Head Cook at Weddings and Funerals and Other Stories of Doukhobor Life

Susan Patrick is a librarian at Ryerson Polytechnical University.

Being head cook at weddings and funerals is considered a position of
honor in Doukhobor society; this collection of short stories details the
social and family rituals of this unique culture in Canada, with much
local color and an emphasis on the importance of food—especially
borsch. The stories are both moving and entertaining, and told from the
point of view of a young girl growing up and facing the clash between
the cultures and values of her Doukhobor family and friends and those of
the very different Canadian society beyond. The characterizations have a
true-to-life quality, and particularly poignant are the depictions of
the cruelty of children in their disregard or ignorance of others’
feelings. Although set within the specific cultural context of Doukhobor
society, the stories deal with matters to which most readers will be
able to relate—including such universal themes as birth, death,
marriage, friendship, and family relationships, and the emotions of
love, envy, pride, vanity, and embarrassment.