Come celebrate Family Literacy Day at the Cranbrook Public Library on Thursday, January 26. Cranbrook author Keith G. Powell will be reading from his popular new book, Raising Kain, the adventurous life of Conrad Kain, Canada’s greatest mountaineer at the library at 7 p.m.
In addition doing a reading from his newly release historical novel, the author will present two slide shows about his trip to Austria in search of Conrad Kain home village of Nasswald and his trek to the Kain Hut in the Bugaboos.
“My slide shows will let readers travel along as my wife and I visit to Nasswald, Austria and I hike into the Bugaboos — both areas played a large role in Conrad Kain life. The initial reaction to my new book, Raising Kain, has been very positive and heartwarming. One reader recently called the book “a must read.”  What I have tried to do with the book is to tell the story of one of the Kootenay’s most colourful characters in a creative and entertaining way,” said Powell
Conrad Kain lived in Wilmer (just north of Invermere) for nearly 20 years. He died in Cranbrook’s St. Eugene Hospital in 1934 – at the relatively young age of 50. He one of the most famous people buried in Cranbrook cemetery – so there is strong Kootenay connection to this story.
In 1909, 25-year-old Conrad Kain, from the tiny Austrian village of Nasswald, located in the heart of the Rax Mountains, boarded the CPR ship the Empress of Britain, en route to the Canadian Rockies.  He became widely known as the “prince of Canadian mountain guides” – in the Golden Age of mountaineering in Canada.
“I really look forward to being part of the library’s Family Literacy Day and invite everyone to attend the slideshow and reading on Thursday evening,” said Powell.
Family Literacy Day is a national awareness initiative created by ABC Life Literacy Canada in 1999 and held annually at the end of January to raise awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family. More than 1.5 million Canadians have already participated in the initiative since its debut. Taking time every day to read or do a learning activity with children is crucial to a child’s development. Even just 15 minutes a day can improve a child’s literacy skills dramatically, and can help a parent improve their skills as well. Read more about the importance of family literacy.

Photo: Author Keith Powell on his trek to the Kain Hut in the Bugaboos

Submitted

Article Share