How to Be a Canadian by Will and Ian FergusonCanadian Book Challenge: Alberta
I had previously started reading Why I Hate Canadians by Will Ferguson but couldn't get into it at all. I thought it was supposed to be funny, but it seemed more of a real nonfiction book, with real analysis. Maybe it was jsut my mood at the time. When I went ot the library to reborrow it, I found How to Be a Canadian (Even if you Already are One ) instead. This is the sequel of sorts, but it was also much funnier. I was reading passages outloud to my husband again and giggling like mad in other parts. It felt a bit dated in parts, as it is from 2001 and the political humor lost a little something after seven years.
With chapters on language, leisure, cuisine, and a cross country tour, our combined culture is ripe for satire. Beer, hockey, Tim Hortons, the CBC; it's all there. The Ferguson brothers tapped my funny bone. There were lots of stereotypical Canadian jokes, but it was the perfect book to finish up the Canadian Book Challenge with.
I have one on my shelf called, "So You Want to be a Canadian, Eh?" :) Sounds like they are more or less the same.
ReplyDeleteAnother good one in the same vein is Douglas Coupland's Souvenir of Canada 1 and 2. Have you read them?
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