The Book of Small

The Book of Small contains Emily Carr's autobiographical stories about her childhood in late Victorian-era Victoria, British Columbia. The collection features standalone yet interconnected tales from her early years growing up in a British colonial outpost during the 1870s and 1880s. The narrative follows young Emily, nicknamed "Small," as she observers and interacts with her family members, neighbors, and the diverse inhabitants of Victoria. Through a child's perspective, Carr documents the textures of daily life in this frontier town, from domestic routines to encounters with Chinese merchants, Indigenous people, and British expatriates. These sketches capture both the physical details and social atmosphere of colonial Victoria, preserving a record of a specific time and place in Canadian history. The stories move between settings that include the Carr family home, the streets of Victoria's Chinatown, local shops, and the surrounding wilderness. The collection explores themes of childhood independence, cultural tensions in a colonial society, and the formation of artistic sensibility through direct experience. Carr's straightforward prose style echoes a child's clarity of perception while revealing complex dynamics between the story's characters and their environment.

Readers describe the book as a collection of charming childhood memories that capture life in Victoria, BC during the late 1800s. Many note how Carr's detailed observations and straightforward writing style bring the era and characters to life. Readers appreciate: - The authentic portrayal of day-to-day pioneer life - Carr's humorous anecdotes about her family - Rich descriptions of early Victoria and its inhabitants Common criticisms: - Some stories feel disconnected or meandering - Period-specific language can be challenging - Racial attitudes reflect the era's prejudices Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (245 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (12 ratings) Reader quotes: "Like sitting with your grandmother as she tells stories of her childhood" - Goodreads reviewer "Each chapter is a perfect bedtime story" - Amazon review "Sometimes rambling but always honest and observant" - LibraryThing review

Pioneer Girl by Laura Ingalls Wilder This memoir presents unvarnished childhood experiences in the American frontier through detailed observations of daily life and human connections.

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden The nature observations and rural life experiences of a woman in early 1900s Britain unfold through journal entries and illustrations.

Tove Jansson: Work and Love by Tuula Karjalainen The biography captures a woman artist's life in the Nordic wilderness and her connection to nature through paintings, writings, and solitary experiences.

Journal of a Solitude by May Sarton This personal account documents a year of rural life in New England with focus on nature, creativity, and independence.

Who Has Seen the Wind by W. O. Mitchell The narrative follows a boy's growth in the Canadian prairie, revealing connections between human nature and the natural world through precise observations.

🎨 The Book of Small captures Emily Carr's childhood memories of Victoria, British Columbia in the 1870s and 1880s, when the city was transitioning from a frontier town to a more established colonial outpost. 🏠 Many of the buildings and locations Carr describes in her book still exist in Victoria today, including her childhood home at 207 Government Street, now a National Historic Site. ✍️ Though written as a collection of childhood memories, Carr didn't publish the book until 1942, when she was in her seventies, after achieving recognition as one of Canada's most important artists. 🌿 The book offers unique insights into the relationships between European settlers and Indigenous peoples during British Columbia's colonial period, as seen through the unfiltered perspective of a child. 🎭 The character "Small," which Carr uses to refer to her younger self throughout the book, earned its name because she was the youngest of five sisters in her family.