Durvile Publications

In See-Me Street: My Indigenous Journey through Homelessness, DerRic Starlight lays down the story of three years on the streets of Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Toronto, and Vancouver. Known for his comedy and puppets, he walked away from comedy stages and the heavy-drinking life to face homelessness head-on. What he found was a street Nation who taught him what survival really means. Through diary entries and raw stories, he shows the fights, the beatings, the bottles, and the bonds that came with life unhoused. Says DerRic, "I want you to know this: you matter. Your story matters. Every culture matters. You are part of this world, and you are never too far gone to find your way back." This is a tough, unflinching account of belonging, struggle, and resilience.

Derrière chaque migraine se cache une histoire. The Headache Files révèle les récits poignants et les avancées médicales qui transforment la souffrance en espoir, par l’un des plus grands spécialistes mondiaux.

Blind Visionaries and AI: Seeing Differently explores how people living with vision loss are reshaping their lives through artificial intelligence and other technologies. Edited by Dagmar Jamieson, who lost her sight to cone-rod dystrophy, and Mark Rawleigh, diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, the book gathers the voices of blind and partially sighted artists, scholars, and researchers who have embraced AI tools in creative and practical ways. Contributors include Ashley King, Dr. John-Ross Rizzo, Jason Crawford, Jonathan Sieswerda, Sam Seavey, Maria Ramirez, and Julian Hobson. A foreword by playwright Eugene Stickland introduces the collection. The book is available in fully accessible editions: audiobook, ebook, and screen-readable website with audio features.

Blind Visionaries and AI: Seeing Differently is an in-depth exploration of how individuals with diverse visual impairments leverage technology, and especially AI, to reimagine their perceptions of the world. Central authors Dagmar Jamieson, who lost her sight due to cone-rod dystrophy, and Mark Rawleigh, diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), provide foundational narratives informed by their personal journeys, establishing context for insightful contributions from a diverse group of accomplished individuals, each living with visual impairments. Structured as a collaborative volume, the book begins with a foreword by playwright Eugene Stickland, who discusses his experiences with prosopagnosia (face blindness).

Canada Unscripted: Conversations with Canadian Media Icons showcases twenty-one of the most influential voices in Canadian film and broadcasting. In these intimate and often surprising interviews, celebrated actors, journalists, directors, and producers share stories that are raw, funny, and deeply revealing. At the heart of the book are the CBC and the National Film Board: two institutions that helped shape Canada's cultural identity. These conversations offer behind-the-scenes insight into landmark productions, pivotal news moments, and the personal journeys that shaped a generation of storytellers. With reflections that range from the political to the poetic, this is a book for readers who care about media, memory, and the power of creativity. The interviews were conducted by Vic Sarin, one of Canada's most acclaimed filmmakers, whose career has spanned continents, genres, and generations. With warmth and insight, Vic draws out the essence of each storyteller.

Acts of Darkness exposes the many faces of crime, and the many faces of injustice. Some acts of darkness are brutal and unmistakable: murder, drug wars, and violence behind prison walls. Others are more calculated: fraud, betrayal, corruption, and abuse of power. And some unfold quietly, in courtrooms, in boardrooms, or deep inside Canada?s justice system, where wrongful convictions, systemic neglect, and indifference can be just as devastating. From the chilling crimes of Paul Bernardo and the unrepentant violence of Michael McGray, to the calculated schemes of Edwin Alonzo Boyd, Helmuth Buxbaum, and Gilbert Galvan, this collection unravels the lives of some of Canada?s most notorious offenders. With unflinching detail, Acts of Darkness exposes the cracks in our legal and correctional systems, forcing readers to confront unsettling questions about justice, morality, and the true cost of punishment. A must-read for true crime enthusiasts seeking chilling insights into justice and morality.

Acts of Darkness exposes the many faces of crime, and the many faces of injustice. Some acts of darkness are brutal and unmistakable: murder, drug wars, and violence behind prison walls. Others are more calculated: fraud, betrayal, corruption, and abuse of power. And some unfold quietly, in courtrooms, in boardrooms, or deep inside Canada?s justice system, where wrongful convictions, systemic neglect, and indifference can be just as devastating. From the chilling crimes of Paul Bernardo and the unrepentant violence of Michael McGray, to the calculated schemes of Edwin Alonzo Boyd, Helmuth Buxbaum, and Gilbert Galvan, this collection unravels the lives of some of Canada?s most notorious offenders. With unflinching detail, Acts of Darkness exposes the cracks in our legal and correctional systems, forcing readers to confront unsettling questions about justice, morality, and the true cost of punishment. A must-read for true crime enthusiasts seeking chilling insights into justice and morality.

