Honorary Degree Books 2007
Allen Benson
Allen Benson works to achieve community-capacity building processes and structures to help Indigenous Peoples to articulate and advance their visions for the future. A recipient of the Alberta Aboriginal Role Model Award of Justice, he has served as advisor to the Federal Family Violent Crimes Task Force. Benson initiated the development of the Aboriginal Legal Defence Fund and negotiated the commencement of the first Aboriginal Healing Camps for federal inmates in Canada.
McMaster, Gerald. Native Universe: Voices of Indian America. Washington: National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, and National Geographic, c2004.
Native Universe
Native Universe was published by the National Museum of the American Indian to commemorate the inaugural exhibition themes at its magnificent new building in Washington, D.C. It is a remarkable pictorial record with 300 illustrations that show the impressive richness of indigenous cultures and artwork. An eminent group of Native American leaders, scholars, tribal elders, artists, poets, and activists contributed essays on the significance of contemporary and historical events from a Native American perspective. This special book offers a fitting tribute to Native American achievement. [E 77 N367 2004 folio]
Sheldon Bowles
Sheldon Bowles is a successful entrepreneur, best selling author, and noted international speaker. He served as President and CEO of Domo Gas and helped to build this company into one of Canada's largest independent retail gasoline chains based on a vision of elevating service through raising self-esteem and motivation of employees. A transformational educator, Bowles emphasis is on personal value and self-confidence resonates with audiences both within and outside the business sector.
Stampede (Souvenir Album). Winnipeg, Aug 9-16, 1913.
Stampede Souvenir Album
Inspired by rodeo cowboy Guy Weadick, and sponsored by local businessmen H. C. McMullen, George Lane, A. E. Cross, A. J. McLean, and Pat Burns, “Stampedes” were held in Calgary in 1912, Winnipeg in 1913, and Toronto in 1914. Revived in Calgary after World War I in 1919 with a “Great Victory Stampede,” these annual rodeos merged with the Calgary Exhibition Company in 1923 to offer a combined event. This delightful, branded leather souvenir album of the 1913 Winnipeg rodeo contains over 70 photographic postcards that are an important testament to the Stampede Company’s early migrations. Ephemeral pieces like this tend not to survive, but when they do their presence in already strong subject collections adds a fresh dimension. [GV 1834.56 C22 W5 S36 1913]
Professors Patricia Smith Churchland and Paul Churchland
Pioneers in neurophilosophy, Patricia Smith Churchland and Paul Churchland have sought to create a unified philosophical and scientific understanding of the cognitive and ethical lives of human beings. Paul Churchland's work on neural networks and pattern recognition proposes radically new ways of considering human desires and beliefs, including theories of knowledge, psychology, and ethics. Patricia Smith Churchland's work explores the neurological underpinnings of morality and how the brain is responsible for behaviour that we describe as making choices. Both Churchlands have served as Presidents of the American Philosophical Association, and their bold critiques of contemporary philosophy have contributed to the interaction and transformation of a number of disciplines across the arts and sciences.
Parmenides. The Fragments of Parmenides and an English Translation. Berkeley: Editions Koch, 2003.
The Fragments of Parmenides
This lavishly produced edition of Parmenides’ Pre-Socratic poem—which has survived only in fragmentary form—was painstakingly crafted by letterpress printer Peter Koch, translator Robert Bringhurst, and several other talented artists. What made the project so demanding was the knowledge and expertise required for the various components of production, which included two specially commissioned Greek typefaces, vibrantly coloured abstract wood engravings, and considerable handwork for everything from the binding to the setting of new foundry type. Parmenides' poetry addresses serious and important philosophical questions that focus on the nature of being. His influence was felt throughout the entire history of Western philosophy. [B 235 P23 F73 2003 folio]
George Thomas Hendery Cooper
A former Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice of Canada, George Cooper, a corporate and commercial lawyer, is senior partner in the Atlantic Canadian law firm of McInnes Cooper. He is a former Chair of the Canada-United States Foundation for Educational Exchange (the Fulbright Scholarship) and was a trustee of the Killam Trusts from 1983 to 1993 and a Managing Trustee from 1993 to 2007. He is Chair of the Board of Governors, University of King's College, Halifax.
