Whatever Happened to...?: Catching Up with Canadian Icons.

Virginia Gillham is Associate Librarian in the Public Service Library at
the University of Guelph.

The authors of this book call themselves “The Trivia Guys” (www.triviaguys.com), and they have now published a total of nine volumes of Canadian facts and information. The other titles are: The Big Book of Canadian Trivia; Catching Up with Canadian Icons; Pucks, Pablum and Pingos; I Know That Name!; The Great Canadian Book of Lists; The Ontario Fact Book; Canadian Music Fast Facts; and The Great Canadian Trivia Book.

These books of information about Canada and Canadians can be considered sources of interesting Canadian history, resources for players of trivia games, or sources of Canadian minutiae for any purpose, whether serious or frivolous.

The Canadian icons referred to in the subtitle of this volume are not only people but also things. Individuals who were famous in their day, such as football legend Russ Jackson, marathon swimmer Marilyn Bell, Canadian ambassador to the U.S. Ken Taylor, and labour leader Bob White, share space with individuals remembered for an event rather than by name. These include the boy in the famous Canadian Tire bicycle commercial, the seven-year-old boy who went over Niagara Falls unprotected and lived to tell the tale, and a woman who was the face of Heinz baby food for more than 10 years. In the “thing” category, readers can learn about Canada’s space satellites Alouette I and Alouette II, the Canadarm, the British North America Act, Canada’s first mechanical ski tow, the maintenance of Canadian war graves abroad, and much, much more. In many cases, details are included directing readers to sources of additional information, both print and electronic.

Altogether an engaging read. The volume belongs in libraries, and makes an amusing gift for anyone with an interest in things Canadian.