Island publishing house gives new life to out-of-print books
'I think it's a pity when we forget about our history'
Island publishing house Selkirk Stories is giving new life to out-of-print books, with the hope a new generation of readers will enjoy them.
The latest heritage book to be reprinted by the publishing house is Hebridean Pioneers by Malcolm A. MacQueen.
The book — a sequel to MacQueen's first book, Skye Pioneer — was first published in 1957 and chronicles the history of immigration from Scotland to Prince Edward Island.
"This book … above all is about accomplishment, about achievement, about education, about the astonishing things that these settlers who came here with very little were able to achieve in not so very many years," said John Westlie, publisher at Selkirk Stories, in an interview with Mainstreet P.E.I's Matt Rainnie.
Hebridean Pioneers was in the public domain, Westlie said, which meant the publishing house was able to reissue it without worrying about copyright infringement.
'Best-seller'
"It's turned out to be our best-selling book ever and we sell it all over the world online," he said.
The newest edition of the book includes an introduction and an index to help readers enjoy the text, Westlie said.
He hopes the new edition will give those who are interested in exploring their history the chance to do so.
"I think it's a pity when we forget about our history," Westlie said.
"There's always the danger of that awareness dying out with each new generation," he said.
Hebridean Pioneers is being launched Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Montague Rotary Library.
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With files from Mainstreet P.E.I.