Books? Part 3
The Gamache crime series
I stumbled across the Gamache crime series by chance when I came back from Namibia and was waiting for my train home at the station in Frankfurt. I picked up a book in a bookstore—and something about it immediately caught my attention. Back home, I searched for the series in the Innsbruck libraries because I really wanted to read it.
I have now read all the books three times. And I can say that this series is not only exciting, but also highly recommended if you want to learn more about Canada.
What I love so much is the way Canada is described. Not only do the landscapes and places come to life, but also the way people interact with each other. Along the way, you learn an incredible amount about the country's history – often things that you wouldn't necessarily know even after thorough research. If only because Canada is such a damn big country.
A few examples from the series:
Haida Gwaii
An archipelago on the west coast of Canada, formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands. In 2009, it was renamed after the Haida people, who have lived there for several thousand years.
Saint-Gilbert-entre-les-loups
Translated: Saint Gilbert among the wolves. The Gilbertine monks actually existed historically (12th–16th century). The monastery itself is an invention of the author in the book series, but the name was the inspiration for the Instagram accounts @leloupolympique and, after the Olympics, @leloupaucanada.
The Dionne quintuplets
The world's first surviving identical quintuplets, born in Canada in 1934. A veritable cult developed around them, which is addressed in a modified form in the book series.
Carnaval d'hiver de Québec
One of the largest winter carnivals in the world – and definitely something I would like to see for myself.
Ottawa
Designated the capital so that neither English-speaking Toronto nor French-speaking Quebec would feel favored. At the same time, the location also made strategic sense, among other things in view of possible American attacks.
I have researched all of the above points several times and checked them against credible sources. The recommendations are independent of paid advertising and reflect only my own impressions.
