Reference

Did a Canadian kill famed escape artist Harry Houdini? Are the streets of Yellowknife really paved with gold? What was Canada's connection to those famous "Paul McCartney is dead" rumours of the late 1960s? And just how long does it take a drop of water to flow from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean?

The Great Canadian Trivia Book II brings you all these answers and more. In the much-anticipated sequel to their bestseller, The Great Canadian Trivia Book, award-winning writers Mark Kearney and Randy Ray dig even deeper into Canada's curious characters, storied past, natural phenomena, cultural idiosyncrasies, and the peculiarities of our leisurely pursuits.

In the pages of this intriguing book, you'll discover the Canadian who was responsible for introducing the glove to professional baseball, the story behind Canada's blue two-dollar bill, how the robbery phrase "hands up" was connected to Canada, and whether a goalie can take a face-off in a hockey game.

Think it's unlikely a Canadian might have been president of the United States? That Sir John A. Macdonald was the only one in his family to achieve political fame? Or that a Canadian rock group would turn down a chance to play at the famous Woodstock festival of 1969? The Great Canadian Trivia Book II will have you thinking again. And again.

Maps for Family and Local History shows how three great land surveys can provide information on ancestral homes, as well as fascinating historical snapshots of specific areas. Covering 1836 to 1943, the Tithe, Valuation Office, and National Farm Surveys provide a wealth of information on rural and urban localities, on dwellings, settlements, and landscapes as well as the status of householders. The text gives the rationale behind the surveys and covers each in detail. Fully updated by map experts from The National Archives, this illustrated guide is the perfect companion to researching those maps.

Surnames have always provided key links in historical research. This groundbreaking new work shows that first names can also be highly significant for those tracing genealogies or studying communities. Standard works on first names have always concentrated on etymology. George Redmonds goes much further: he believes that every name has a precise origin and history of expansion, which can be regional or even local; up to c. 1700 it may even have centred on one family. This text fully explores the implications of this belief for local and family history, and challenges many published assumptions on the historical frequency of first names.