| Lancette Arts Journal Founded in 2000 |
NON-Fiction Book Reviews From our Archives |
October 2002 |
A book that should be on every bookshelf
A book that should be wherever Canadian literature is read
Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada, edited by W.H. New, University of Toronto Press,
1,350 pages, hardcover, $75
By Alidė Kohlhaas
Have you ever been given a tool and within a very short while begun to wonder how you ever managed to do without it? Computers are one of those tools. As a writer, I wonder how I ever managed to get my stories out on time without this handy device that makes editing, cutting and pasting so much easier. But, there are tools that one needs that are not technological in nature. Books are in this category. They are a tool toward enjoyment and learning. Technology my have been involved in their publication, but when it comes to reading, we still have to take them off the shelf and turn each page by our little selves. We can enjoy them in any part of our home or outside, unlike a computer, which ties one to a specific place. Besides, let's face it. There is a certain romance to having a book in ones hands and feel the texture of the paper, even smell the musty scent that comes from some old books that an e-book simply can't provide.
Although I have a number of encyclopedias on CDs, I still prefer to peruse the ones that are on my bookshelves, and look up the word or the information I need without turning to my well-used and well-loved computer. The latest of these reference books in my possession is the fat and wonderful Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada, a long-awaited and sorely needed reference guide.
Indeed, how did I ever manage without it? Before I even started to look at it seriously and read what it had to offer, I made use of it. It has been in my possession for a mere month, and already it shows some wear and tear. Yes, how did I . . .
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