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The inaugural publication of Boreal Collective Press is a limited edition book by Chris Donovan that explores notions of identity, love, memory, and the Maritime tradition of "going west."

The book features 83 photographs taken mostly on disposable cameras over the course of four years, alongside 16 archival images sourced from family albums. Donovan's first book is a diaristic account of his purposefully displaced coming-of-age, as well as a subconscious look at intergenerational trauma and the feeling of inevitability of westward migration experienced by so many Maritimers.

For many, “west” refers to the perceived economic prosperity of Alberta’s oil fields. For Donovan, it was the promise of endless opportunity that drew him away from the Atlantic to Toronto. It was the inevitable fading of that promise that eventually led him back to the eastern shores. The snapshots of his partner Tess, his family in the Maritimes, and his friends in Toronto have helped shape his understanding of his place in the world.

Date of Publication: September, 2021

Dimensions: 6.5″ x 8.5″ (vertical)

Binding: Swiss Brochure (open spine with cover attached on back)

Number of Pages: 144

Edition Size: 500 (limited edition)

Publisher: Boreal Collective Press, Toronto, Canada

Printer: Mas Matbaa, Istanbul, Turkey

ISBN: 978-1-7777706-0-0

Chris Donovan

Stay Solid or Move West