Often misunderstood or even unrecognized, Canada's governors general are not merely heads of state; they are amongst the great constitutional curiosities of our age.In this delightful and often whimsical account of the Canadians who have held this post since 1952, journalist and author John Fraser explains the successful, if illogical, evolution of the institution and engages readers with the hilarious foibles, moving triumphs, and sombre tragedies of the men and w...

Nihilism, Modernism, and Value consists of three jargon-free lectures addressed to the general reader. It explores a variety of ways in which writers responded to the phenomenon of nihilism in the 19th and early 20th centuries, By "nihilism" here is meant a sense, at times paralyzing, of the instability and perhaps groundlessness of all values. The book goes into some of the factors— psychological, sociological, philosophical—involved in that destabilizing. But its principal focus is on re...

A devoted and powerful champion of Canadian arts and culture, David Silcox has a life story that dazzles with tales beyond the easel and canvas.“An affectionate portrait of a man who — through enthusiasm, charm and an unparalleled network — had an extraordinary impact of Canada’s cultural evolution.” — Charlotte Gray, author of The Massey MurderSon of a Prairie Dust Bowl preacher, David Silcox rose through the ranks of the Canadian...

Explore the rich heritage of the Samoan people through The Samoan Story of Creation by Dr. John Fraser. This book delves into the ancient origins of Samoa, a land known for its profound cultural legacy and seafaring prowess.Dr. Fraser illuminates the intricate creation myths that have shaped Samoan identity, offering readers a window into the beliefs that have guided the Samoan people for generations. Through its exploration of the islands' unique history and cultural evolution, th...

The death of the Queen was only the beginning for the men and women behind the Crown.On September 8, 2022, an announcement was posted on the gates of Balmoral Castle in Scotland and Buckingham Palace in London that Queen Elizabeth II, the longest serving monarch in British history, had died. That set in motion a remarkable ten days of official mourning and ceremony unlike anything seen in any nation for decades.Members of the royal family gathered—the new K...

With 50mm lenses and available light, John Fraser took these classic humanist photos in Minneapolis, New York, London, Nova Scotia, Provence, starting in 1957.In the tradition of Cartier-Bresson, there's no cropping. What you see is what was there—street interactions caught lightning fast, informal portraits, oldsters, kids, a Blues group, a campaigning JFK within arms-length, and always the impeccable composition and feel for the symbolic.The images are arranged in poem-li...

After years of intellectual nourishment from thrillers, along with the delights of suspense, Fraser explores the thought-processes of representative thriller characters coping with high-tension situations that require intelligent problem-solving and bring their values into a sharper focus.With alert empathy, he follows Jack Carter as he hunts down his brother's killers in Ted Lewis's masterpiece Jack's Return Home ("a kind of dark English Gatsby") ; suffers along with violence-aver...

This book summarizes a range of psychological research into how zoos and aquariums operate in the minds of visitors and the broader public. Bringing together core findings from emerging international research, the book provides data-based summaries that situate the content in the larger context of how cultural institutions shape public understanding. The focus of this book is to bring into a single resource, the major strains of research that have explored how zoos and aquariums are situat...

First published in 2010 as a volume of Museums and Social Issues, A Journal of Reflective Discourse as Volume 5, number 2. What does wellness really mean? How do we enjoy the experience of being well or honor good health? What does it take to Pro-actively court the most positive potential for your future self? Health is one of the pressing topics of our age. This issue sets out to look at how museums create public value by bringing health issues to the fore.

Combining anecdotes with scientific data, this book is a journalistic inquiry into what is currently known about zoos and aquariums as sociocultural intersections of mission, public perception, and on-site meaning making. The authors draw on conservation psychology and other social science research to explore how zoos might develop and deliver more effective learning experiences to promote and nurture conservation values and collective action. While people use zoos with specific priorities...

Carol Hoorn Fraser, MFA, RCA (1930-1991) was a beautiful and unique American-born artist, who received a humanistic art education at the University of Minnesota, took first prizes in shows at the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and lived for thirty years in Nova Scotia with her husband John, with stays in Provence and Mexico.Like Sinatra, she did it her way, radically rethinking her popular expressionist style in the mid-Sixties and developing a decisive org...

Carol Hoorn Fraser, MFA, RCA (1930-1991) was a beautiful and unique American-born artist, who received a humanistic art education at the University of Minnesota, took first prizes in shows at the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and lived for thirty years in Nova Scotia with her husband John, with stays in Provence and Mexico.Like Sinatra, she did it her way, radically rethinking her popular expressionist style in the mid-Sixties and developing a decisive org...