Campbell, John Douglas Sutherland, Duke of Argyll. Canadian Pictures. London: The Religious Tract Society, 1884.
Canadian Pictures
This illustrated travel book by John Douglas Campbell, the Marquis of Lorne (1845–1914) and Governor General of Canada (1878–1883), shows many captivating scenes from his travels through the vast Canadian landscape, including a view of Halifax on a summer day, a beaver village at dusk, a paddlewheel boat navigating the Lachine Rapids, and an ice jam in Montreal. Engraved by Edward Whymper (1840–1911), the illustrations are from objects and photographs in the possession of and sketches by the Marquis. Beautiful topographical drawings are included, and the foldout coloured map of Canada is particularly delightful. The book was a powerful tribute to the unity of the Canadian Confederation. Indeed, the Marquis was convinced that the provinces “will march on from strength to strength, strong in their mutual reliance on each other.” [FC 73 A69 1884]
P.J. Perry
P.J. Perry is recognized by critics, colleagues, and listeners as one of North America's premier saxophonists. He is the recipient of the 1993 Juno Award for Best Jazz Recording for his album My Ideal and received Jazz Report Magazine's Critic's Choice Award for Best Alto Sax for a record seven years (1993-1999). When not on tour, Perry can be heard playing with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, at Edmonton's local jazz hub, The Yardbird Suite, and at many civic events.
Crowder, Henry. Henry-Music. Paris:
Hours Press, 1930.
Henry-Music
Henry Crowder was an African-American musician working in Paris who met Nancy Cunard in 1928. Their relationship included Crowder assisting Cunard at her small publishing house, the Hours Press. Nancy Cunard printed works by members of the modernist, surrealist, and dada movements, and she was an inspiration for several of the notable authors of the period. This book includes six poems written by Cunard and others, including Samuel Beckett, and set to music by Crowder. It is signed by the author and includes a handwritten dedication to the post-impressionist painter, Augustus Johns, “an artist that belongs very much to us all. A real genuine person. I appreciate him very highly and honestly.” This extremely rare book is an important publication among the Hours Press holdings in Bruce Peel Special Collections. [M 1620 C95 1930 folio]
Hunter Harrison
As President and CEO of the Canadian National Railway Company, now Canada's largest railway, E. Hunter Harrison has made a major contribution to the economic vitality of western Canada. Harrison was named North America's Railroader of the Year by Railway Age Magazine in 2002 and also received the B'nai Brith Canada Award of Merit, the Jewish community's most prestigious honour in Canada.
Canadian National Railways. Thirty-Two Scenic Views of Western Canada. C.N.R. c1920s.
Thirty-Two Scenic Views of Western Canada
Published by the Canadian National Railways, this beautiful travel brochure is undated but was probably printed in the 1920s. It has thirty-two sepia photogravures that show iconic scenes from the Canadian Prairies as an enticement to would-be train travellers. Popular tourist stops are shown, including a lovely cabin scene at the Jasper Park Lodge and a breathtaking photo of Mount Edith Cavell. The brochure is a wonderful pictorial record of the way that railroads offered access and economic prosperity to the burgeoning communities of western Canada and is, therefore, a fitting tribute to Ewing Hunter Harrison’s achievements at the helm of the Canadian National Railway Company. [FC 3205.3 T44]
Dr Maria Klawe
Maria Klawe, U of A alumna, is recognized as one of the top theoretical computer scientists in the world. Klawe has made significant research contributions in several areas of mathematics and computer science including functional analysis, discrete mathematics, theoretical computer science, human-computer interaction, gender issues in information technology, and interactive-multimedia for mathematical education.
Albers, Josef. Interaction of Color. New Haven: Yale UP, 1963.
