margaret Newton (plant diseases), Isabella Newton (horticulturalist), Alice Wilson (geologist), Cypra Krieger (mathematician).
- Rosalie Bertell: Scientist, Eco-Feminist, Visionary
by Mary-Louise Engels
Toronto: Women's Press, 2005.
ISBN: 0889614504
$16.95 (paperback)
This book profiles the remarkable Canadian scientist Dr. Rosalie Bertell, who joined the Grey Nuns before earning a doctorate in biometrics and working as an environmental epidemiologist. Dr. Bertell has become a notable peace activist and a crusader for the environmental protection.
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Radio Ladies: Canada's Women on the Air
by Peggy Stewart
ISBN 978-0-9866105-0-9
Magnetewan Publishing, 2011
300 pages
Were there any Canadian women in the early days of radio? Author Peggy Stewart decided to tell the stories of female radio broadcasters in the period from 1922 to 1975. She interviewed some of the radio stars themselves, as well as relatives of other women who made history in radio broadcasting.
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Radio Ladies: Canada's Women on the Air
- Harriet Brooks: Pioneer Nuclear Scientist
by Marlene F. Rayner-Canham and Geoffrey Rayner-Canham Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queens University Press, 1992.
Biography of physicist Harriet Brooks (1876-1933).
Politics, Social Reform
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The Heiress vs. the Establishment: Mrs. Campbell's Campaign for Legal Justice
by Constance and Nancy Backhouse Vancouver: UBC Press, 2004.
ISBN: 0774810521
$45.00, 344 pages This book is a lively account of the battle of a Canadian socialite to obtain the inheritance she believed her mother had left her. Despite her lack of legal training, Elizabeth Bethune Campbell was forced to take on her own case and even appeared before the Law Lords of the U.K. Privy Council.
Book review from H-NET Buy from
amazon.ca
- My Ninety Years
by Martha Louise Black Anchorage, Alaska: Northern History Library, Alaska Publishing Co., 1976.
Autobiography of Martha Louise Black (1866-1957), from early adventures in the Klondike gold rush to being elected to the House of Commons at age seventy.
- A Woman in a Man’s World
by Therese Casgrain Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1973. Montreal: Editions du Jour, 1971.
Autobiography of Therese Casgrain (1896-1981). Feminist, politician.
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Worth Fighting For
by Sheila Copps Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2004.
ISBN: 0771022824
$32.00
A controversial book by former Liberal cabinet minister Sheila Copps, who has written about the backrooms of politics and her former colleagues on Parliament Hill. Copps is extremely critical of Prime Minister Paul Martin in particular.
Buy from amazon.ca
- Perennials and Politics: The Life Story of the Hon. Irene Parlby
by Barbara Villy Cormack Sherwood Park, Alta.: Professional Printing, 1968.
Biography of Mary Irene Parlby (1868-1965), with experiences as a legislator and in founding of the United Farm Women of Alberta.
- Agnes Macphail and the Politics of Equality
by Terry Crowley Toronto: James Lorimer and Company, 1990.
Biography of the first women elected to the House of Commons: Agnes Macphail (1890-1954).
- Saturday’s Child: Memoirs of Canada’s First Female Cabine Minister
by Ellen Louks Fairclough Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1995.
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Extraordinary Canadians: Nellie McClung
by Charlotte Gray
Penguin Canada, 2008
ISBN-0670066745
332 pages
A book in the Extraordinary Canadians series. Acclaimed author Charlotte Gray provides a new look at the amazing Nellie McClung, widely know as a politician, social activist, author and feminist.
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amazon.ca
- Mrs. King: The Life and Times of Isabel Mackenzie King
by Charlotte Gray Toronto: Penguin Books Canada, 1998.
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Never Retreat, Never Explain, Never Apologize
by Deborah Grey Vancouver: H. B. Fenn & Company, 2004.
ISBN: 1552636208
$29.95 (hardcover)
This book is an autobiography of the Alberta schoolteacher who became the first member of the Reform Party elected to the House of Commons. During her political career, Deborah Grey was an outspoken MP and a colourful character on the Hill--sometimes zooming to work on her Honda Goldwing motorcycle. The title of the book comes from a famous quote by Nellie McClung, Grey's political idol.
Buy from amazon.ca
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Lois Hole Speaks: Words That Matter
by Lois Hole (author) and Mark Lisac (editor)
Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, 2008
ISBN-0888644884
440 pages
Lois Hole was born in Saskatchewan to a mother of Swedish background and a father with Doukhobor origins. Lois lived in Alberta for more than sixty years and made a significant impact on the province. As described in the excellent introduction to the book, she was a well-loved lady as well as a high-achiever. Hole was not only a respected politician, but also an accomplished author, an amazing gardener, a devoted school trustee, a university chancellor, and a successful entrepreneur. And Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. This new book features some of her many speeches, which were selected by editor Mark Lisac. An inspiring collection which is a fine tribute to a woman who touched many people during her life.
