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Born in England, Val Adolph's most recent book is a historical novel "Bride Ship Three". Written under the name Valerie Fletcher Adolph, and published by VFA Books in 2016, this takes a fictional look at the lives of three women who arrived in BC at the times of the Barkerville gold rush. The review by the Historical Novel Society states:
"Three very different women encounter the roughest aspects of the New World when their 'bride ship' arrives at the gold rush town of New Derby, British Columbia. There is passionate dreamer Janet, who hopes for a new life; refined Elinor, and enterprising prostitute Rosie. Each has made the long voyage from England for different reasons, and the voyage has forged a friendship between them that is as strong as it is unlikely.In New Derby they encounter a variety of adventures and face the constant prospect of dangers and deportations that threaten to end their New World experiences before they can make the most of them. Through it all they have each other, and Adolph's portrayal of the complex rewards of these unusual friendships is the strongest part of a very powerful and entertaining novel."
Val Adolph also published two books about Woodlands in 1996. First built as a lunatic asylum, the New Westminster facility later became home to most of the province's mentally handicapped children. Early in its 118-year history, patients were separated into three groups: male, female and Chinese. Political affiliation determined who was hired during the Depression. Initially the windows were set so high that patients spent their days standing on desks, trying to look out. The first of Woodlands' downsizing projects began in 1985. All patients were finally resettled elsewhere by 1996. Printed in Richmond, the dual histories were published by the Ministry of Social Services and prepared by Brenda Guild Gillespie. The Riverview institution for the insane, also known as Essondale, is the subject for Adolph's third book, Tales of the Trees. It studies trees on the Riverview lands at Essondale, Western Canada's first botanical garden.
In different vein in 2009 she published "The Story Solver" a non-fiction book on the topic of how to enliven speeches by including stories.
Review of the author's work by BC Studies:
In the Context of its Time: A History of Woodlands & Memories of Woodlands
BOOKS:
In the Context of Its Time: A History of Woodlands (Ministry of Social Services, 1996)
Memories of Woodlands (Ministry of Social Services, 1996)
Tales of the Trees (Delta: Key Books, 2000)
Bride Ship Three (VFA Books, 2016) Written under the name Valerie Fletcher Adolph
[BCBW 2017] "Health" "Gardening" "Forestry"
"Three very different women encounter the roughest aspects of the New World when their 'bride ship' arrives at the gold rush town of New Derby, British Columbia. There is passionate dreamer Janet, who hopes for a new life; refined Elinor, and enterprising prostitute Rosie. Each has made the long voyage from England for different reasons, and the voyage has forged a friendship between them that is as strong as it is unlikely.In New Derby they encounter a variety of adventures and face the constant prospect of dangers and deportations that threaten to end their New World experiences before they can make the most of them. Through it all they have each other, and Adolph's portrayal of the complex rewards of these unusual friendships is the strongest part of a very powerful and entertaining novel."
Val Adolph also published two books about Woodlands in 1996. First built as a lunatic asylum, the New Westminster facility later became home to most of the province's mentally handicapped children. Early in its 118-year history, patients were separated into three groups: male, female and Chinese. Political affiliation determined who was hired during the Depression. Initially the windows were set so high that patients spent their days standing on desks, trying to look out. The first of Woodlands' downsizing projects began in 1985. All patients were finally resettled elsewhere by 1996. Printed in Richmond, the dual histories were published by the Ministry of Social Services and prepared by Brenda Guild Gillespie. The Riverview institution for the insane, also known as Essondale, is the subject for Adolph's third book, Tales of the Trees. It studies trees on the Riverview lands at Essondale, Western Canada's first botanical garden.
In different vein in 2009 she published "The Story Solver" a non-fiction book on the topic of how to enliven speeches by including stories.
Review of the author's work by BC Studies:
In the Context of its Time: A History of Woodlands & Memories of Woodlands
BOOKS:
In the Context of Its Time: A History of Woodlands (Ministry of Social Services, 1996)
Memories of Woodlands (Ministry of Social Services, 1996)
Tales of the Trees (Delta: Key Books, 2000)
Bride Ship Three (VFA Books, 2016) Written under the name Valerie Fletcher Adolph
[BCBW 2017] "Health" "Gardening" "Forestry"
