Laura Peters – författare

In one of the first studies of its kind, Orphan texts seeks to insert the orphan, and the problems its existence poses, in the larger critical areas of the family and childhood in Victorian culture. In doing so, Laura Peters considers certain canonical texts alongside lesser known works from popular culture in order to establish the context in which discourses of orphanhood operated.The study argues that the prevalence of the orphan figure can be explained by considering the family. The family and all it came to represent – legitimacy, race and national belonging – was in crisis. In order to reaffirm itself the family needed a scapegoat: it found one in the orphan figure. As one who embodied the loss of the family, the orphan figure came to represent a dangerous threat to the family; and the family reaffirmed itself through the expulsion of this threatening difference. Orphan texts will be of interest to final year undergraduates, postgraduates, academics and those interested in the areas of Victorian literature, Victorian studies, postcolonial studies, history and popular culture.

'No words can express the secret agony of my soul'. Dickens's tantalising hint alluding to his time at Warren's Blacking Factory remains a gnomic statement until Forster's biography after Dickens's death. Such a revelation partly explains the dominance of biography in early Dickens criticism; Dickens's own childhood was understood to provide the material for his writing, particularly his representation of the child and childhood. Yet childhood in Dickens continues to generate a significant level of critical interest. This volume of essays traces the shifting importance given to childhood in Dickens criticism. The essays consider a range of subjects such as the Romantic child, the child and the family, and the child as a vehicle for social criticism, as well as current issues such as empire, race and difference, and death. Written by leading researchers and educators, this selection of previously published articles and book chapters is representative of key developments in this field. Given the perennial importance of the child in Dickens this volume is an indispensable reference work for Dickens specialists and aficionados alike.

'No words can express the secret agony of my soul'. Dickens's tantalising hint alluding to his time at Warren's Blacking Factory remains a gnomic statement until Forster's biography after Dickens's death. Such a revelation partly explains the dominance of biography in early Dickens criticism; Dickens's own childhood was understood to provide the material for his writing, particularly his representation of the child and childhood. Yet childhood in Dickens continues to generate a significant level of critical interest. This volume of essays traces the shifting importance given to childhood in Dickens criticism. The essays consider a range of subjects such as the Romantic child, the child and the family, and the child as a vehicle for social criticism, as well as current issues such as empire, race and difference, and death. Written by leading researchers and educators, this selection of previously published articles and book chapters is representative of key developments in this field. Given the perennial importance of the child in Dickens this volume is an indispensable reference work for Dickens specialists and aficionados alike.

Examines literary orphan figures and kinship structures in the nineteenth-century novelExamines a wide range of canonical and non-canonical authors from the UK, US, Canada, SwitzerlandProvides an important and unique contribution to fields of family and kinship studiesIncludes an international, contemporary, critically-informed collection of interesting approachesOffers an important intervention in the most cutting-edge work on children’s literature and family and kinship studiesRereading Orphanhood: Texts, Inheritance, Kin explores the ways in which the figure of the literary orphan can be used to illuminate our understanding of the culture and mores of the long nineteenth century, especially those relating to family and kinship. The chapters in the book explore how orphan characters (both child and adult) contribute to discourses of gender, home, inheritance, illegitimacy, notions of the human and the development of the novel across a wide range of canonical and non-canonical texts.

Examines literary orphan figures and kinship structures in the nineteenth-century novelExamines a wide range of canonical and non-canonical authors from the UK, US, Canada, SwitzerlandProvides an important and unique contribution to fields of family and kinship studiesIncludes an international, contemporary, critically-informed collection of interesting approachesOffers an important intervention in the most cutting-edge work on children’s literature and family and kinship studiesRereading Orphanhood: Texts, Inheritance, Kin explores the ways in which the figure of the literary orphan can be used to illuminate our understanding of the culture and mores of the long nineteenth century, especially those relating to family and kinship. The chapters in the book explore how orphan characters (both child and adult) contribute to discourses of gender, home, inheritance, illegitimacy, notions of the human and the development of the novel across a wide range of canonical and non-canonical texts.

A practical and beautifully photographed guide to over 100 recommended roses for Northern California. This common-sense resource covers the most important information for each of the recommended varieties. The book is divided into nine sections: species roses, hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, old garden, climbers and ramblers, miniatures, groundcover and pavement, and shrub and modern shrub.

Internet garden guru Donna Dawson teams up with veteran garden writer Laura Peters to craft this colourful and practical guide to growing annuals in Alberta. - Over 500 annuals suited to the region's climate - Over 350 brilliant full-color photographs - Tips on Planting, Growing, Recommended Varieties, Problems and Pests - Details on light, water and nutrient needs - How and when to start your plants - A Quick Reference Chart provides information at a glance on color, blooming, height, hardiness, and light and soil requirements.

