9. Vancouver Special by Charles Demers
I cannot lie: I am insanely jealous that I did not write this book first, only about Calgary.
That said, comedian/activist Demers’ short essays are an easy-to-read tour through the people, places and politics of Vancouver past and present, illuminated with Demers’ personal history and savvy observations by a number of local stand-up comics. I did find that some of the sentences could have used a bit more grammatical editorial attention, but overall I give the book the thumbs up, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about Lotusland. Also, the photos by emmanuel buenviaje are stunning. Forget Vancouver Verse; this book should be the de facto gift for Vancouver visitors.
-Nikki
