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Post by Dane on Feb 25, 2009 22:25:23 GMT -8
Somewhat recently a new BC Ferry book has come out... I do not believe it is wide production and I am curious if the copy I saw was one of the only one that actually exists for the public. Stop me if the title sounds familiar. " Ferries of British Columbia: a photographic tour" The author is Robert Etchell, a somewhat known ship spotter on the West Coast. I found the book at the Vancouver Public Library when I went to read up some interesting BC Ferries documents they have there, and to take out the book Evergreen Fleet.There is no written content, just a very simple introduction of the book and author. Three subject areas make up the book. BC Ferries, American Ferries in BC, and Seaspan which he states is his new favourite service. Photos in the book are good quality, or readily accessible vessels. I would say the angles and locations are predictable, but given the amount I paid to see the book well done. Publisher is Blurb (www.blurb.com) which makes me think the book is self published, as there are no additional credits than Blurb and the author. There are also many blank pages at the end of the book leading to me believing it's not very well drafted. I ask the acquisitions person if they had a way of finding out how the library gets books. They do! It was donated in November, 2008. The date of publishing is January, 2008, but it is copyrighted 2007 (not unusual). If you're in Vancouver it's worth the three minutes to check out. It works out to be about half Expo paint and half BCFS. The title, though, is suspicious.
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Post by DENelson83 on Feb 25, 2009 22:32:28 GMT -8
I met Robert Etchell on 3/8/08, the day the Coastal Renaissance went into service. He showed me a copy of this very book.
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Feb 25, 2009 22:51:27 GMT -8
Robert was a member of our forum and previously posted as Dunbar. He was a particpant during our days as Ferries of British Columbia (prior to March 19, 2008), and strangely enough his new book has our old forum name. Coincidence? I do not think so...
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Post by Ferryman on Feb 25, 2009 22:58:22 GMT -8
Looks like we might be able to make some money off of this forum after all..... Seriously though, I'm disappointed with the name. Ferries of British Columbia just feels like a name that John H should only be allowed to use, with or without legal rights. Just common courtesy in my mind.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,171
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Post by Neil on Feb 25, 2009 23:14:38 GMT -8
The title isn't the only thing 'dunbar' borrowed... the intro page was most definitely 'ghost-written'.
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Nick
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Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
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Post by Nick on Feb 25, 2009 23:33:29 GMT -8
Either ghost written, or heavily edited.
I really hope that one day, we'll have a book about BCF that is comparable to the fantastic job Robert Turner has done with his books about CP's history. Something other than political propaganda **cough**Bannerman**cough**.
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rt1commuter
Chief Steward
JP - Overworked grad student
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Post by rt1commuter on Feb 26, 2009 1:17:36 GMT -8
Don't hope, just do it! Between the members of this forum there is enough knowledge to write a fantastic book about our ferries. I have learned so much here, I'd love to see all of this content put together in one place.
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Post by Kahloke on Feb 26, 2009 6:06:45 GMT -8
You could even open it up to Ferries of the Pacific Northwest, and include the Alaska Marine Highway System, Blackball Line, and Washington State Ferries. There's enough members here with in-depth knowledge to cover all of the Northwest Ferries.
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Mill Bay
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Long Suffering Bosun
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Post by Mill Bay on Feb 26, 2009 10:42:14 GMT -8
You could even open it up to Ferries of the Pacific Northwest, and include the Alaska Marine Highway System, Blackball Line, and Washington State Ferries. There's enough members here with in-depth knowledge to cover all of the Northwest Ferries. Ah, but the ferries of Puget Sound already have their own book, now, thanks to Evergreenfleet, and we could hire Leconte to write one of the Alaska service. Not to mention, we have on aspiring writer who's just looking for some patronage... (since writing creative fiction seems to be a slow and painstaking affair) . I'd love to produce a nice pictorial thing, showcasing some of the best photos from around here, but what I'd love to do even more, is track down a bunch of original employees and simply get them to start talking about their experiences with the ferries, record it all and then make a book that's just different people's stories about their lives on the ferries.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2009 11:52:33 GMT -8
Where would you be able to get a copy of this book? it would be nice book to have.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,171
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Post by Neil on Feb 26, 2009 12:59:32 GMT -8
Where would you be able to get a copy of this book? it would be nice book to have. Well, perhaps you're one of those people who has to have everything to do with ferries (not that there's anything wrong with that), but if you can't find it, there's an excellent alternative- considering the book apparently has no editorial content. You could go to the photo and historical sections of this here forum and find probably twenty times the pictures with at least the same quality, at a pretty darned good price.
