Customer Reviews

How to Be a Canadian (Even if You Already Are One)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

You must be able to honestly look at our Canadianism, with an open mind, and a quirky, humorous attitude to peruse this book. If you think Canadian's are, just perfect, do not even open this book, as it will just upset you.
However, if like me, you love to revel in our differences, and laugh at our little idiosyncrasies, you will enjoy this, sometimes subtle, and sometimes very, in your face mock at the Canadian species.
Brothers Will and Ian Ferguson somehow get away with saying the most outrages things...
"If Canadians were porridge, Goldilocks would find us just right" In describing Canada's newest northern territory, Nunavut ..... "the world's most expensive guilt trip"
They describe the official emblem of Vancouver as an umbrella turned inside out. With an activist chained to it. Drinking a latte.
They give equal opportunity in their ridicule to all parts of the country.
They offer the "Twelve Ways to Say I'm Sorry"
The Ferguson Brothers, both comedy writers of other venues, have joined together to create this very funny, impertinent account of the Canadian life way. And it's good.
Steve MacDowall
Thursday File
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This book is absolutely incredible. I received it for Christmas last year, and just could not put it down. The Ferguson brothers are astute and insightful, and do it all with such sarcasm and wit that you're left laughing out loud - even if you are a little embarrassed. I've advised all of my Canadian friends - and my expatriates as well - to purchase a copy of this book. It's "smart funny", poking fun at everything from "Create Your Own Bryan Adams Song" to "How The Government Works." That one, by the way, is a one page chapter. The chapter giving details on every province is a hoot - they obviously did their homework on this one. What can I say? The book has been sold out at nearly every store I have visited - get your hands on it!

This is truly one of the best books ever written about Canada.
Forget the pretentious pontifications of Pierre Burton and Margaret Atwood, this book tells the real story of Canadian society in hilariously frank language.

Will Fergusons really has a talent for writing hilarious, iconoclastic Canadian literature. "Bastards and Boneheads" was clever, "Why I hate Canadians" was funny, yet rambling, but "How to Be Canadian" is truly hits the mark.

The book is written in a very fast-paced, self-referencing, Dave Barry-eque style, with footnotes, script-style conversations, and hilarious chapter titles. Unlike some of the other Ferguson works, this is a book that is 100% humor, and contains no hidden morals or agendas. It's giant in-joke that only true Canadians can get.

I think one of the best parts was the province-by-province synopsis, especially his description of Prince Edward Island as a repressive police state unwillingly subjected to the massive personality cult of Anne of Green Gables. His ill-fated attempt to describe Canadian sex is similarly hilarious.

This is a book that all Canadians should read.

If you have a classically Canadian sense of humour (e.g. you don't understand the appeal of most blockbuster Hollywood comedies, but you find This Hour Has 22 Minutes uproaringly funny), you will love this latest offering from Will and Ian Ferguson. The book is funny, irreverent, and not afraid to poke fun at all kinds of Canadian icons and institutions.

I also highly recommend Canadian History for Dummies by Will Ferguson (a book my teenage son has also enjoyed tremendously) and Canuck Chicks and Maple Leaf Mamas: Women of the Great White North by Ann Douglas (a hilarious and saucy pop culture celebration of Canadian women). Diehard Canadiana fans will also want to splurge on Souvenir of Canada by Douglas Coupland (a gorgeous coffee table book). It's great to be Canadian, eh?

If you laugh at Royal Canadian Air Farce and enjoy tongue-in-cheek self-deprecating Canadian humour, this book is definitely for you. It takes you on a tour of Canadian regionalism (Albertans are the angriest Canadians), cuisine (Timmy's), sports (curling) and government (hopeless). Pokes fun at our car-buying habits (why do farmers by big-a??ed luxury cars?), our pop-culture (you know, that stick-insect woman singer from Quebec) and our language (eh?). You can even learn how to say you are sorry in twelve different truly-Canadian ways and how to write lyrics like Bryan Adams. The only thing it doesn't tell you is how to make love in a canoe.

I first heard about "How To Be A Canadian" on CBC's "Basic Black," in which Arthur Black interviewed the Ferguson brothers (Will and Ian) and they read some of the best parts of the book out loud. What can I say...I was hooked and rushed out to buy a copy at Chapters (Amazon.ca didn't exist then...sorry guys, I'm now a loyal Amazon.ca customer!). "HTBAC" reads fairly quickly, but it is an immensely enjoyable read, and explosively funny in spots (don't read this at work if you don't want coworkers giving you looks of sympathy after your random hyena laughter).

"How To Be A Canadian" conveniently packages our national heroes, cuisine, regional differences, literary endeavours, phobias, and odd social customs into a laugh-out-loud tome that is the literary equivalent of Timbits: tasty, bite-sized chapters on "Who To Hate and Why," "How To Waste Time Like A Canadian," "Mating Rituals," "Art and Stuff," "Progressive Conservatives, Responsible Government and Other Oxymorons," and "Twelve Ways To Say You're Sorry," along with how to insult Canadians, the official Canadian haircut and dress code (mullet, plaid shirt, skidoo boots with fake buckles), provincial "fact sheets" (Ontario: "Gaze Upon our Humble Magnificence and Bow Down Before Us!" Formal name: The Centre of the Universe. Provincial motto: "Celebrating over 100 years of narcissistic self-absorption") and more. To top it off the Ferguson brothers have written a clever little quiz at the end to test your Canadian knowledge (If you hear the name "Elvis" and immediately think of figure skating, give yourself one point. If you still don't know what the capital of New Brunswick is, give yourself 10 points. If you can't remember if you curled or not, because of how drunk you were: 50 points) You get the idea. Nothing is sacred for Will and Ian, which is what makes the book so funny.

So, if you're American and want to learn more about those mysterious neighbo(u)rs of yours to the north, this is the book for you. If you're a Canadian who needs a quick reply to "What makes a Canadian" (other than *not* being an American), this book is for you. I have bought "How to Be A Canadian" for a number of friends with different tastes and it's been a success all around. A funny, thoughtful book that hits the mark on all the issues and is certainly entertaining in the process (that's PROcess, not prahcess, eh?) Have fun, and good luck to any Future Canadians out there!

I thought this book was wildly entertaining and hilarious. It may poke some fun at canadian things, but they are so true and you can't deny it. I recommend it to anyone who wants a light and VERY funny all CANADIAN book! Enjoy!

This book is so witty. Very funny. I laugh out loud reading it. It covers all aspects of Canadian culture, landscape and people. Excellent!

I bought this book as a gift for my Dad.. and then decided to "look it over", to make
sure it was appropriate. Well once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. It is a
hilarious reality to the confused state of being a Canadian. This one is going to be a
staple on my gift giving list from now on!

"How to be a Canadian", written by Will and Ian Ferguson (both Canadian), is a short book that aims at making you laugh by making fun of some stereotypes regarding Canada and Canadians.

I must confess that I thought that some parts of this book were a bit boring. On the other hand, I couldn't help but laugh when the authors say that their "sophisticated sense of self-identity (namely, that as Canadians, Canadians are, in fact, Canadian) is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. More important still is what Canadians aren't: American". I also liked the way in which Will and Ian give strange examples in order to help the reader to understand Canadian media, or when they wisely point out that "one of the most important aspects of assimilating into a particular culture is getting interested in the national obsession" (that is, hockey), among other things.

On the whole, I believe that "How to be a Canadian" is a book that will make you laugh, but not one you willl learn a lot from. All the same, and provided you take that into account, recommended....

Belen Alcat