Brilliant Books Brought to You by UVic Authors

Check out these fun and quirky books written by UVic faculty, instructors, students and alumni.

For the comedian

Mark Leiren-Young

Like all great adventures, this one starts with someone trying to get a girl. UVic alumnus and current Southam Lecturer Mark Leiren-Young recalls his teenage escapades in Free Magic Secrets Revealed—a hilarious memoir and coming-of-age story.

For the hockey enthusiast... or literary buff!

Bill Gaston

It's hard to choose just one of Giller-nominated author Bill Gaston's books, since they're all so wonderful in their own right. Midnight Hockey remains a favourite among hockey fans as a portrait of Canada’s fastest-growing athletic phenomenon: beer-league and old-timers' hockey. Or, for something completely different, Juliet Was a Surprise is Gaston's latest book and a finalist for the Governor General's Award for Fiction.

For the nature lover

Frances Backhouse

Frances Backhouse won't take offence if you say her books are for the birds. The UVic writing instructor authored both Owls of North America (perfect for those who can't tell if their backyard visitor is a barred owl or a much more rare spotted owl) and Woodpeckers of North America.

For the comics-obsessed kid or adult

Paul Zehr

What would it take for an everyday person to become Batgirl? Is humankind up to the task of inventing a real-life Iron Man? Does the human body actually possess the capability to respond and adapt to the extremes facing Batman? UVic professor Paul Zehr applies his research on how the human nervous system controls movement in the most entertaining way possible.

For the romantic academic

UVic Department of Writing

Wonder what really goes on behind the romantic scenes on campus? Campus Confidential is a collection of creative nonfiction tales by UVic writers exploring the intricacies of relationships . . . by degrees.

For the literary type

Via Lee Henderson

UVic writing professor Lee Henderson's latest novel, The Road Narrows As You Go, is simultaneously the portrait of a young woman struggling to find her place and a bright, rollicking, unflinching depiction of the 1980s. Or, for something a little different (including a secret sport, pioneer town, fire and two lumberjacks), pick up a copy of The Man Game.

For the activist

The link between private corporations and U.S. world power has a much longer history than most people realize. Find out more in The Business of Empire: United Fruit, Race, and U.S. Expansion in Central America by Jason M. Colby, a UVic history professor.

For the poet

Carla Funk

Capturing microscopic moments in time and nature, Carla Funk’s poems bring the world to a momentary standstill. Funk translates vivid descriptions and feeling into her poems, both testing and playing with traditional poetic experiences. She's former poet laureate of Victoria and a UVic writing instructor.

For the chef

Nancy Turner

Try something a little different for the foodie in your life. UVic professor and ethno-botanist Nancy J. Turner combines Indigenous history, culture, foraging, and food—with a dash of poison (i.e. what NOT to eat). Or, check out Richard J. Hebda's handy hiking pamphlet "A Field Guide to Edible Fruits and Berries of the Pacific Northwest."

Want more? Wondering where to buy?

This year's list of the English-language finalists in the Governor General's Literary Awards includes five people associated with the Faculty of Fine Arts.

The UVic Bookstore carries a wide selection of publications by UVic authors.