Wallace du Temple’s first book was about the history of the Ardmore area in North Saanich.
His latest book, I Heard The Eagle’s Piercing Cries, is a collection of his personal writing, from prose and short stories, to letters to his mother and poetry. Du Temple says he’s calling this book and another one yet to come, Markings in the Mail by a Sidney Boy — a series of two volumes.
“My first book was about Ardmore, the area and the golf course,” he said. “It’s a special part of North Saanich.”
His latest book, he continued, details his journal entries throughout much of his working career. It includes his recollection and detailing of working as a lone social worker in the Alaska Highway region of B.C. It was a troubled time for du Temple, he continued, saying he blew the whistle on the social work system of the government at the time and was subsequently fired and six social workers would end up suspended over what he terms “Wally’s Welfare War.”
The book is a collection of what du Temple calls markings.
“I chose that title to convey that it’s not just prose, but other styles of writing as well,” he explained. “I picked up on the word ‘markings’ as a reflection of different writings on the pieces of my life.”
His markings range from the serious nature of his social work, to almost losing his life on a canoe trip in the north, as well as his reflections on working at the Ardmore Golf Course while his children were involved with the Donkey 4H Club.
That club would nearly take over the golf course, he said, noting his story Cialis and Sex at the First Tee is sure to raise some eyebrows.
This volume is somewhat cathartic for du Temple. He includes writings about his own difficult relationship with his brother,who has since died.
“There’s something for everyone,” du Temple said.
I Heard The Eagle’s Piercing Cries is available at Tanner’s Books in Sidney and is published by Friesen Press.