Built on coal: A history of Beverly, Edmonton's working class town

by Lawrence A. Herzog

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2000

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun to read and to learn about a neighbourhood's history. I think something like this should exist for all neigbourhoods. I did find that there was some repetition, maybe with thoughts that someone might only pick and choose was sections they are reading (like an encyclopedia or textbook) and not the nerd like me who read it from cover to cover. As a result it felt like a bit of fluffy filler. I appreciate though the author's effort to research and include as much as they could about the history of Beverly- I'm not sure I would have considered all of it meaningful. I truly did enjoy learning.

I wish there were more maps/pictures to illustrate the locations being spoken about. I was constantly setting the book down to look at google maps for the addresses mentioned to compare how it looks today, and to visualize the boundaries of the communities as they emerged and were defined over time.

I think a follow up now, about 20 years later for what's changed further would be valuable.