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Post by Scott on Feb 26, 2009 17:28:35 GMT -8
Yeah, this looks like something you could do at blurb.com or blacksphotography.com or many other places online. Any one of us could do this with our own photos for less than 80 bucks and probably less than 50 (and probably do it in a few hours). Print an extra copy for half price and donate it to the library.
It would be kind of neat to put a book together with all the photography and expertise of the members of this forum. It would require one or two people with lots of time to organize the effort... but I think they'd get a lot of volunteers to contribute:) And I wouldn't expect anyone to get rich off it:)
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Post by Northern Exploration on Feb 26, 2009 18:01:43 GMT -8
There are a variety of programs you can use to set up the pages and Kinkos or Staples and your local print stores like Minuteman Press etc. will also produce them for you with a variety of binding options. Some options involve sending the book out and other simpler ones are done in house.
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Post by royalroadscaptain on Apr 7, 2009 20:02:08 GMT -8
Speaking of ferry books, I'm almost done with my fieldwork--three years into it, over 300 interviews, and only Kuper Island, the mid-island section of Vancouver Island (hence, the Nanaimo routes), and Ocean Falls left to study. Phew!
I just wanted to write a note to say that I could use your ferry expertise, stories, and pictures for my forthcoming book(s) on the ferries. In return I can promise due credit and ackowledgment, though unfortunately no riches.
As a backgrounder: I'll be doing 2 books on my research on the ferries. One book will be for a more academic audience and it'll be more critical, more analytical and much more in-depth, etc.
The other book will be for a broader audience and it'll be lighter, shorter, more narrative in nature, with lots of pictures (mine and others'), and with nice artwork (other people's, not mine as I suck at that), etc. I'll be doing the second book with a local publisher and I want my share of the proceeds to go to children charities located on island-dependent communities.
Ideally the latter book can sell on the ferries' gift shops; that kind of distribution should bring in a bit of money to go to a good cause. As a book title, by the way, of thinking of Ferry Tales. That gives you an idea of the content. It'll feature stories about the unique "rituals" and lifestyles that have developed around the ferries in many communities, interesting and fun narratives shared by locals, individuals' personal stories, some observations based on my experiences, and so forth.
Anyways, I could use your help, guys. I'd be happy to publish in that second book a small handful of your favorite photographs, include any good stories you may want to share (personal stories or stories shared and well known by others in your community), and consider anything else that is valuable from a "human interest" angle. If you have artwork that you'd like to contribute (e.g. poems, song lyrics, sketches, or whathave you) please share that too.
My research is about "people and their ferries," rather than about "ferry boats," so it can't happen unless I ask people to tell me their ferry tales, right?
Feel free to email me questions, or send material any time, to phillip.vannini@royalroads.ca. If you have large files over 3MB email me first, please.
And sorry I've been AWOL from the forum. Over the last year I don't think I've been home once for more than five days in a row...
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FNS
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The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,948
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Post by FNS on Apr 8, 2009 0:23:54 GMT -8
I have just received this book in the post. I purchased it directly from the publisher. Before doing so, I had my library do an ILL of the exact book, shown in the first picture in the opening posting of this thread, from the VPL. The book was satisfactory enough that I went ahead and got my own copy.
Very good book and a keeper.
As for the library book, I returned it to my Seattle area library Friday of last week. It should be on its way back to the VPL and should be back on this library's shelf in a few days or so.
Many thanks to "Dane" for leading me to this book.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,171
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Post by Neil on Apr 8, 2009 8:47:59 GMT -8
No offense to the guy who put out the picture book that ferrynutseattle is refering to, but I'm really looking forward to royalroadscaptain's project. There is no shortage of ferry photos, but there has been very little written on what the ferries mean to British Columbians, and the role they play in our lives. Union Steamships lore has been pretty well documented, as well as CP, but BC Ferries has been largely ignored, aside from basic stuff like the Bannerman book.
This is something we need, and I wish the author well.