Rough & Messy Justice vividly portrays Alberta's Crowsnest Pass of 1920, a rugged Rocky Mountain region shaped by its mining economy and diverse culture. An armed CPR train robbery spirals into a deadly shootout at the Bellevue Café, where police clash with Russian outlaws fresh from Montana's mines. A surviving bandit escapes, triggering a relentless manhunt. When captured, his trial becomes a spectacle marred by overt racism in the press, law enforcement cover-ups, and a judge and jury riddled with bias. With a weak defence lawyer, unreliable witnesses, and critical legal missteps, the proceedings lead to a tragic execution. This gripping true crime account exposes systemic corruption, racial prejudice, and the fatal flaws in Canada's early justice system. By confronting these injustices, Rough & Messy Justice challenges assumptions about fairness and equality under the law, offering an exploration of historical crime and consequence.

Rough & Messy Justice vividly portrays Alberta's Crowsnest Pass of 1920, a rugged Rocky Mountain region shaped by its mining economy and diverse culture. An armed CPR train robbery spirals into a deadly shootout at the Bellevue Café, where police clash with Russian outlaws fresh from Montana's mines. A surviving bandit escapes, triggering a relentless manhunt. When captured, his trial becomes a spectacle marred by overt racism in the press, law enforcement cover-ups, and a judge and jury riddled with bias. With a weak defence lawyer, unreliable witnesses, and critical legal missteps, the proceedings lead to a tragic execution. This gripping true crime account exposes systemic corruption, racial prejudice, and the fatal flaws in Canada's early justice system. By confronting these injustices, Rough & Messy Justice challenges assumptions about fairness and equality under the law, offering an exploration of historical crime and consequence.

Against the Odds documents the remarkable achievements of Thomas R. Berger in the legal field, including his pioneering work in advocating for Indigenous rights that courts in Canada and the US had previously overlooked. Mid-career, Justice Thomas Berger accepted the challenge of leading the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry in Canada's Northwest Territories. He organized the Inquiry to give northern First Nations an equal voice in the proceedings by holding thirty community hearings in which all were invited to participate.  Berger's careful, reasoned arguments prevailed time and time again. Later in his career, Justice Berger led public hearings into the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), focusing on its impacts on Native Alaskans. Against the Odds also features an exceptional gallery of full-colour, previously unpublished photographs of the Dene and Inuvialuit, taken by Michael Jackson KC, Special Counsel for the Berger Inquiry, and portrait photographer Linda MacCannell.

Against the Odds chronicles Thomas R. Berger's significant contributions to Indigenous rights advocacy in Canada and the United States. Mid-career, Berger led the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry, conducting over thirty community hearings in the Northwest Territories to ensure that First Nations' voices were heard. Later, he also led public hearings on the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The accompanying pdf is "Northern Album," a gallery featuring previously unpublished colour photographs of the Dene and Inuvialuit by Michael Jackson KC and Linda MacCannell. This pdf is available at durvile.com.

The flashpoint topic of energy conservation and protection is shared around the world. In Reimagining Fire, environmentally conscientious writers, poets, and artists share their perspectives about our world's impending energy transition. To envision this transition, editor Eveline Kolijn connected these artists and writers with a network of experts from the Canadian Energy Futures Lab, along with representatives from towns, rural communities, and First Nations. The oil-producing province of Alberta serves as a microcosm for the challenges and opportunities that the world faces in decarbonizing society, an intriguing fact that makes the Alberta Story a Global Story. 

My Life in Propaganda is Magda Stroi´nska's personal account of growing up with communist propaganda in Eastern Europe. She looks at the influence of her family history that contradicted what she was taught at school; the cognitive and emotional effects of compulsory school readings; socialist realist art and film; and Radio Free Europe and Voice of America and their role in shaping her generation's collective view of the world. Through her chosen field of linguistics, she analyzes ways in which propagandistic language, such as `doubletalk,' Orwellian `Newspeak,' `weasel words,' and, more colloquially, `bullshit,' is used to distort reality. The book demonstrates that democracy can never be taken for granted. 

