NavList:

Dave:

I'm not sure much gets shipped internationally as surface parcel post any more, at least not across the North Atlantic.  I know that the US Postal Service doesn't even offer it any more, for parcels or letters.  Between the probably low volume and the cost-saving nature of the service, I wouldn't be surprised if they wait for a certain amount of mail to build up before actuallly putting in on the boat.

There's also the matter of clearing customs on your end, which often adds a few days.

With that said, looking at the shipping prices quoted, I get the feeling the seller didn't know what they were doing.  The prices feel like "parcel" to me, but for a single, low-value item weighing less than 2 kg it makes a lot more sense to ship it as a "letter."  I haven't looked at Canada Post's website to figure out what they might have been thinking, but I could have gotten that book on a plane out of the US for the same price you paid for a boat from Canada.