Recent News

In The Clean Body: A Modern History, Peter Ward refuses to acknowledge bathing as a perennial, inconsequential routine. The author enthusiastically challenges the banality of the bath, examining the radical and recent shift in common conceptions of health that precipitated the personal hygiene revolution. Rigorously analyzing factors such as soap … Read More >

When Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King died in 1950, the public knew little about his eccentric private life. In his final will King ordered the destruction of his private diaries, seemingly securing his privacy for good. Yet twenty-five years after King’s death, the public was bombarded with stories about “Weird Willie,” the prime minister … Read More >

On October 18, 2017 Bill 62 was passed at the sitting of l’Assemblée Nationale Québec with 66 for and 51 against. Officially titled An Act to foster adherence to State religious neutrality and, in particular, to provide a framework for requests for accommodations on religious grounds in certain bodies, … Read More >

As a lead-up to Banned Books Week, the annual celebration of the freedom to read, we’re offering an adapted excerpt of Censored: A Literary History of Subversion and Control by Mathew Fellion and Katherine Inglis.

In a year of many anniversaries, 2017 also marks 100 years since the passage of the first Federal progressive income tax act that was signed into law on September 20, 1917. To meet the financial pressures of World War I, the government of Robert Borden conceived of a direct tax on income which brought a … Read More >

On National Aboriginal Day, we are thrilled to share the first excerpt from upcoming Secwépemc People, Land, and Laws, in which co-author Marianne Ignace recounts a particular encounter during the beginning of her research and gathering of Secwépemc stories.

Marianne’s Story (from Introduction)

In October 1985, in the season that I have since … Read More >

Brad Kent’s new book The Selected Essays of Sean O’Faolain, was recently reviewed by Fintan O’Toole for The Irish Times.

The following is an excerpt from Fintan O’Toole’s piece. The full review is available on the The Irish Times website.

The Selected Essays of Sean O’Faolain review: He gave as good as he got

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Coming this April from MQUP and the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, a timely new book that takes a look at Canadian electoral reform: Should We Change How We Vote?: Evaluating Canada’s Electoral System. 

From the introduction –

“Canadians have the capacity to have a serious conversation about electoral reform. But in … Read More >

In case you missed it, The Harper Factor: Assessing a Prime Minister’s Policy Legacy‘s co-editor Jennifer Ditchburn recently wrote a very interesting piece for Poynter.com.

In her article, Jennifer discusses her experience as a journalist under the Harper administration and how parallels can be drawn between the restrictions the Canadian press gallery experienced … Read More >

If you are looking for a fascinating biography to curl up with over the holidays, An American Princess: The Remarkable Life of Marguerite Chapin Caetani is a great pick!

In An American Princess, Laurie Dennett relates the remarkable story of a New England woman whose wealth, intelligence, and charm took her to the heart of … Read More >