A practical and beautifully photographed guide to over 100 recommended roses for Michigan. This commonsense resource covers the most important information concerning each of the recommended varieties. Enjoy the more than 300 full-color photographs as you read where to plant roses, which roses will do best in your garden, how to purchase, plant and care for different kinds of roses, protect the plants over the winter and identify and treat various pests and diseases that can attack rose plants. The book is divided into nine sections: species roses, hybrid teas, floribunda, grandiflora, old garden, climber and rambler, miniature, groundcover and modern shrub.

Gardening is one of the fastest growing recreational pastimes in North America. Today's gardener is looking for the right resources to yield beautiful results with a minimum amount of fuss. Our Gardening Month by Month series, crafted by local gardening experts, answers the challenge with images and information specific to the region to which each title is dedicated. Each month of the year is featured, opening with a beautiful two-page photo spread and followed by a perpetual calendar, tips and information and plenty of space for your own gardening notes. This easy-to-use, sturdy book with lay-flat binding contains great features on garden design, sprouting plants from seeds, container gardening, creating wildlife habitat, composting, house plants and pest control with many references and resources for the modern gardener, whether your garden is in Abbotsford or Antigonish.

We've taken some of the work and a lot of the worry out of your next trip to the garden center. In this book you'll find over 160 accounts featuring the best plant varieties in nine categories: annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, climbers, roses, bulbs and herbs. You'll also find information about each plant's special features, its habitat, height and spread, best soil, light and water conditions, and tips about the best use of the plant in your garden. Color-coded bars at the top of each page make it fast and easy to find what you're looking for.

Container gardening is a flexible and fast-growing practice as popular with homeowners who want to accent a patio as it is with high-rise dwellers who want some greenery on their balcony. In Container Gardening for Canada, author Laura Peters overviews the best materials and practices for developing healthy container gardens, as well as reviews an array of plants and arrangements that do well in containers under prevailing Canadian conditions.

Organic gardening is natural. It's using compost instead of chemical fertilizers to improve the health of your soil. It's using mulches to retain moisture and reduce watering needs. It's proven: chemical fertilizers and pesticides have a negative impact--on our health, on the environment and on future generations. The author of more than 25 gardening books, Laura Peters has practised and taught about organic gardening for years. In this book, she explores the subject thoroughly: * Hundreds of colour photographs * Special considerations for Canadian garden seasons * The importance of healthy soil * Creating and maintaining an organic garden * Planning and designing a variety of organic gardens, including: container gardens, edible gardens, water gardens and naturalized wildlife gardens * Caring for plants the organic way * Pest and disease problems and treatments. * It's simple. It's natural. It's good for you. Do yourself and future generations a favour and start gardening. Organically.

The Canadian prairies are an ideal place to grow a huge variety of vegetables, and there are plenty of healthful and economic benefits to having your own garden. Whether you have a traditional backyard space or several containers on a high-rise balcony, you can grow a season-long supply of tasty produce. Best-selling garden writer Laura Peters provides all you need to know to dig in: * Basics such as light, soil, exposure and frost tolerance * Almost infinite garden styles, including raised beds and limited space gardening * Preparing the garden and selecting which vegetables to grow where * Recommended varieties, including new, traditional, heirloom and unusual selections * Seasonal care, including mulching, weeding and watering * Tips throughout, including how to extend the growing season and what to do with your harvest * Organic approaches to management of pests and diseases * An appendix featuring companion plants and relationships * Helpful hardiness maps, and delicious colour photos throughout. * From A to Z--yummy asparagus, through to healthy kale and peculiar kohlrabi, all the way to colourful peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and zucchini--it's all here in this informative gardening guide.

Ontario is an ideal place to grow a huge variety of vegetables, and there are plenty of healthful and economic benefits to having your own garden. Whether you have a traditional backyard space or several containers on a high-rise balcony, you can grow a season-long supply of tasty produce. Best-selling garden writer Laura Peters provides all you need to know to dig in: * Basics such as light, soil, exposure and frost tolerance * Almost infinite garden styles, including raised beds and limited space gardening * Preparing the garden and selecting which vegetables to grow where * Recommended varieties, including new, traditional, heirloom and unusual selections * Seasonal care, including mulching, weeding and watering * Tips throughout, including how to extend the growing season and what to do with your harvest * Organic approaches to management of pests and diseases * An appendix featuring companion plants and relationships * Helpful hardiness maps, and delicious colour photos throughout. * From A to Z--yummy artichokes, arugula and asparagus, through to healthy kale and peculiar kohlrabi, leeks and okra, all the way to colourful peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and zucchini--it's all here in this informative gardening guide.