Part evocative memoir and part cultural-geographical excavation, this compelling narrative offers a deeply nuanced re-examination of Winnipeg that pushes far beyond the standard tropes of biting winters and flat prairies. Writing from the unique, twenty-year vantage point of an expatriate living in Wales, the author masterfully weaves a personal odyssey of identity and displacement with a sweeping, historically rich defence of his hometown. By reframing Winnipeg not merely as a isolated "prairie town," but as a vibrant, water-carved crossroads of Indigenous, French-Canadian, and multicultural histories where the Canadian East truly meets the West, the book captures the elusive soul of a city often misunderstood by outsiders and residents alike. Striking the perfect balance between intimate personal storytelling and expansive cultural biography, this title is an essential piece of creative nonfiction, Canadian history, geography, and memoir of place, offering readers a sophisticated, eye-opening journey into the geographical and metaphorical heart of Canada.
James R. Siemens is an historian, theologian, and educator who was born in the Grace Hospital and raised in the St James area of Winnipeg. After a childhood spent navigating the 'Wood between the Worlds' near the Saskatchewan Avenue train tracks, he pursued a life of the mind that eventually led him away from the Red River and into the big, wide world. Known in the academic and theological realms as Dr James and Fr Jacob respectively, he somehow manages to remain one person. He has authored numerous works on historical theology, and with this book is glad to have emerged from the mists of the seventh century to think instead about something seemingly less remote. Despite decades of living abroad and travelling the globe, however, he remains-at his core-a 'scrappy' Winnipegger with a lifelong appreciation for Canadian Tire, Hockey Night in Canada, and a properly mixed Slurpee.He currently lives in Cardiff, Wales, where he continues to look for the 'Spirit of the True North' in everything he does.
Doug Smail is a retired NHL winger who played 13 seasons in the league, most notably as a cornerstone of the Winnipeg Jets during the 1980s. Held in high esteem for his speed and character, he holds the NHL record for the fastest ever goal scored after the opening face-off. While he makes his home in Colorado today, he remains a definitive voice in the story of Winnipeg's 'True North' spirit.