The book is illustrated with a variety of black and white photographs, depicting Hole from childhood through to her final years.
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amazon.ca
- First Person: A Biography of Cairine Wilson, Canada’s First Woman Senator
by Valerie Knowles Toronto: Dundurn Press,1988.
- The Famous Five: Five Canadian Women and Their Fight to Become Persons
by Nancy Millar 1999.
- Marie Gerin-Lajoie, de mere en fille, la cause des femmes
by Helene Pelletier-Baillargeon Montreal: Boreal Express, 1985.
Biography of Marie Gerin-Lajoie (1890-1971), prominent Quebec feminist and social reformer.
- Agnes Macphail: Reformer
by Doris Pennington Toronto: Simon & Pierre, 1989.
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Ten Thousand Roses: The Making of a Feminist Revolution
by Judy Rebick Toronto: Penguin Canada, 2005.
ISBN: 0-14-301544-3
$24.00 (paper), 280 pages
Author and activist Judy Rebick collected the stories of over a hundred Canadian feminists to weave together a history of the women's movement in Canada. A notable feminist and political commentator, Rebick is the Sam Gindin chair in social justice and democracy at Ryerson University. She is also the former president of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women.
The book brings to light the contributions of Canada women in fighting for legalized abortion, pay equity and employment equity, rights for Aboriginal women, child care, etc. from the 1960s through the 1990s. An important record of the second wave of feminism in Canada. Judy Rebick also publishes the website rabble.ca
Buy from
amazon.ca
- Agnes: The Biography of Lady Macdonald
by Louise Reynolds Ottawa: Carleton University Press, 1990.
- More Than a Rose: Prime Ministers, Wives, and Other Women
by Heather Robertson Toronto: Seal Books, 1991.
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The Persons Case: The Origins and Legacy of the Fight for Legal Personhood
by Robert J. Sharp and Patricia I. McMahon
Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007
ISBN-0802097502
Hardcover, 272 pages
A comprehensive examination of The Persons Case, including the case itself as well as the key individuals involved and the significant effects of the judgement. The authors are both notable legal experts. Sharpe is a Justice of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, while McMahon is an associate with the law firm Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP.
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amazon.ca
- Still Counting
by Linda Trimble and Jane Arscott Broadview Press, 2003.
The authors, political scientists from Alberta, look at why Canadian women continue to be poorly represented in both federal and provincial legislatures. An informative website from Athabasca University complements the book and provides updates on women in politics - such as how women fared in the 2004 federal election. The authors also invite readers to submit opinions, stories, etc. about the challenges facing Canadian female politicians.
More information
War
- Back the Attack!: Canadian Women During the Second World War - At Home and Abroad
by Jean Bruce Toronto: Macmillan of Canada, 1985.
- No Man’s Land: The Battlefield Paintings of Mary Riter Hamilton
by Angela E Davis and Sarah M. McKinnon Winnipeg: The University of Winnipeg, 1992.
- Women Overseas: Memoirs of the Canadian Red Cross Corps
by Frances M. Day et al. Vancouver: Ronsdale Press, 1998.
- Mona Parsons: from privilege to prison, from Nova Scotia to Nazi Europe
by Andria Hill Halifax: Nimbus Publishing Ltd., 2000.
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War Brides
by Melynda Jarratt
UK: Tempus Publishing Ltd, 2007
ISBN-10: 0752443097
ISBN-13: 978-0752443096
288 pages
Read some great stories about Canadian war brides in this new book.
Buy from
amazon.ca
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Victory Harvest: Diary of a Canadian in the Women's Land Army
by Marion Kelsey
Montreal/Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2007
ISBN-10: 0773531564
ISBN-13: 978-0773531567
227 pages
This book tells the story of Marion Kelsey in World War II, told through entries in her dairy from 1940 until September 1944. Kelsey went to Great Britain to be closer to her husband, who was a soldier. She joined the Women's Land Army, performing agricultural work such as driving tractors during the war.
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amazon.ca
- Blackouts to Bright Lights: Canadian War Bride Stories
by Barbara Ladouceur et al. Vancouver : Ronsdale Press, 1996.
- The Memory of All That: Canadian Women Remember World War II
by Ruth Latta Burnstown, Ontario: General Store Publishing House, 1993.
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Margaret Macdonald: Imperial Daughter
by Susan Mann
Montreal and Toronto: McGill-Queens University Press, 2005.
