The Chuck Davis History of Metropolitan Vancouver
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by Chuck Davis
Harbour Publishing, Vancouver, 2011
592 pp., illus., $49.95 hardcover
Some books demand two reviews — one for a general audience, and one for those with a vested interest in the topic. So here goes: The Chuck Davis History of Metropolitan Vancouver is a neat and breezy walk through Vancouver’s past for Canadians, and it’s a must-have for Vancouverites interested in the full story of how their city evolved from a shantytown to a shining city by the sea.
What makes the book unique is its own backstory. Chuck Davis, a legendary Vancouver folk historian, died before he could complete the book, so the city’s history community took up the project and completed it in his memory.
Chock full of facts about Vancouver, this book provides plenty of ammunition for small talk the next time you’re at a gallery opening in the coastal city. My only peeve? The lack of colour illustrations.
— Mark Collin Reid (Read bio)
Mark Collin Reid is the Editor-in-Chief of Canada's History.