Christmas in Mariposa: Sketches of Canada's Legendary Little Town

by Jamie Lamb

A funny and heart-warming tribute to Canada's most famous small town, and its most celebrated humourist, Stephen Leacock. Many Canadians grew up in small towns, or at least in neighbourhoods that felt like small towns. But what if you grew up in Canada s most famous small town Stephen Leacock's Mariposa? This was the world that journalist Jamie Lamb was raised in, the actual place that inspired Leacock's Canadian classic, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town , over a century ago. The Mariposa of Lamb's time is slightly different, yet still embodies the heart and soul, the eccentricities and bizarre local customs of Leacock's sketches. Christmas in Mariposa is a celebration of that town and its people. It tells of secret gardens, special rinks, oddball hotels, remarkable foods, fast boats and sunken aircraft, Christmas Eve fireworks, and the best Christmas office party in the country. It describes a place where Christmas could be celebrated in summer with a Baby Jesus look-alike contest, Canada's only officially sanctioned reindeer races, and the Three Wise Men arriving with gifts by parachute. It transports readers to world where Gordie Howe once dropped by for a skate, and Glenn Gould regularly came to eat a well-done steak and six Parker House rolls slathered in butter at a Chinese restaurant. Jamie Lamb's Mariposa is timeless and quintessentially Canadian.

256 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2019

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking for a cozy Christmas read, something Vinyl Cafe-like, and this sounded like it would fit the bill. It was enjoyable but not mind blowing. Some of the stories were a bit of a stretch to connect to Christmas. Though, a couple of stories were so lovely they brought me to tears.

I would say it's probably a solid 3.5, in the genre of "idyllic Canadian childhood memoir". Not quite as Christmasy or funny as I was hoping for but a nice book overall. Would have liked to read it in snippets as a before bed book.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won’t waste time saying what the book’s about - that information is widely available in better description than I could provide.

It’s the ultimate literary endorsement when someone who is determined to downsize has to buy a book they’ve already read.

I already love and own a copy of Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town by Stephen Leacock. This is the perfect companion volume, an excellent addition to my Canadian literature collection.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of stories is told as a fictional memoir while the narrator walks through his childhood town and remembers people and events. It is poignant, funny and really well written. Loved it (could be enjoyed in any season, not just Christmastime).

[Maxwell Amberfordstinskin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm ultimately biased as this is the work of my father, but as I've always felt that my father can write about anything better than anyone else, I'm certain this would get five stars either way.

I just visited Orillia for the first time, and you can *feel* this book there.