Books

 


Workboats for the World: The Robert Allan Story
by Robert G. Allan with Peter A. Robson

(Harbour Publishing 2022)

Co authored this landmark 612 page hardcover book with 500 photos and diagrams. Along the West Coast waterfront and in ship-handling circles around the world, few names are more respected than that of Robert Allan Ltd, the naval architect and engineering firm that has been based in Vancouver for nearly a century. The book is about a company, about the family that built it and the many people whose efforts have helped to make the business a Canadian success story in the global maritime world.

The book won two international book prizes in 2023: A Gold Medal in the Corporate History/Milestone category of the 2023 Axiom Business Book award and the John Lyman Book Award (North American Society for Oceanic History) for “Naval and Maritime Reference Works.”

[Read more…]

Pender Harbour Landing: History With a View
by Peter A. Robson

(Pender Harbour Landing, Inc., 2019)

Authored and produced this book about the Pender Harbour area; its history and why it is such an ideal place to live. A project to promote Pender Harbour Landing estate properties. Wrote text and hired editors, designers and printer and oversaw all aspects of production thorough to delivery of books to the client. [View Book…]

Raincoast Chronicles 23: Harbour Publishing 40th Anniversary Edition
Edited by Peter A. Robson

(Harbour Publishing 2016)

Collected and compiled this historic selection of the “best” excerpts from Harbour Publishing’s 600 titles published over the past 40 years. [Read More…]

Click here to read reviews of this book.

Raincoast Chronicles 22: Saving Salmon, Sailors and Souls
Edited by David R. Conn

(Harbour Publishing 2013)

Contributed to this iconic series about the BC coast. My story, “Nighttime Sojourn with the Sockeye,” was all about my experience helping protect endangered salmon on the Sunshine Coast. [Read More…]

Salmon Farming: The Whole Story
By Peter A. Robson

(Heritage House, 2006)

This book was the first comprehensive, agenda-free book on the subject of B.C.’s fish-farming industry. This book won Honourable mention (second) prize in the Canadian Nautical Research Society’s Keith Matthews Prize. [Read More…]

Skookum Tugs: British Columbia’s Working Tugboats
Photography by Rob Douglas. Text by Peter A. Robson and Betty Keller

(Harbour Publishing 2002)

“A dazzling array of magnificent colour photos and a crisp, engaging text bring to life the spirit of BC’s contemporary towboat industry and the beauty of BC’s waterways.”

This book won the 2003 Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award for best book published in BC. [Read More…]

The Encyclopedia of British Columbia
Edited by Daniel Francis

(Harbour Publishing 2000)

“If there is a more important book on British Columbia, I haven’t seen it.” -Alan Twigg, Publisher, BC Bookworld

I was the production coordinator, photo editor, fisheries consultant and a contributor. This book won the 2001 Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award for best book published in B.C. and the Roderick Haig-Brown Award for best book about BC. [Read More…]

Working the Tides: A Portrait of Canada’s West Coast Fishery
Peter A Robson & Michael Skog, Editors

(Harbour Publishing 1998)

Like the fishing life itself, this collection ranges from scary to funny to poignant to quietly insightful – with big hauls and “skunked” sets, beautiful secluded fishing spots, hair-raising storms and near misses, goofy sea-going pranks, and even a spine-tingling wheel-watch ghost or two. There is never a dull moment.

I conceived, compiled and contributed to this anthology. 

The Working Forest of British Columbia
Peter A. Robson, Writer

(Harbour Publishing 1996)

With 150 colour photographs and material gathered from some of BC’s most experienced professional foresters, this book is a clear, concise description of the theory and practice of modern forestry.

Author. Winner of the Forest Renewal BC Forest Excellence Award in the media/communications category.