Interaction of Color
Josef Albers (1888-1976) was a German artist, mathematician, and educator whose work with the Bauhaus school in Germany and Yale University in the U.S. formed the basis of the most influential and widespread art education program of the last century. This volume is one of a limited edition of 2000 copies and presents his major theory that the perception of colours is governed by an internal and deceptive logic. The 80 plates are protected by tissue to prevent offsetting of the colour and were printed using a combination of silk-screen, four colour separation, and photo-offset processes. This seminal work is an essential reference source for art students. [QC 495 A33]
J. Wilton Littlechild
A Canadian Cree and U of A alumnus, Wilton Littlechild was the first indigenous person appointed to Queen's Council by the Alberta Law Society. In 1988, he became the first Treaty Indian in Canada to serve as a member of Parliament. Chosen as one of only 16 dignitaries to serve as an independent expert on indigenous issues as part of UN's Permanent Forum, Littlechild has represented indigenous peoples at the UN since 1977 World Council of Indigenous Development.
Standing Alone, Pete. The Wisdom of the Cree of Canada: A Book of Healing for the Human Heart. Calgary: The Alberta Foundation, 1994.
The Wisdom of the Cree of Canada
This is a leather-bound special edition of a book that is the culmination of a five-year study and portrays a “spiritual odyssey of the original heritage of the myths, legends, folklore, wisdom, medicine, dreams, songs, visions, healing joy and collected knowledge of the Neyiyawak, Woods Cree, Maskikowak, Swampy Cree, Anishini, Northern Cree, Plains Cree, Moose Cree, Rock Cree and other ‘Kristineau'.” It is based on narrations of Cree Elders from the Rockies to James Bay and is beautifully illustrated by Nitsiitaipoi, Henry StandingAlone. An inspirational addition to the Peel library’s strong Aboriginal collections. [E 99 C9 W82 1994 folio]
John H. Matthews
John Matthews has held senior managerial positions in four trust companies and banks. He is the former CEO and Director of RBC Trust Company and General Manager and Director of the Bermuda Trust Company. He is a Member of the Investment Committee of the Canada Council for the Arts; Director, MD Private Trust Company; and Treasurer, Society of Saint John the Evangelist. A Fellow of the Trust Companies Institute and an independent consultant and company director, he is the longest serving Killam Trustee, having served in that position since 1981.
Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus. Albini diaconi Anglici in D. Ioannis Evangelion commentariorum libri septem, Christiana fruge refertissimi. Argentorati: Apud I. Hervagium, 1527.
Albini diaconi Anglici in D. Ioannis Evangelion
The English scholar, Alcuin of York, was invited by Charlemagne to join his court as an educator and advisor and to supervise the program intended to revamp the existing educational system. Alcuin was a prolific writer authoring works of basic instruction in grammar, spelling, and mathematics, as well as a large corpus of letters, saints’ lives, poetry, and biblical commentary. This commentary on the Gospel of John the Evangelist is one of his most original and popular works of biblical interpretation. It circulated in some twenty-seven medieval manuscripts before it was printed for the first time in Straßburg in 1527 and is one of the landmark publications of the early sixteenth century. [BS 2615 A43 1527]
Margaret Ann McCaig
Margaret Ann McCaig has been extensively involved in community activities and fundraising for many years and has received many honours for her work including the Alberta Order of Excellence Award and the Alumni Humanitarian Award from the University of Saskatchewan. She is Director of Suncor Energy Inc. and the Calgary Stampede Foundation; Chair of the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre; and Co-Chair of the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation's current $50 million Campaign. McCaig has served as a Killam Trustee since 1993.
Mawson, Thomas H. Calgary: A Preliminary Scheme for Controlling the Economic Growth of the City. London: T.H. Mawson & Sons, 1914.
Calgary: A Preliminary Scheme for Controlling the Economic Growth of the City
Thomas H. Mawson (1861–1933) was a noted English landscape gardener with an interest in town planning and public parks. His commissions included designs in England, Europe, and Canada, and in 1908 he won a competition to lay out the gardens for the “Palace of Peace” at the Hague. The Calgary City Planning Commission hired Mawson’s firm to prepare plans for the future development of the City, the population of which at the time was 60,000. This first edition is the very ambitious, beautifully presented town planning scheme presented to the Council in 1914. Sadly all plans were soon to be curtailed by the outbreak of WWI. [NA 9130 C1 M4]
The Honourable A. Anne McLellan
The Honourable Anne McLellan accepted a position in the Faculty of Law with U of A in 1980 and began her first foray into politics in 1993, winning the seat for the Federal Liberal party for the Edmonton Northwest riding. She served as Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Justice, Minister of Health, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and Deputy Prime Minister. On May 12, 2006, McLellan was appointed Distinguished Scholar in Residence to the U of A Institute for US Policy Studies.
