How to Be a Canadian

The Ferguson brothers poke fun at their national identity with a how-to book on being an authentic Canadian. This follow up to their best-selling book “Why I Hate Canadians” takes a humorous look at everything stereotype from fashion to food and reveals everything a person could need to know about really being a Canadian. In fact, you may already be one--take the quiz in the back of the book to see if you’re Canadian or not! While not exactly a bastion of accuracy, perhaps, this lighthearted introduction to the Great White North begins with a basic overview of the country that reads like a comedic encyclopedia entry. The book is compiled from sixteen chapters on various topics of varying length. Despite the diversity of the show more topics, covering everything from the inexplicable government to regional mating rituals, the Ferguson’s humor remains the same. Their trademark asides and exaggeration meld perfectly with the dry wit that seems to be a staple of Canadian humor. The understated design and layout of the book offsets the ridiculous satire lurking within its pages. A true guilty pleasure for any public library travelogue section. show less

It isn’t always easy being Canadian, according to Will Ferguson, but it can be a lot of fun. Asked to write a follow-up to his runaway bestseller Why I Hate Canadians, Ferguson, who’s Canadian himself, recruited his brother Ian — comedy writer and executive producer of the Canadian series Sin City and a Canadian too — to create this ultimate guide to the country's cultural quirks. The result is a hilarious inside look at that unique species, the Canadian, and their thoughts on such diverse subjects as beer, sex, dating rituals, sports, politics, religion, social rules — and, of course, their trademark death-defying search for the middle of any road.

Ferguson is laugh out loud funny, satiric, tongue in cheek. He gets great mileage out of the "fact" that Margaret Atwood suggested the premise for How to Be a Canadian. This gem is to be enjoyed, albeit appreciated on different levels, by Canadians both native and new. In fact, many of Ferguson's quips require the reader to be "Canuck" in order to fully appreciate his nuances. Case in point: Canadian winters, frozen flagpoles, initiation. Yes, I have, and yes, it did.

The Ferguson brothers have succeeded in making Canada funny - I don't think we knew it was possible. The book is divided into chapters about all things Canadian, from beer to sex to literature to language, with their hilarious anecdotes and guides navigating the country. Unlike our government, they actually manage to consider every single inch of the country - from Vancouver Island to the Maritimes - enabling us all to recognize a bit of ourselves, our neighbours, and the far-flung relatives we only see at family reunions every five years.

Funny, but trying too hard towards the end.

However, there are some great passages - like this one on Canadian fiction writing:

"Handy tip! Write about a family gathering, a funeral or some sort of homecoming. That's the easiest way to bring characters together without having to construct a plot. And make sure to include the free-spirited sister, the recovering alcoholic brother, the other sister (the one who gave up on her dreams and is married to an abusive and/or aloof man) and - last but not least - the standard-issue abusive and/or aloof father figure. Add to the mix some cryptic dialogue about a past betrayal, maybe a dark secret or two, and half-bake at 40F. Do you see how these things just write themselves?"

Sadly, this does show more remind me of a few books, not all of them Canadian, though. show less

3.5 stars

Will Ferguson and his brother Ian decided to write (with encouragement from Margaret Atwood) a “guidebook” on how to be a Canadian. Humourously, of course. Topics include language, food, politics, sports, sex, drinking and much more.

I enjoyed this. There were times I laughed out loud. Parts I enjoyed most included the breakdown of the provinces and curling. Of course, I am Canadian, so I “got” most of the jokes. I suspect there are plenty of jokes that wouldn't work for those who aren't Canadian. It was originally published in 2001, so some parts are out of date, in particular the political stuff. But still, a fun read.

The Ferguson brothers give a great overview of Canada's cultural and "social history", to borrow one of their phrases. They then proceed to mock most of it, yielding a very funny book. Any new settler to Canada who relies on this may be in a bit of trouble, but whether recent immigrant or native-born, this book hits a lot of home truths. The reverence of Tim Hortons, the Queen, and hockey can be disconcerting for newcomers to Canada - I'm a recent transplant - but the Ferguson's do a good job of explaining some of the mystique. There are a number of sections where the authors try a bit too hard with the humor - the sex in canoes section, or the Canadian novel - but overall the book is a good laugh. For readers wanting a bit more show more Canadian history and politics (even as a 2008 edition, this feels dated), Will Ferguson's Dummies Guide to Canadian History is more tightly written and just as enjoyable a read. show less