London's Bicentennial (Snippet 16)

 Prince Arthur's Tour -  He Visits London in 1869
   Apparently the "Blue Noses" were a bit rambunctious at this reception.

From: 

A Bonus:
   Also in 1869 one finds this Personal Ad in the New York Herald from a gentleman who wishes to resume a conversation. For another example of a personal ad placed by a Londoner see: "Lonely in London c. 1920."

Source: For more details see this book, Home to Canada: Royal Tours 1786-2010, by Arthur Bousfield & Gary Toffoli.

University of Ottawa Press

 Les Presses de l’Université d’Ottawa
   Although this is the eleventh post about university presses, nine of them were about those located south of our border. The tenth was about Wilfred Laurier Press (the links to the others are provided there). Readers should not overlook these book outlets since they often publish works of interest for those who are not members of any academy. 
   The UOP/PUO has been around since the early 1930s and has published hundreds of books in both English and French. Their mission " is to enrich intellectual and cultural life through the publication and dissemination of award-winning high-end trade and scholarly works in the humanities and social sciences..."
  As well, works of fiction are published as are biographies and autobiographies. In the latter categories, one finds a biography of the journalist Fulgence Charpentier. But, to illustrate that university presses can be surprising book stores, they also have published one about Bob Sliverman.

   "Few unknown figures have left such a lasting mark on the world as Robert "Bicycle Bob" Silverman.

   A true nonconformist, this tireless advocate for urban cycling lived an extraordinary life. Poet, bookseller, restaurateur, traveler, educator, gallery owner—but above all, a passionate cycling activist—Bob led his vélorution (a term he was the first to popularize in Canada) with authenticity, ingenuity, and boundless creativity.

  With his small but dedicated group, Le Monde à Bicyclette (MàB), and a handful of allies, Bob Silverman achieved the impossible. Over three decades, Montreal transformed from one of the least bike-friendly cities in North America into its cycling capital—thanks in part to MàB’s colorful cyclodramas, street theatre protests where members donned costumes to make their point.

  Silverman’s story reads like a film script. A poet and independent bookseller in the 1960s, he drew in a vibrant circle of artists, intellectuals, and musicians, including Leonard Cohen and Armand Vaillancourt. In 1962, he traveled to Cuba to join Fidel Castro’s revolution, meeting none other than Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Later, he worked on an Israeli kibbutz, becoming one of the rare Jewish activists to shake hands with Yasser Arafat. He studied in France and Spain, pioneered outdoor volleyball, and never shied away from challenging the status quo."

   Books about nature are not excluded, nor are sports.

  

   Another imprint from UOP/PUO - The Mercury Series - contains over 500 titles:

      "Strikingly Canadian and highly specialized, the Mercury Series presents works in the research domain of the Canadian Museum of History and benefits from the publishing expertise of the University of Ottawa Press. Created in 1972, the series is in line with the Canadian Museum of History’s strategic directions. The Mercury Series consists of peer-reviewed academic research, and includes numerous landmark contributions in the disciplines of Canadian history, archaeology, culture and ethnology. Books in the series are published in at least one of Canada’s official languages, and may appear in other languages.

The best resource on the history, archaeology, and culture of Canada is proudly published by the Canadian Museum of History and the University of Ottawa Press."

   The first publication produced by UOP/PUO was a journal and they still publish a few. One example will demonstrate again that interesting reading can be found at university presses.

For more information and to shop or donate go to their website: UOP/PUO. 
The Bonus: Those playing sports at the University of Ottawa are known as the "Gee-Gees."