Oridinary Criminals is a collection of stories by probation officer Doug Heckbert about real people who have been convicted of real crimes and who have been on probation, on parole, or in prison. The story, "Go Ahead and Shoot Me," for example, is about  a woman who shot her husband upon his insistence and who, like many other subjects in the book, have come to see their offences as being pretty stupid. These stories show the human side of criminals  not just the  crimes they committed. As "Go Ahead and Shoot Me," this is Book 7 in the Durvile True Cases series.

My Life in Propaganda is Magda Stroi´nska's personal account of growing up with communist propaganda in Eastern Europe. She looks at the influence of her family history that contradicted what she was taught at school; the cognitive and emotional effects of compulsory school readings; socialist realist art and film; and Radio Free Europe and Voice of America and their role in shaping her generation's collective view of the world. Through her chosen field of linguistics, she analyzes ways in which propagandistic language, such as `doubletalk,' Orwellian `Newspeak,' `weasel words,' and, more colloquially, `bullshit,' is used to distort reality. The book demonstrates that democracy can never be taken for granted. 

Following the immense success of his debut collection of horror stories, Midnight Storm, Moonless Sky, Blackfoot storyteller Alex Soop once again scares the wits out of readers while uncovering overlooked social anxieties and racism affecting Indigenous Peoples across North America. Whistle at Night and They Will Come: Indigenous Horror Stories Volume 2 delivers stories ranging from supernatural mythology and the  paranormal to post-apocalyptic scenarios, and zombie lockdown-12 tales in all in short story and novella formats. Whistle at Night coincides with the launch of Durvile & UpRoute Books' new horror series, "Dark Tales."

Wisdom River: Meditations on Fly Fishing and Life Midstream is a collection of stories, poetry, photos, art, recipes, and jokes that celebrate the wonders of fly fishing and the wisdom that can be gained from spending time on the river. Writers from Montana and Alberta each bring a unique perspective and voice as they share adventures and memories from times they have spent riverside and midstream.Story authors are Larry Kapustka, Chad Okrusch, Jim McLennan, Kaitlyn Okrusch, Pat Munday, Kayla Lappin, Jerry Kustich, Paul Vang, Greg Allard, David McCumber, Chris Pibus, Rayelynn Brandl, and John McKee. Poets are Doris Daley, Al (Doc) Mehl, Larry Kapustka, and Chad Okrusch.  Photographers and artists are Tim Foster, Mike Forbister, Rich Théroux, & Tyler Rock.

"Indigenous Elders to movement therapists, artists, soul session teachers, and musician healers make a unique contribution to the literature and explorations of peace, love, and healing." - ­Mark Anthony, JD Psychic Explorer, author of The Afterlife Frequency.Created by a collective of spiritual practitioners, Embrace Your Divine Flow combines `evolvements' in the form of allegorical stories with art and exercises that encourage you to undertake a journey of healing and wisdom. The authors were asked, "What is your connection to the divine-whether it be the source, the light, the power of the universe, or Newet'sine, God the Creator? How does this connection to the divine flow a path of least resistance along your river of life and beyond, and how might you share this?" Themes include sacred places, sound and sensuality, ancestors, magic and imagination, infinity, authenticity, spirits, and gratitude. Authors are Mar'ce Merrell, Antoine Mountain, Islene Runningdeer, Julian Hobson, Kayla Lappin, John Heerema, Valerie Campbell, James R. Parker, Lorene Shyba, Alex Soop, Lynda Partridge, Raymond Yakeleya, Hilda Chasia Smith, Audrya Chancellor, Iikiinayookaa Marlene Yellow Horn, and Rich Théroux. Helena Hadala's inspired and connected art from the book can seen at durvile.com.

Indigenous Justice is Book 10 in the Durvile True Cases series. In the spirit of truth and reconciliation and respectful of Indigenous cultural integrity, judges, lawyers, and law enforcement officers write about working with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples through their trials and tribulations with the criminal justice system. The stories are a mix of previously published essays from the True Cases anthologies with an equal number of new chapters by legal and law enforcement professionals.  

