Room for All of Us: Surprising Stories Of Loss And Transformation

by Adrienne Clarkson

  In this exciting and revealing personal inquiry, former governor general Adrienne Clarkson explores the immigrant experience through the people who have helped transform Canada. The Canadians she befriends—whether an Ismaili doctor, a Doukhobor farmer, a Holocaust survivor, or a Vietnam War deserter—illustrate the changing idea of what it means to be Canadian and the kind of country we have created over the decades. Like her, many of the people who came did not have a real they often arrived friendless and with a sense of loss. Yet their struggles and successes have enriched Canada immeasurably. What drove them to become the kind of people they have become? What would have happened to them if Canada had not taken them in? What have they added to our national life us as we go forward in the twenty-first century? Written with humour, insight and personal revelation, Room for All of Us is a tale of many destinies. Like W.G. Sebald’s The Emigrants, Clarkson’s book offers a richly textured, intimate and unforgettable portrait of a changing country and its people.

Genres: Nonfiction, Canada

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2011

Reviews

[Marc-Antoine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful reminder of how our country was built and continues to grow. These are the wonderful stories of new Immigrants coming into a country that welcomes them and allows them to succeed. I am left wondering what stories my neighbours could share with me, maybe I should ask them... I am proud of being a Canadian, where multiple cultures are united and living in harmony.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once I realized that this book was Clarkson's reflections on immigrtation and not biographies of recent immigrants, I enjoyed reading it. Wish there had been photos.

[Hannah Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adrienne Clarkson honours the individuals included in this book along with careful reflection and her extensive insight. Certainly not a robust and representative account into how or why people settled in Canada, especially as the years progress, yet still a fair glimpse into real stories.

[Marilyn Vermeulen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Gives me new perspectives on the lives of immigrants.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so grateful to be done this book. Possibly one of the dullest pieces of writing I've ever plodded through. Specifically:
The opening sentence is "This book is about people like me." It should read "This book is about me." Literally. I was expecting an introduction by Clarkson and then stories from people who immigrated here about why they left their native country and what Canada has been like. And I got an introduction by Clarkson. And then her family's immigration story. An introduction to each section, by Clarkson. And then her version of the interviewee's immigration story, interspersed with bits and pieces of her own story, again. There are only a few points in their own stories where we hear the voices of the people she interviewed for this book. This would have been much more compelling as a collaborative effort. Have one of the interviewees write the introduction opening their section of the book (draft dodgers, boat people, Holocaust refugees, etc.) about what their country was like. Instead of having Clarkson tell us what other people have told her, in disconnected smatterings.

This is as much a piece of propaganda as a piece of literature. Clarkson touches gently on Canada's most notable flaws (residential schools, detainment camps, discriminatory immigration/legal policies etc.) because not to mention them at all would be disingenuous, but they're described more as slight, out-of-character lapses of integrity, not symptoms of a systemic and ingrained racism. A sort of "Canada can't be racist! Just look at all our immigrants!" attitude. While most of the policies are over and I agree things have certainly improved, racism is still a big problem here. And let's be honest, just because someone isn't white doesn't mean they can't be racist too. There'll just be a broader range of racism across the country overall. Plenty to go around. Goodie.

What I did learn from reading this book is that my high school history education (aka social studies) was hopelessly unbalanced! Through no fault of my teachers. You had to teach the curriculum, and you did the best you could. Apparently the Alberta Government thinks the only historical events worth teaching were the French Revolution, World War I, and World War II. The latter two we covered every single year from grade 9 to graduation. By the end of it I was ripping my hair out. Want to know what I learned about the Doukhobours? Vietnamese boat people? Pinochet's Chilean regime? The Medak Pocket Incident? The Tamil Tigers?

Nothing.

Incandescent rage. We barely touched on the First Nations, and then only in respect to their interaction with the English and French settlers. It would be a struggle for me to name more than two First Nations tribes that lived in Canada when the explorers came over, but without them how many more settlers would have died? And how long had they been here before? What about the Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows? How about the Inuit? There are books about residential schools on the reading list, are any of them being read? Or is it all Shakespeare, Huxley and Bronte?

I'm desperately hoping my children's education will be better. That little in this book will be news to them. That it won't be years after graduation that they discover they love history.

[andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stories told in this book are both heartwarming and inspiring. Clarkson looks at immigration as a core part of Canada's identity, and focuses on the ways in which this country allows newcomers to secure their dreams and succeed. In turn, she also shares the perseverance and strength of immigrant families despite their many hardships, and explains how Canada is positively shaped by their presence. My only disappointment in Clarkson's biographical collection was the underrepresentation of women and their stories. None the less, I recommend this book to all Canadians interested in understanding Canada's history and development as a multicultural nation.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book. She's a good writer.

[Kim]

Advance copy

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was as if I was reading a Social Studies text book. For me a time waster.

[Stanley Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining immigrant stories.