passed through the generations at family dinner parties — not exactly how one gets one’s name in the history books. Yet, these mothers of Canada were a heroic lot. Take Captain Molly Kool, Forster pointed out, showing us an image of a beautiful woman in Second-World-War-era sea captain’s navy blazer and hat. At the age of 23, Captain Kool sailed the Atlantic Coast as North America’s first female sea captain, a feat so amazing she was featured on Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Forster continued with examples of heroines of medicine, of the stage and of the arts, of politics and law, and of valour. Afterward, we marvelled at the women whose courage, wit and strength helped shape our country’s history. Our champagne toast became as much a salute to those women as to Forster’s own heroic achievement. “Their accomplishments are too important to forget, and each of us can play a role in keeping these stories
alive,” said Forster. “Did you know you could nominate people to be recognized for significant contributions to Canada’s history? Or suggest someone appear on a commemorative postage stamp? I include all the details about how to do this on my website,” she said. In well-researched biographies of no more than a few pages each, Forster’s book captures the essence of 100 notable lives, beginning with a photo or painted portrait and ending with a quote from the heroine. Whether read in five-minute snatches or devoured in large sections, Forster’s book blows the dust off conventional accounts of Canadian history, rendering our heritage suddenly colourful and utterly human. Which Canadian heroine are you? Visit Forster’s Facebook page and take the quiz to find out. VB Questions or comments? Want your book club featured in the magazine? Please email me at adyer@telus.net, or connect with me on Boulevard’s Facebook page.