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Post by NMcKay on Apr 8, 2009 11:30:01 GMT -8
Speaking of ferry books, I'm almost done with my fieldwork--three years into it, over 300 interviews, and only Kuper Island, the mid-island section of Vancouver Island (hence, the Nanaimo routes), and Ocean Falls left to study. Phew! I just wanted to write a note to say that I could use your ferry expertise, stories, and pictures for my forthcoming book(s) on the ferries. In return I can promise due credit and ackowledgment, though unfortunately no riches. As a backgrounder: I'll be doing 2 books on my research on the ferries. One book will be for a more academic audience and it'll be more critical, more analytical and much more in-depth, etc. The other book will be for a broader audience and it'll be lighter, shorter, more narrative in nature, with lots of pictures (mine and others'), and with nice artwork (other people's, not mine as I suck at that), etc. I'll be doing the second book with a local publisher and I want my share of the proceeds to go to children charities located on island-dependent communities. Ideally the latter book can sell on the ferries' gift shops; that kind of distribution should bring in a bit of money to go to a good cause. As a book title, by the way, of thinking of Ferry Tales. That gives you an idea of the content. It'll feature stories about the unique "rituals" and lifestyles that have developed around the ferries in many communities, interesting and fun narratives shared by locals, individuals' personal stories, some observations based on my experiences, and so forth. Anyways, I could use your help, guys. I'd be happy to publish in that second book a small handful of your favorite photographs, include any good stories you may want to share (personal stories or stories shared and well known by others in your community), and consider anything else that is valuable from a "human interest" angle. If you have artwork that you'd like to contribute (e.g. poems, song lyrics, sketches, or whathave you) please share that too. My research is about "people and their ferries," rather than about "ferry boats," so it can't happen unless I ask people to tell me their ferry tales, right? Feel free to email me questions, or send material any time, to phillip.vannini@royalroads.ca. If you have large files over 3MB email me first, please. And sorry I've been AWOL from the forum. Over the last year I don't think I've been home once for more than five days in a row... Ferry Tales is taken.....
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Mill Bay
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Long Suffering Bosun
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Post by Mill Bay on Apr 8, 2009 15:23:42 GMT -8
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FNS
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The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,948
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Post by FNS on Apr 8, 2009 16:46:32 GMT -8
Does this mean I'm out of a job, then, as far as writing a book is concerned? Don't weep, "Mill Bay"! Everyone have great writing talents. Even you!! Go ahead and write a book, "Mill Bay". I know that you have great talents. I'd buy your book tomorrow! As what our handsome and groovy moderator "Coastal Skier" says: "No whining and no weeping on this great forum".
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Post by royalroadscaptain on Apr 8, 2009 17:21:35 GMT -8
Thank you Neil. Klatawa Teen's post just made me realize--after a Google search-- that "Ferry Tales" has been used before as a title. www.ferry-tales.org/ as well as www.ferrytales.net/Oh well, it's not copyrighted
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Apr 9, 2009 3:51:51 GMT -8
Thank you Neil. Klatawa Teen's post just made me realize--after a Google search-- that "Ferry Tales" has been used before as a title. www.ferry-tales.org/ as well as www.ferrytales.net/Oh well, it's not copyrighted - might I suggest Ferry Time Fables as an alternate if Ferry Tales becomes an issue...
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
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Post by Mill Bay on Apr 24, 2009 12:18:10 GMT -8
Another recently published book, about the history of the Port of Prince Rupert. At times, it almost seemed more like a series of successive political betrayals.
It mentions the beginning of the Inside passage service of BCFerries, specifically the QPR, as well as the AMHS services, and all the previous passenger operations of the Union, CP and CN and various other operators.
Unfortunately, it was published a few years too early. An addendum might be in order to update current developments surrounding BCFerries as well as the apparent success of the new container port at the port.
Hays' orphan : the story of the Port of Prince Rupert Hick, W. B. M.
Publisher: Prince Rupert Port Authority, Pub date: c2003.
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Post by Barnacle on Apr 28, 2009 6:21:12 GMT -8
The problem with most ferryboat books is that, sooner or later, you have to draw an arbitrary line in the history, say to yourself "okay, I'm stopping at this point," and send it to the printers.
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Post by royalroadscaptain on Apr 29, 2009 19:48:02 GMT -8
You guys are an incredible source of information. I hadn't heard of some of these books. Thank you.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jun 29, 2009 17:19:42 GMT -8
I visited Sabine's Books on Salt Spring Island, today. I bought 2 ship books: - "Ferry Across the Harbor" (the story of North Vancouver Ferries), by Capt. James Barr. (1969, Mitchell Press, Vancouver). - The booklet "Ministry of Transportation and Highways Inland and Coastal Ferries" by Frank Clapp (1981, by the BC Gov't). Check out www.sabinesbooks.com for their inventory list. Now the fun part: reading them. The Clapp booklet includes a loose-leaf addendum from 1984 which has various corrections and updates, as well as a picture of a bow-less Princess of Vancouver approaching (with open bow-doors).
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