Great idea.

Full of surprises and insights, Souvenir of Canada presents us as we have never seen ourselves before in an irresistible flow of text and image.

Douglas Coupland offers new ways of seeing and experiencing Canada-looking at how it feels to be a Canadian right now and speculating what it might feel like in the future. From collective memories, he locates objects like stubbie beer bottles and ookpiks, Kraft dinner and maple walnut ice cream. And with the same unique sensibility, he considers significant events and relevant issues, like the flq crisis, Canada's relationship with the United States, medicare and the landscape itself.

In the section humbly titled "Cheese," he "When you assemble them together, foods that feel intuitively Canadian look more like camping trip provisions than actual groceries...Canada is a cold and northern country...from a biological standpoint, it is imperative that Canadians stockpile concentrated forms of sugars, carbohydrates, fats and salt."

The 50 personal categories of the 30,000-word text are arranged alphabetically and matched with 100 illustrations (50 in colour)-new luscious photos taken by Coupland himself, images of Canadian ephemera and icons, historical photos and pictures from other quite startling sources. Included are photos of cultural installations created by Coupland himself.

Read this in preparation for an upcoming trip to Vancouver.

Souvenir of Canada is a way of explaining Canada to those who know little about it. Coupland takes subjects in alphabetical order and offers historical, sociological, and personal views about each. Photographs and art are also used to great effect to convey a sense of what being Canadian is like.

Coupland has the unique position of understanding both American and Canadian culture quite well, considering how much he has traveled in both countries. He is able to approach topics of Canadian culture with an American frame of reference, which makes the topics interesting and relatable. After finishing the book, I felt that I had acquired a sense of understanding for Canada that went beyond the mere stereotypes that my previous knowledge had operated upon.

Understanding certain social issues, customs, and attitudes goes a long way to filling the gap in one’s knowledge of other countries. Coupland imparts some poignant understanding about Canada that is humorous and relevant. Sometimes it’s funny, and other times one can catch glimpses of anger and ambivalence creeping through. Citizenship of any country produces complex and contradictory feelings towards the place one calls home, and it’s this aspect that Coupland uses most effectively to relate the Canadian experience.

I feel a little Canadian after having read this...