“A people with the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree with roots”
~Marcus Garvey
We at the River Bookshop love and actively support Amherstburg’s historic roots. We have demonstrated that by restoring 67 Richmond, hosting local speakers; and by naming the Hole In the Wall and White Woods Home as nods to our past.
In southern Ontario it is really easy to come across a person that worked at or visited Boblo when it was an amusement park. It seems we all have stories to tell. It opened as a major amusement park in 1898 and had an up and down ride (no pun intended) until 1993, when the park closed for good. Since then there has been a growing number of residents at the north end of the island while the south end has been left largely untouched. A hundred or so acres for the deer to roam and for the old buildings to continue to deteriorate. Knowing that things would look very much different after construction Colleen took out her camera and took a lot of photos. Many residents did this, but we went one step further. We created a 1000pc puzzle that is exclusive to the River Bookshop. We ordered a fixed quantity so don’t be tardy if you want one.
The puzzle is now in store and displayed front and centre in our display window. You can order it here or pick it up when you visit.
“Photographs are the reflection of untold stories unseen beauties, unexpressed emotions and the unheard songs of life."
~Debasish Mrida
Puzzle away,
Colleen and Richard
And don't forget our upcoming event, "Challenging Black History Myths in Amherstburg" with Amherstburg Freedom Museum's Dr. Lorene Bridgen-Lennie. Seats are filling up fast for live attendees, there's only a couple left but as always we have plenty of room for those who would like to attend virtually!
Once again, here are some books to add to your Black History Month reading list:
Non-Fiction - The Black HIstory Book, The 1619 Project, Four Hundred Souls, How to be an Antiracist, Systemic Racism 101
Fiction - The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr., Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson, Call Us What we Carry by Amanda Gorman, What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris.
And for the littles in your life, some books that make room for teaching moments or just allow for representation and diversity:
What is Racism?, Freedom Summer, We Are Family, Who Was Nelson Mandela, Meet Willie O'Ree, I Promise, What is the Civil Rights Movement, Meet Viola Desmond.
Our live/virtual book club coming up on the last Tuesday of the month, February 22nd. Our choice this month is the runaway bestseller, All the Quiet Places by Brian Thomas Isaac.
