If you are planning a trip to Montreal, Quebec and would like to learn a bit of quick history without spending your entire trip reading pages of fine print then be sure to leave your Frommers at home and instead pick up a copy of Montreal Then and Now by Alan Hustak and Johanne Norchet at your local book store.

Montreal then and now is a collection of pictures taken throughout Montreal dating from 1642 right up until 2004. The pictures are accompanied by a brief write up on many different areas as well as buildings throughout the city, describing their purpose and both in the past as well as present date. The book is about 8 x 10 in size and only 143 pages long, which makes it easy, and light to carry along with you everywhere you go. It will even if fit in most purses!

If you are looking for an in depth history of the city, something that can completely replace a tour guide then this book (while it still may be of interest to you) is not what you are looking for. Montreal Then And Now only offers a paragraph or two on each site giving you only a brief idea of its purpose, how to was built, or why it was torn down. Though it is truly interesting and you can learn a lot from it, it is meant to be more of a quick reference and not an encyclopaedia.

I wouldn't recommend this book for small children as the pictures, though beautiful, aren't really intended for younger kids and the writting isn't really something you can read to them. I would keep it to a teen and up audience for the book to have itsd full effect.

This book is a great idea for travel but would also be enjoyed by history buffs as well as for teachers. Montreal Then And Now would allow older students to really see how our country has changed throughout the years as well as how so many historical areas have stayed basically the exact same.

I personally believe that this book can be used as a great educational tool or just a great way to see some of Montreal’s historic beauty without even needing to buy a plane ticket.




If you would like to check out this book for yourself head on over to amazon and have it mailed straight to your door in a matter of days! Just click on the link below
Montreal Then and Now