Inventing Stanley Park

Joanna Dean, Department of History, Carleton University:
A fascinating history of Vancouver’s iconic park that places nature squarely at the centre. Kheraj shows how foresters and engineers struggled with the disruptive power of windstorms, insect infestations, and erosion to maintain the illusion of a primeval forest in the heart of a city. We have too few histories of city parks – this one sets a high standard.

Jean Barman, BC historian and author of The West Beyond the West: A History of British Columbia:
The world’s great parks are bigger than any of us. Viewed historically as landscapes in need of a helping hand, they are living entities that are just as likely to withstand natural and human interventions as succumb to them. For those of us who see parks as more than visual treats, this book is a must-read.