Indigenous Justice is Book 10 in the Durvile True Cases series. In the spirit of truth and reconciliation and respectful of Indigenous cultural integrity, judges, lawyers, and law enforcement officers write about working with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples through their trials and tribulations with the criminal justice system. The stories are a mix of previously published essays from the True Cases anthologies with an equal number of new chapters by legal and law enforcement professionals.  

Pine Box Parole begins with convicted murderer Terry Fitzsimmons hanging himself in Kingston Penitentiary. Subsequent chapters delve into the killer's background and describe the senseless killings upon which he embarks after spending years in solitary confinement. Prison lawyer John L Hill, attempts to defend Fitzsimmons by putting the blame on the prison system for creating a monster. Part II of the book contains searing stories of five of Hill's imprisoned clients, including the, `natural-born killer' Clifford Olson, and Inderjit Sigh Reyat, the only person to be convicted of the bombing Air India 182.The foreword is by Raphael Rowe, whose career as an investigative journalist and television host was born as a result of spending 12 years in prison for crimes he did not commit. The afterword is by Keramet Reiter a professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society and at the School of Law at the University of California, Irvine.

Blackfoot storyteller Alexander Soop plunges us into a shocking well of imagination in his debut collection of short stories, Midnight Storm Moonless Sky. From hauntings on the Highway of Tears to fearful gatherings of ghosts and the sorrows of racism, Soop combines the social anxieties of Indigenous life with spellbinding flights and frights of speculative fiction. Through these enthralling stories of reality mixed with terror, readers get a wicked glimpse into the genre of Indigenous Horror - a combination of First Nations legends, dark fantasy, apocalyptic and paranormal enchantment, and monstrous secrets. In addition to his hungering to scare the wits out of readers, Alexander Soop also examines the overlooked matters affecting First Nations across the diverse world of Turtle Island. 

Pine Box Parole begins with convicted murderer Terry Fitzsimmons hanging himself in Kingston Penitentiary. Subsequent chapters delve into the killer's background and describe the senseless killings upon which he embarks after spending years in solitary confinement. Prison lawyer John L Hill, attempts to defend Fitzsimmons by putting the blame on the prison system for creating a monster. Part II of the book contains searing stories of five of Hill's imprisoned clients, including the, `natural-born killer' Clifford Olson, and Inderjit Sigh Reyat, the only person to be convicted of the bombing Air India 182.The foreword is by Raphael Rowe, whose career as an investigative journalist and television host was born as a result of spending 12 years in prison for crimes he did not commit. The afterword is by Keramet Reiter a professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society and at the School of Law at the University of California, Irvine.

From the Corner of Bad and Ass is a collection of Carrie Schiffler's memories about growing up in welfare housing to absentee and alcoholic parents. Throughout these heart-wrenching and often-hilarious stories we cheer her on as she fights to survive domestic violence, sexual abuse, and cycles of poverty and addiction - all before her 18th birthday. Prepare to laugh at her attempts to earn the attention she craves and prepare to cry over the inappropriate attention she receives.

In Know It All: Finding the Impossible Country James Marsh tells of his evolution from a troubled childhood to a long career in Canadian publishing that culminated in the creation of The Canadian Encyclopedia - what one reviewer called "the intellectual equivalent of the building of the CPR." Through friendships, curiosity, the insights of a charismatic psychiatrist, his passion for books, and the intimate encounters with the authors he met, he championed a diverse and inclusive view of Canada, which was used to draw the great minds of an impossible nation together in a common national enterprise. While exploring how memory works and how we learn to think of ourselves, Know It All offers insights into the intricacies of Canadian identity, the profession of book editors, and is the most comprehensive first-hand story about the creation of The Canadian Encyclopedia.

Like its predecessors in the Durvile True Cases series, After the Force features true cases and investigations, this time by police officers who have served in municipal, provincial, and federal police services. Stories in this anthology are by people who have been passionate about their work in law enforcement and who generously explain what it was about their work that led them to choose a career or specific way of life "after the force."   Among the stunning themes in the book are stories dealing with prostitution and sex work, racism and misogyny, an en-counter with a cop killer, police suicides, a child miraculously surviving a fall from a high-rise balcony, an officer dealing with a partner who was experiencing severe PTSD, a suicide from a bridge, and child sexual assaults. Optimistic themes and activities arise in these writers' lives after retiring from police work, such as writing, painting, assisting Indigenous communities, and facilitating community improvement. 

