My recent infatuation with 18^th Century Britain began with Mary Delany’s biography by poet Molly Peacock. Delany was an artist who created an impressive collection of botanical collages which are housed today in the British museum. Next came Joyner’s Dream, a novel with companion CD by Sylvia Tyson.

Recently, a friend (and former CPL colleague) recommended Garrow’s Law, a British television series; I was eager to check it out.

William Garrow (1760 - 1840) was an English barrister who transformed the rights of the accused in the British courtroom. At the time of his practice, English society was a rough place, plagued with violent crime. Policing was accomplished by “thief takers” – essentially bounty hunters – who were rewarded by convictions. Conviction brought severe punishment (flogging, branding or hanging) for crimes considered minor today.

The system also encouraged the admission of dubious evidence and severely limited a barrister’s ability to defend a client. It was plagued with political corruption and interference masked by a veneer of formal manners and restrictive social convention. To me, evil in a cloak of good manners is even more sinister.18th Century English life portrayed by Hogarth

Bonus: Garrow had an unconventional personal life that adds romance to the story.

This historical drama reveals both how far we have come and how much things stay the same.

To further immerse yourself in the English society that Garrow inherited, take a look at the many books we have about artist William Hogarth (1697-1764). Hogarth satirized the corruption, hypocrisy and prejudice of English society in works like the Harlot’s Progress and the Rake’s Progress.

Explore the setting of domestic life with The English House by James Chamber and The Town House in Georgian London by Rachel Stewart.

The new book on Japanese printmaker Hiroshige brought back happy memories of Giverny from my trip to France in 2007.

Monet had a personal collection of 231 Japanese prints by Hiroshige, Utamaro and Hokusai. Simply framed in black with grey mats, the prints still hang in his famous dining room. Walls were painted in tones of chrome yellow and gilt which also provided a stunning background for a collection of blue and white china.

Monet was not just a brilliant painter; he was a master decorator too. He brought a painter’s palette to both his home and garden.

There is one precious and well-used copy of Monet’s House (1997) by Heide Michels left in the collection. In her book, she tells the story of his unconventional family life centred on a love of good food, wine and company.

The Japanese art dealer, Tadamasa Hayashi, who was a frequent guest at Giverny, organized the first exhibition of Impressionist paintings in Japan in 1893. The printmakers often depicted the same scene with varying light conditions; Monet adopted the practice with his series of paintings of haystacks and poplars.

To make an armchair visit to the gardens, check out The Magic of Monet’s Garden by Derek Fell.

To recreate his recipes and brush up your French, have a look at Les Carnets de Cuisine de Monet. Unfortunately, the English language version (Monet's Table) is no longer in the collection. But we could help you track it down and bag it from The Alberta Library (TAL) database.

Last November, if you were lucky enough (and I was) to catch the Wordfest program with Ian Tyson, you learned that our favourite cowboy was an art school graduate. That was before he broke his leg and picked up the guitar.

The program featured a relaxed conversation between Tyson and Corb Lund – his protégé. They discussed wide-ranging influences like Western legends, Will James and Charlie Russell, as well as the song-writing process.

Along with his renowned musical career, Tyson is an expert at training cutting horses and an environmentalist, determined to preserve the integrity of Alberta ranchlands.

Tyson’s biography is an engaging read that explores the trails of personal, musical and ranch life. He’s happy to kiss and tell and speaks fondly of the women in his life.

As you would expect, the library has a generous collection of Tyson CDs, from his early folkie days with Sylvia to his classic Cowboyography.

Tyson and Lund are among the many performers featured on the new release 35 years of Stony Plain: Canada's roots, rock, folk, country and blues label. It’s on order for the collection and I have my name on the list.

Shooting Cowboys is the clever title by Brock V. Silversides that tracks the changing image of the Canadian cowboy over 90 years. He takes a look at working cowboys, rodeo cowboys, cowboy entertainers and cowboy poseurs. Think we might see a few of those this week.

Dale Auger was a renowned artist from the Bigstone Cree Nation in northern Alberta. “Dale produced visually stunning, provocative paintings that captured the attention and imagination or art collectors around the world”. That’s a quote from the jacket and I couldn’t think of better words. A few hours spent with the work shown in Medicine Paint are hours very well spent.

Dale’s daughter, Neepin Auger, is also a painter who had a recent show at the Bluerock Gallery (formerly Terra Cotta Gallery) in Black Diamond. This gallery that shows the work of more than 100 Alberta artists is a great excuse to hit the Cowboy Trail this summer.

Cowboy biographies, music and photography - and art infused with the spirit of native culture - my happy trails are meandering.