Vancouver's Top Ten: A Unique Guide to the Best in the City

Ann Turner is Financial and Budget Manager at the University of British
Columbia Library.

The author is quick to point out that the “Top Ten’s” listed here are purely his own subjective choices, and he makes no attempt to justify either the candidates or their rankings. With that thought firmly in mind, the reader can find a great deal of interest, and probably some surprises, in this book. Those dissatisfied with the selections given are invited to send their own choices to the author via a form on the last page. The competitions are arranged in seven broad groupings: people, entertainment, shopping, food and drink, places to see, leisure and recreation, and civic pride. There are from nine to seventeen categories within each grouping, for a total of ninety-two separate “Top Ten’s.” Categories include everything from “Exclusive Clubs” to “Campgrounds,” from “Health Food Stores” to “Places for Chocolate.” The short paragraphs about each of the candidates provide a wealth of information about the Vancouver scene past and present in a bright, up-beat style. Residents and visitors alike will come upon new places to visit and new things to do in Vancouver and its neighbouring communities while browsing through these lists. But trying to find again a half-remembered item of interest can be a frustrating experience involving much flipping of pages. The book lacks both an index and a detailed table of contents.