Christmas in Icelandic Winnipeg, 1920

Between 1870 and 1914 almost one-quarter of Iceland’s population migrated to North America, forming enclaves in both the United States and Canada. Released earlier in the year, The Viking Immigrants maps the transformation of Icelandic North American culture over a century and a half and reveals the hidden histories behind everyday traditions. In this post, author L.K. Bertram takes us back in time to 1920 and explores the Christmas traditions of a bustling Icelandic neighbourhood in Winnipeg 100 years ago. Cozy up and enjoy!

Before a Saint, A Man: Disability in the Life of Francis of Assisi

Written by Donna Trembinski, Illness and Authority examines the lived experience and early stories about St. Francis of Assisi through the lens of disability studies. In this post, Trembinski discusses more about her book that shows us another, less readily seen side of this famous saint.

Order and Disorder: England’s Troubled History

Award-winning teacher Ken MacMillan is the author of the recently published Death and Disorder: A History of Early Modern England, 1485–1690. The book introduces readers to the tumultuous world of Tudor and Stuart England, where numerous kings and queens were killed, their advisors assassinated, treasonous nobles beheaded, religious heretics burned at the stake, and common criminals executed by hanging. In this post, MacMillan delves deeper into some of these stories and discusses what we can expect from the book.

Medieval History and Modern Hate

Written by Amy S. Kaufman and Paul B. Sturtevant, The Devil’s Historians examine the many ways in which the medieval past has been manipulated to promote discrimination, oppression, and murder. The book introduces readers to a more expansive Middle Ages and gives them the tools to identify and dismantle the myths about the medieval world. In this post, author Amy S. Kaufman discusses what we can expect from the book and how the project came about.

Being Fat Has a History

Released this spring, Being Fat: Women, Weight, and Feminist Activism in Canada focuses on the earliest strands fat activism, a social movement that has existed in Canada since the 1970s. In this post, author Jenny Ellison discusses some of the research that went into her book and explores how fat activists wrestled with feminist issues of the era, including femininity, sexuality, and health.