Spring books from Harbour Publishing!
Harbour Publishing is proud to present our Spring 2025 list, with books ranging from fast-paced novels to cutting edge poetry to stirring histories.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Wooly Dog by Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa, with Coast Salish Contributors
The pelt of a dog named “Mutton” languished in a drawer at the Smithsonian for 150 years until it was discovered, almost accidentally, by an amateur archivist. This book tells Mutton’s story and explores what it can teach us about Coast Salish Woolly Dogs and their cultural significance. Co-authored with weavers, Knowledge Keepers, and Elders, The Teachings of Mutton interweaves perspectives from Musqueam, Squamish, Stó:lō, Suquamish, Cowichan, Katzie, Snuneymuxw, and Skokomish cultures with narratives of science, post-contact history, and the lasting and devastating impacts of colonization. Binding it all together is Mutton’s story—a tale of research, reawakening, and resurgence.
Raincoast Chronicles '25: m̓am̓aɫa Goes Fishing by Alan Haig-Brown
This 25th edition of Raincoast Chronicles intertwines Alan Haig-Brown’s experiences of his formative years as a deckhand on a We Wai Kai seiner with the historical and cultural context of BC’s commercial fishing industry. Haig-Brown recounts his formative years as a deckhand in the 1960s and early ’70s on a fishing boat run by the We Wai Kai family he married into as a teenager. The history of commercial fishing and of British Columbia itself, in all its twisting relations with Indigenous peoples, is mirrored in Haig-Brown’s vivid account of life aboard, where “there are no typical days” despite the tightly choreographed tasks and immense local knowledge required by this ever-risky business.
Calm Harbour, Turbulent Seas: A History of Ucluelet
Shirley Martin weaves accounts of shipwrecks and sea serpents, settlement and dispossession, tragedy and resilience, unsolved mysteries and surprising revelations to depict the rich and vibrant history of Ucluelet and surrounding area. Once an isolated outpost, now a touted tourist destination, Ucluelet sits at the gateway to Barkley Sound, epitomising “life on the edge.” Calm Harbour, Turbulent Seas captures the essence of Ucluelet, including an account of the still-thriving art scene, and concludes with a look at the present-day community—what has changed and what remains the same.
A Magical Time: The Early Days of the Arts at Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University went from an idea in 1963 to opening its doors in 1965, a feat that led it to be dubbed “the instant university.” This multiauthored history chronicles the excitement of that first radical decade of the arts at SFU. In this multi-authored book, writers associated with the university such as Max Wyman, Barry Truax, Ann Cowan and Francis Mansbridge capture the excitement of that first decade of the arts at SFU. Richly illustrated with ephemera and photographs from the era, A Magical Time traces how innovation in the arts shaped events over the next six decades at SFU.
Native Plants of British Columbia's Coastal Dry Belt
An innovative guide to the native plants of the coastal dry belt, or “rain shadow” of the Pacific Northwest, including southeast Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and some parts of the mainland coast, such as Port Angeles and Bellingham, WA. Covering diverse areas from Douglas-fir forests to Garry Oak woodlands, and from shrub-covered wetlands to beach and sand dunes, each section provides detailed descriptions, vibrant photographs, and insightful commentary. Through its engaging presentation, this essential guide serves as both an educational tool and a source of inspiration for continued exploration and appreciation of British Columbia’s coastal plant life.
A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region
A middle-grade-friendly introduction to flora of the Great Lakes Region, with outdoor activities, games and quizzes that make learning about nature fun! Great for families and educators. Get dirty digging up roots. Crouch down to look closely at a carnivorous sundew dissolving a dragonfly. Make an elderberry concoction. Test your plant ID skills with a winter twig quiz. Make a soothing plantain salve to treat an itch. Learn which berries you can eat and which to avoid - all in a way that is accessible and interesting to readers of all ages.
The Last Exile
PI Dave Wakeland reluctantly returns to the streets of Vancouver for his most dangerous case yet. Maggie Zito is being held for murder. The volatile single mother is accused of killing the retired leader of the notorious Exiles motorcycle gang and his wife aboard their million-dollar houseboat. With a mystery witness putting Maggie at the scene, and the Exiles baying for her blood, it’s unlikely she’ll make it to the trial alive. Desperate, Maggie’s lawyer, Shuzhen Chen, calls in a favour to Dave Wakeland: Find evidence of Maggie’s innocence and get her client out of custody. Dave and Shuzhen have to put aside their complicated past to find out why Maggie was framed.
Out of the Ordinary
Wayman crafts poetry that captures how the everyday can contain the extraordinary. The twenty-first century so far feels extraordinary, offering in its first quarter a global pandemic, catastrophic climate events, an unprecedented gap between the super-rich and the rest of us, new shortages in medical services and affordable homes, and more. The poems of Tom Wayman’s new collection, Out of the Ordinary, explore how such extraordinary developments can both arise from, and affect, the ordinary objects, environments and human relationships that surround us. To probe this traffic between the ordinary and the extraordinary, the poems of Out of the Ordinary go deep, drawing on poetry’s almost-magical ability to discover links between aspects of our lives that otherwise seem far apart.
The Kelowna Story: An Okanagan History
The new paperback edition of this excellent illustrated history includes additional information about recent developments up to 2025. Author Sharron J. Simpson believes “history is best told through the stories of ordinary people,” while allowing today’s readers may not think it ‘ordinary’ to walk over mountain ranges to collect mail, to row freight from one end of Okanagan Lake to the other. “In their time,” she writes, “those who did extraordinary things were simply doing what needed to be done to get ahead. Their stories are fascinating and tell of the remarkable investment early settlers made in this community.”
Complete Beading for Beginners
Everybody’s beading again! Beading is fun, supplies are inexpensive and—in just one evening—you can make something gorgeous to wear or give, simply by learning a few easy techniques. Complete Beading for Beginners shows you how to make beaded bracelets, rings, earrings, dream catchers, embroidered clothes—and even your own beads. Just choose a project, follow the simple directions, and you’re on your way. This bestselling book offers easy-to-follow diagrams, troubleshooting guides, information on basic tools and materials, and inspirational tips to help you create your own designs.