The Canadian prairies at the turn of the twentieth century was a land of opportunity, but struggle and trial waited around every corner. The Oatway and Harrison families were pioneers in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. My Oatway Harrison Story tells the history of how these two families came together through marriage. Homesteaders broke land, picked rock, and lived in sod shacks. Later, they experienced the challenges of war, depression, and unemployment. Within these pages are stories of war heroes who didn’t return, accidents, reunions ... and even jail time. There is also celebration of life and love, initiative and creativity—such as unique curling rock trophies! Packed with family memorabilia, personal stories, and regional history, My Oatway Harrison Story is a treasure for anyone interested in the history of family and the history of the Canadian prairies.

The instinct to “want” is present from the start of life, as we all yearn for our first nourishment at birth. “Want” possesses an unquenchable appetite that relentlessly drives us towards the satisfying flavour of success. The insatiable desire for success is an aggressive force that compels us to pursue our dreams relentlessly. Our wants in our life keeps pushing us forward, shaping our actions, goals and feeding our hunger for success. The power of want for family, happiness, productivity, genuine friendships, good fortune, good health, spiritual support, self-confidence, or self-care is inherent in human behaviour. “Finding My Power of Want” by Tony J. Hebert examines how self-awareness, hard work, preparedness, and community support contribute to achieving one’s life goals. Even in the face of doubt and uncertainty, self-awareness serves as our guiding compass to stay on track. The concept of wealth accumulation is not heavily tied to want. Wanting good friends, a loving family, a successful career, and genuine happiness all play a role in one’s success in life. Hebert’s autobiography explores his life journey of discovering the power of want and how it contributed to his career and retirement success. Furthermore, he skillfully tells the story of his personal relationships beginning at age 8 that sparked this ability, offering guidance on how readers can harness their self-awareness to pursue their dreams and goals. The book further explores the power of community and personal ambition, as well as the heartbreaking emptiness that comes when your support system falls apart. Hebert’s book is dedicated to all those who made a positive impact on his life, such as coaches, cheerleaders, peers, family, mentors, neighbours, health and church leaders, and the countless volunteers who joined him in bettering their community. He names hundreds of them. “Finding My Power of Want” is an innovative study of human behaviour, using his personal experiences as a map to highlight its significance. This is a must-read for those who want to develop self-awareness and harness their personal power to achieve both their personal and community goals.

Africa's Informal Workers is a vigorous examination of the informalization and casualization of work, which is changing livelihoods in Africa and beyond. Gathering cases from nine countries and cities across sub-Saharan Africa, and from a range of sectors, this volume goes beyond the usual focus on household ‘coping strategies’ and individual agency, addressing the growing number of collective organizations through which informal workers make themselves visible and articulate their demands and interests. The emerging picture is that of a highly diverse landscape of organized actors, providing grounds for tension but also opportunities for alliance. The collection examines attempts at organizing across the formal-informal work spheres, and explores the novel trend of transnational organizing by informal workers. Part of the ground-breaking Africa Now series, Africa’s Informal Workers is a timely exploration of deep, ongoing economic, political and social transformations.