Velan, Dana. In the Garden. 1994.
In the Garden
A stunning artists' book that celebrates the majestic and manifold beauties of nature, the artist expresses her insights and explorations in a mélange of exquisite collages that include watercolour pencil drawings, lithographic prints, pastel sketches, printed cutouts, and hand-painted beads. The artist was inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic children’s book, The Secret Garden, in which the young protagonist, Mary Lennox, discovers the key to a walled garden and resolves to tend to it but to keep her activities secret. In the Garden is a delightful tribute to creative life and its rejuvenating powers, which makes it a fitting selection to honour Anne McLellan and her love of gardens. [N 7433.4 V432 A6 I35 1994 folio]
Dr Norbert Rubin Morgenstern
Norbert Morgenstern has changed the face of geotechnical engineering as it is taught and practiced in Canada and beyond. The scope of his consulting experience involves projects in over 20 countries and includes dams, landslides, foundations (highways, bridges and buildings), pipelines, underground excavations, and offshore geotechnical projects. Morgenstern is a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering, a Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Engineering, A Foreign member of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, and a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Engineering.
Navier, Claude Louis Marie Henri. Résumé des leçons de mécanique données á L'ecole Polytechnique. Paris: Carilian-Goeury et Vor Dalmont, Editeurs, 1841.
Résumé des leçons de mécanique
This first edition was published four years after the author’s death and contains lectures given by him at the Polytechnique in Paris. The style of his courses was influential for over a half a century. It was built on the creative physics of his generation, liberally applied analytical mechanics, and, thus gave the civil engineer tools adapted to an industrialized age. Navier was noted for his remarkable abilities as an engineer coupled with strong political views on building an industrialized society for the advantage of all. He is often considered to be the founder of modern structural analysis. [TA 332.5 N38 1841]
Allison Douglas O'Brien
A Fellow of the Institute for Public Economics and a U of A alumnus, Al O'Brien has made lifelong contributions to the civil service. As a deputy minister under three Premiers and four Provincial Treasurers, he trained a generation of treasury officials to champion sound business planning and performance measurement in government. O'Brien succeeded in building a coalition of provinces in agreement with the difficult measures to reform the Canada Pension Plan, which helped to protect the retirement incomes of Canada's senior citizens.
Heriot, George. Travels through the Canadas, Containing a Description of the Picturesque Scenery on Some of the Rivers and Lakes; with an Account of the Productions, Commerce, and Inhabitants of Those Provinces. To Which is Subjoined a Comparative View of the Manners and Customs of Several of the Indian Nations of North and South America. London: Printed for R. Phillips, 1807.
Travels through the Canadas
This engaging account of the Loyalist settlements in Canada provides a fascinating perspective on everything from Aboriginal culture to the transport of merchandise from Montreal to Kingston in flat-bottomed boats. For a period of time, George Heriot (1759–1839) served as Deputy Postmaster General of British North America, a position that required him to travel extensively throughout Upper and Lower Canada. He recorded his travels with text, watercolours, and ink sketches, and many fine illustrations were included in the present volume as aquatints. The delightful plates include panoramic views of Quebec, the cascades of the St. Lawrence, Aboriginal encampments, and several scenes that depict local manners and customs. [FC 72 H54 1807]
Sir Keith O'Nions
A distinguished alumnus of U of A, Sir Keith O'Nions has undertaken groundbreaking research in ocean geochemistry, heat fluxes from the mantle, bonding in minerals, and the origin of the Earth's continents. His record of service to the scientific community is equally remarkable, as one of the founders of the European Association of Geochemistry, a council member for the Royal Society, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Natural History Museum, and in several roles with the Natural Sciences Research Council. He received a Knighthood for his services to Earth Sciences in the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours.
Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim's Progress. New York: Printed at the Spiral Press for the Limited Editions Club, 1941.
