1 comments about Closely Guarded: A Life in Canadian Security and Intelligence.

1. An excellent account of the beginnings of Canadian security and intelligence activities, and the RCMP role in security and intelligence work. Easy read. Supported by many formerly official documents of the 1940s-1970s.

1 comments about The Buffalo Head.

1. I bought this book on a recommendation from a trail guide from Anchor D Ranch. We had just finished the "Great Divide Ride". that took us up to Carnarvon Lake and the Lake of the horns. I wanted to get into that as soon as possible, but the first half of the book is taken up with Patterson's previous history. (On recommendation from his publisher) It is interesting, but wasn't what I wanted to read. I really got into the second half where he describes some of his adventures out in the mountains. I still really don't know where the Buffallohead Ranch was really located. His references to the Bar U place it somewhere in the Highwood I suspect. His description of the fire in that area in 1936 was great, as there is still evidence of that today. It was nice to hear how it was first hand. He was definitely one tough man. All in all if you want to hear history first hand from one who was there, this is the book to read. If you want to get into the meat of the Ranch life, skip the first half til later.

No comments about Stephen Harris: Designer Craftsman.

1 comments about Under Polaris: An Arctic Quest (McLellan Books).

1. This marvelous book is a blend of adventure story, scientific diary, and ethnographic study. The author, Tahoe Talbot Washburn, accompanied her husband, Lincoln Washburn, to the Canadian Arctic in 1938-1941, helping him do his graduate field work in the glacial geology of the region. The author was a keen observer of native people and their way of life. She recorded what we now see in retrospect as the waning years of a nomadic way of life for the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Prior to World War II, many Inuit roamed freely across the high Arctic, camping in snow houses (igloos) constructed along the trail at the end of the day. The Canadian Arctic Inuit were still essentially nomads; they did not live in or visit permanent settlements, except for a few important events each year. Accordingly, governmental authorities and missionaries had to go on expeditions to meet with the Inuit. Soon after the war, this pattern changed dramatically, and seemingly irrevocably, towards a more settled way of life. This book is made all the more fascinating because it provides many glimpses into a way of life perched on the cusp of radical change. The Washburns were much more than casual visitors to the Canadian Arctic. They lived there for months at a time, including one extended stay from August, 1940 to February, 1941. They spent precious little time indoors, preferring to move about the Arctic islands, hiking, boating, camping, and dog-sledding in winter. The scientific aim of this multi-year project was to determine the extent of regional glaciation in the late Pleistocene, a much-debated topic of that day. By collecting marine fossils and mapping traces of glacial scouring in bedrock, Lincoln Washburn was able to begin the process of reconstructing the extent of ice sheets during the last glaciation. This thesis project marked the beginning of his long and illustrious career in glacial geology. However, geologic research is only incidental to this book. It brought the Washburns to Arctic Canada, but once there, they fell in love with the land and its people. Both Lincoln and Tahoe relished the arduous Arctic lifestyle, where physical endurance and mental acuity often make the difference between survival and death. They marveled at the ingenuity, patience, and sense of humor that seemed to sustain the Inuit through manifold hardships. Tahoe Washburn spent many months emulating the role of Inuit women, including daily food preparation (for both people and sled dogs), sewing of leather garments, and hide preparation (including chewing caribou hides to soften them). Although limited by not understanding the Inuit language, she learned by observation. Her Native companions appreciated her efforts to follow their ways, and took the time to teach her many skills that few outsiders ever learned. The book is richly illustrated, with 107 photos and six maps. Although the material in the book was taken from diaries, it has been well-edited, never becoming dull or repetitive. I heartily recommend this book to readers interested in the natural history and ethnography of the Arctic.

   Review published in Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, Vol. 31, No. 4. Copyright: Regents of the University of Colorado

No comments about The Strangest Dream: Canadian Communists, the Spy Trials, and the Cold War.

No comments about Joseph Brant (The Canadians).

No comments about Negotiated Memory: Doukhobor Autobiographical Discourse.

No comments about Sketches of Labrador Life.

No comments about Paul-Emile Leger: le dernier voyage t2.: An article from: Études d'histoire religieuse.

1 comments about Making it Home: The Story of Catharine Parr Traill.

1. A former elementary and special needs teacher and experienced storyteller Lynn Westerhout draws upon her considerable expertise in Making It Home: The Story Of Catharine Parr Traill to tell the story of a daughter of 19th century Canadian pioneers who wrote stories in secret ad a young girl knowing that her frivolous activity would be punished if she were found out. Catharine grew up to be an adult who wrote while hungry and fearful for the safety of her own children. She wrote when it physically hurt her to hold the been. She wrote stories for children about emigration to Canada in the 1800s and those stories encouraged other pioneers who struggled with life in the new country. Catharine Parr Traill was one of the first to record the Ontario wilderness in literary and scientific detail. An impressive addition to any school or community library collection, Making It Home is an inspiring biography written for young readers ages 9 and older.