How to Be a Canadian: Even If You Already Are One

by Will Ferguson and Ian Ferguson

Being Canadian can be a chore, says Will Ferguson, but it can be a lot of fun, too. For this follow-up to his runaway bestseller Why I Hate Canadians, Ferguson, a Canuck himself, recruited his brother Ian to create this ultimate guide to the country's cultural quirks, from diet and sex to sports and politics. The result is a nonstop comic ride through such topics as "Canadian Cuisine--and How to Avoid It," "Regional Harmony (Who to Hate and Why)," and "How to Make Love Like a Canadian."

• ISBN10: 1550548913
• ISBN13: 9781550548914
• Publish Date: 1 November 2003
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 17 March 2021
• Imprint: Douglas & McIntyre
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 225
• Language: English

Reviews

[brokentune]

Funny, but trying too hard towards the end.

However, there are some great passages - like this one on Canadian fiction writing:

"Handy tip! Write about a family gathering, a funeral or some sort of homecoming. That's the easiest way to bring characters together without having to construct a plot. And make sure to include the free-spirited sister, the recovering alcoholic brother, the other sister (the one who gave up on her dreams and is married to an abusive and/or aloof man) and - last but not least - the standard-issue abusive and/or aloof father figure. Add to the mix some cryptic dialogue about a past betrayal, maybe a dark secret or two, and half-bake at 40F. Do you see how these things just write themselves?"

Sadly, this does remind me of a few books, not all of them Canadian, though.