Growing Up in BC’s Heart

A young Carla Funk with her brother and dog conquering a dirt heap in Vanderhoof.
Carla Funk came of age in Vanderhoof, B.C., the daughter of Mennonites, with a feisty feminist streak. Her touching memoir in progress, sampled here in three parts, is accompanied by an interview with the author.
In This Series
‘Change Takes a Long Time in Small Towns and Human Hearts’
Memoirist Carla Funk talks about coming of age in Vanderhoof, ‘full of logging trucks and God.’
Rules of War: A Girl Among Boys
Life during playtime in Vanderhoof meant choosing between Barbie or pinecone grenades. First in a series.
All the Ways to Fall: Memories of a Stubborn Girl
Don’t climb the ladder, I was told, growing up in a small BC town. Second in a series.
The Pledge: Carla Had a Little 4-H Lamb
You’ll learn by doing, the man said. But what was the lesson? Last in a series.
Real Cities Give Their People Places to Pee
Public washrooms should be plentiful and accessible, says one scholar. And cities that do flush, flourish.