ISBN: 0-7735-2999-3
$39.95 (cloth), 2305 pages
This book is a biography of Canadian heroine Margaret Macdonald, a pioneer in the field of military nursing. Author Susan Mann provides a scholarly look at the remarkable nurse who served in the Spanish-American and Boer Wars, as well as in Panama during the construction of the canal and in Europe during World War I.
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amazon.ca
- The War Diary of Clare Gass 1915-1918
by Susan Mann, ed. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2000.
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Your Daughter, Fanny: The War Letters of Frances Cluett
by Bert Riggs and William R. Rompkey, eds.
St. John's, NL: Flanker Press , 2006
ISBN: 1-894463-92-7
Paperback, 172 pages
A collection of letters written by a Newfoundland-born nurse, Frances Cluett, while she was stationed in a military hospital in France during the First World War.
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Flanker Press
- If kisses were roses : a 50th anniversary tribute to war brides : Canada remembers
by Helen Shewchuck, ed. Naughton, Ont.: H.H. Shewchuck, c1996.
- Nobody Ever Wins A War: The World War I Diaries of Ella Mae Bongard, R.N.
by Eric Scott, ed. Ottawa: Janeric Enterprises, 1997.
- Promise you'll take care of my daughter: the remarkable war brides of World War II
by Ben Wicks
Toronto : Stoddart, 1993.
Sports/Aviation
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Her Daughter the Engineer: The Life of Elsie Gregory MacGill
by Richard I. Bourgeois-Doyle
Ottawa: NRC Research Press, 2008
ISBN-139780660198132
332 pages
A new biography about Canadian pioneer Elsie MacGill, who was the first woman in the world to become an aeronautical engineer. And also the first female aircraft designer. Daughter of the influential judge Helen MacGill, Elsie was also a feminist who played a notable role in the Royal Commission on the Status of Women.
Buy from
National Research Council of Canada
- Women in Canadian Life: Sports
by Jean Cochran et al. Toronto: Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1977.
- Celebrating Excellence: Canadian Women Athletes
by Wendy Long Vancouver: Polestar Book Publishers, 1995.
- For the Record: Canada’s Greatest Women Athletes
by David McDonald Rexdale, Ontario: Mesa Associates, 1981.
- Proud Past, Bright Future: One Hundred Years of Canadian Women’s Hockey
by Brian McFarlane Toronto: Stoddart Publishing, 1995.
- No Place for a Lady: the story of Canada’s women pilots, 1928-1992
by Shirley Render
Winnipeg: Portage and Main Press, 1992.
- Daring Lady Flyers
by Joyce Spring Porters Lake (N.S.): Pottersfield Press, 1994.
Journalists/Writers
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Margaret Laurence, A Gift of Grace: A Spiritual Biography
by Noelle Boughton
Toronto: Women's Press, 2006
ISBN-0-88961-459-8
100 pages
The spirtual journey of author Margaret Laurence.
"A glorious and profound accomplishment. Here is the beloved Margaret Laurence with all her decency, complexity, and uncompromising truth."
—June Callwood, author and activist
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Looking for Anne: How Lucy Maud Montgomery Dreamed Up a Literary Classic
by Irene Gammel
Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2008
ISBN-1552639851
Hardcover, 312 pages
As the title suggests, this book explores how author Lucy Maud Montgomery managed to create the novel Anne of Green Gables - a book that has been incredibly popular since it was printed in 1908. The publisher notes that the book has never been out of print during the past century, and has sold more than 50 million copies. If you are interested in knowing how the book came about and why it is so appealing to this day, this is the book for you! Even Lucy Maud's granddaughter recommends the book.
Buy from
amazon.ca
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My Life As A Dame: The Personal and the Political in the Writings of Christina McCall
by Christina McCall (author) and Stephen Clarkson (editor)
Toronto: House of Anansi, 2008
ISBN-0887842216
Hardcover, 384 pages
A great collection of the writings of Canadian political writer Christina McCall, who died in 2005 at the age of 70. She began her career in journalism at Maclean's magazine in the 1950s and was later a staff writer for Saturday Night. The book is an excellent resource that includes articles, essays and excerpts from unpublished memoirs.
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amazon.ca
- No Daughter of Mine: The Women and History of the Canadian Women’s Press Club 1904-1971
by Kay Rex Toronto: Cedar Cave Books, 1995.
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Magic Island: The Fictions of L.M. Montgomery
by Elizabeth Waterston
Oxford University Press, 2008
ISBN-0195430034
Hardcover, 265 pages
A new look at the world of author L.M. Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables. The book explores the links between Montgomery's books and her personal and professional life.
Buy from
amazon.ca
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