In Know It All: Finding the Impossible Country James Marsh tells of his evolution from a troubled childhood to a long career in Canadian publishing that culminated in the creation of The Canadian Encyclopedia - what one reviewer called "the intellectual equivalent of the building of the CPR." Through friendships, curiosity, the insights of a charismatic psychiatrist, his passion for books, and the intimate encounters with the authors he met, he championed a diverse and inclusive view of Canada, which was used to draw the great minds of an impossible nation together in a common national enterprise. While exploring how memory works and how we learn to think of ourselves, Know It All offers insights into the intricacies of Canadian identity, the profession of book editors, and is the most comprehensive first-hand story about the creation of The Canadian Encyclopedia.

Edited by William Trudell and Lorene Shyba, More Tough Crimes is the third book in the Durvile True Cases series. Like other books in the series More Tough Crimes provides a unique window into the world of criminal justice. These stories are `tough crimes' because of the emotional demands put on the judges and lawyers involved. Many cases in the book are recent, but some from the past were so disturbing that even decades later, they resonate in the public consciousness.

Like its predecessors in the Durvile True Cases series, After the Force features true cases and investigations, this time by police officers who have served in municipal, provincial, and federal police services. Stories in this anthology are by people who have been passionate about their work in law enforcement and who generously explain what it was about their work that led them to choose a career or specific way of life "after the force."   Among the stunning themes in the book are stories dealing with prostitution and sex work, racism and misogyny, an en-counter with a cop killer, police suicides, a child miraculously surviving a fall from a high-rise balcony, an officer dealing with a partner who was experiencing severe PTSD, a suicide from a bridge, and child sexual assaults. Optimistic themes and activities arise in these writers' lives after retiring from police work, such as writing, painting, assisting Indigenous communities, and facilitating community improvement. 

To Vic Sarin, film is a window to magic. Touching people with his art and celebrating the human side comes through in every chapter of this audiobook, just as is comes through in every one of his films. His trailblazing, gung-ho approach to film making is remarkable and inspiring beyond any question of a doubt. His stories about John Lennon, Prince Charles, Christopher Plummer, Paul Gross, Helena Bonham Carter, Dennis Hopper, Indira Gandhi, Adrienne Clarkson, Dalai Lama and many others will captivate film professionals, film students, film buffs, as well as the general public. Gung Ho Filmmaking is known in print edition as Eyepiece: Adventures in Canadian Film and Television.

Go Ahead and Shoot Me is a collection of stories written and edited by former probation officer Doug Heckbert about real people who have been convicted of real crimes and who have been on probation, on parole, or in prison. The title story is of a woman who shot her husband upon his insistence and who, like many other subjects in the book, have come to see their offences as being "pretty stupid." Some stories might be described as ordinary crimes and some are stunningly extraordinary, but all stories show the human side of criminals that Heckbert worked with and came to know, not just the nature of the crimes they committed. By getting inside glimpses of offender's backstories, motivations, and personalities, Go Ahead and Shoot Me shows there is much more to an offender than their criminal behavior. Says Heckbert, "I have always been guided by the mantra, "The criminal is not the crime."

Ross Mackay, The Saga of a Brilliant Criminal Lawyer is great fit for people who love Perry Mason's courtroom drama and Better Call Saul's criminal subculture. Two murder trials were held in Toronto in the spring of 1962, only nineteen days apart. The accused man in each trial, one a pimp accused of stabbing a fellow pimp to death, the other a thief who killed a policeman in a shootout, were the last two men to be hanged in Canada. Toronto criminal lawyer Ross Mackay was the counsel for the accused in both trials, a mere thirty years old when he lost them both to the gallows. But the trials were far from the last times that Mackay defended accused murderers in the most horrendous circumstances. Author Jack Batten tells the story of Mackay's dedication to the maxim that every man is entitled to a defence - a a story of Mackay's courage and the harsh penalties he paid for the daring and controversial choices he made in life and in the courtroom.