Special edition of The Pilgrim's Progress
This splendid edition of The Pilgrim’s Progress has three distinctive features that highlight key strengths of Bruce Peel Special Collections: fine bindings, the artistry of William Blake, and the John Bunyan Collection. The covers of the Cosway-style leather binding are bordered in gilt, and the front cover is set with an oval portrait of John Bunyan. Bunyan’s classic is illuminated with twenty-nine mounted colour reproductive plates of William Blake’s art. The book is magnificent in every respect and testifies to the capacity of human endeavour, which makes it an ideal selection to honour Sir Keith O’Nions for his impressive and varied achievements. [PR 3330 A1 1941]
Donald McQueen Shaver
An Officer of the Order of Canada and the founder of Shaver Poultry Breeding Farms Limited, Donald McQueen Shaver is widely recognized as a pioneer in the globalization of the poultry industry. He is a member of both the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame and the World's Poultry Association International Hall of Fame. Shaver served as Council Chairman of the Developing Countries Farm Radio Network, which continues to work with 300 radio broadcasters in 39 African countries to fight poverty and food insecurity.
Prudent Le Choyselat, M. Discovrs œconomiqvue, non moins utile vtile qve récréatif, monstrant comme de cinq cens liures, pour vne foys employées, l'on peult tirer par an quatre mil cinq cens liures de proffict honneste qvi est le moyen de faire profier son argent. Roven [Rouen]: Martin le Menestrier, 1612.
Discovrs oeconomique
Written in France during the reign of Charles IX (1560-1574) this is an early edition of the first book to be written on the subject of poultry husbandry. The author was an official in Sézanne in Champagne. The English translation was published in London in 1577 and went through many editions. The English title charmingly describes the usefulness of the contents: A discourse of housbandrie, no lesse profitable then delectable, declaring how by the housebandrie, or rather housewiferie of hennes, once employed, one maie maketh five hundred poundes of honest profite. All costes and charges deducted. A lovely, rare edition on an extremely specialized subject. [SF 488 F8 P8 1612]
Dr Robert C. P. Westbury
Robert Westbury has made a long lasting contribution to the quality of life in the Capital region and the Province of Alberta as a whole. His powerful leadership and communication skills have made him the "go to" person whenever a cause that will benefit the community is in need of a champion. Westbury received the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 2003 and was named one of Alberta's 50 most influential people in 2003 and 2004 by Alberta Venture.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1893.
A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys
Written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1852, Wonder Book is a retelling of six ancient Greek myths in a volume for children. Hawthorne modernized and rewrote the stories in a readable style that proved universally popular with children. Houghton and Mifflin reprinted the book in 1892 with 60 designs by Walter Crane, including 19 colour plates. The colour plates are especially beautiful, and they leave a vivid impression of the charm and mystery of the classical fables. Hawthorne made a remarkable contribution to the development of a literature for children, which makes Wonder Book a fitting selection to honour Robert Westbury’s diverse achievements and especially his interest in children’s causes. [PS 1872 W872 1893]
W. Robert Wyman
A Killam Trustee for twenty years, Robert Wyman was a former Chairman and CEO, Pemberton Securities Limited; Vice Chairman, Dominion Securities Limited; Chairman and CEO of British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority; and Chairman of Suncor Energy Inc. He was also a director of a number of public companies and Chancellor Emeritus of the University of British Columbia. His honorary degree was conferred at a private ceremony on May 16, 2007, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Sadly, Wyman passed away on June 11, 2007.
Berners, Juliana. A Treatyse of Fysshynge Wyth an Angle. London: E. Stock, 1880.
A Treatyse of Fysshynge Wyth an Angle
This is a facsimile reproduction of the first book on the subject of fishing printed in England by Wynkyn de Worde in 1496. Little is known of the putative author, but during her early youth she supposedly indulged in the fashionable sports of hawking and hunting, and later in life she became the Prioress of Sopwell near St. Albans (the ruins of which still stand). Perhaps not coincidentally a very good trout stream runs through the grounds, possibly allowing the elderly Prioress some pleasant repose. The woodcut illustrations include hooks and lead line weights of various sizes, a prototypical fishing rod among other tools, and a portrait of a jauntily dressed fisherman reeling in his catch. In a blind stamped vellum binding, this is an excellent example of a landmark sporting book. [Z 241 B52 1880]