Book Description

When Roughing It in the Bush was published in 1852, it created an international sensation, not only for Susanna Moodie’s “glowing narrative of personal incident,” but also for her firm determination to puncture the illusions European land-agents were circulating about life in Canada. This frank and fascinating chronicle details her harsh – and humorous – experiences in homesteading with her family in the woods of Upper Canada.

Part documentary, part psychological parable, Roughing It in the Bush is, above all, an honest account of how one woman coped not only in a new world, but, more importantly, with herself.

The New Canadian Library edition is an unabridged reprint of the complete original text.
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Reviews (2)

A Journey into the a Timeless Mind
Moodie puts her readers into her own thoughts, allowing you to see just how difficult it was for her to survive in Canada in the 1800's. Her character and personality lends itself well to her writing, allowing you to laugh when she laughs, anger when she is angry, and cry when she cries (maybe less the crying, it wasn't THAT wrenching). I would recommend reading it along with an audio version of the book. I've never done it before, but i actually liked it! Another review stated that the book got boring, and it really can be if you are too involved and are looking for a really gripping read. So to listen and follow along at your own leisure was rather relaxing. It added to the humour of some of the chapters, particularly the "borrowing and lending" scenario! Enjoy!

This is a story of courage by early pioneers to Canada.
Like the Lewis & Clark Expedition, early Canadian settlers had less understanding about what they were getting into than the men who stood on the moon. Susanna Moodie's story of her life in the Canadian bush in the middle years of the nineteenth century illustrate how precarious was their circumstances, how unselfishly some shared their labor and their good fortune and how utterly selfish and even dangerous was the behaviour of others. The story illustrates again how at base, there ar two types of people, those who take and those who give. As you read her story you will be amazed how this gentlewoman, accustomed to Victorian drawing rooms, lived, even prospered a little, bore and raised children in a one room windowless and doorless log cabin in all weathers and enduring visits from wild Indians, wolves and bears. Of her totally unsuitable husband she is endlessly understanding and forgiving, yet the reader will find him or herself continually driven to giving him a swift kick in the pants for his apparent total lack of sensitivity to his wife, while at the same time being viewed as an upstanding citizen. ... Read more

Book Description

A spirit of adventure, a great sense of fun, an observant eye, and enthusiasm for everything new--that's the kind of woman Monica Hopkins was, and that's what led her to leave the comforts of her English family home in 1909 to homestead on the prairies.

Hopkins was a young bride who had finally married her childhood sweetheart, an Irish lad who'd wandered the world, then settled down to the life of a rancher in the foothills of Alberta. Through her eyes we get a unique view of the early days of Western Canada, that of an observant woman who took note of every detail of landscape and personality. Her letters sparkle with delights, enthusiasms, occasional troubles and tragedies.

In Letters from a Lady Rancher, Monica Hopkins brings to life the experiences of the women--and men--who settled the Canadian West.
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Reviews (1)

Historical - and hysterical!
A friend of a friend sent this book to a group of us living overseas, and while Monica Hopkins lived her adventures nearly 100years ago, we agree that she could be describing our daily life here. Writing to a friend on the other side of the globe, Hopkins details daily life in the "wilds" of Alberta at the turn of the last century, sharing personal anecdotes about her first year of marriage and interesting characters with whom she lives and works.

I highly recommend this title to anyone interested in Canadian history, particularly from a woman's point of view; to anyone living in a new and different culture/ lifestyle than the one to which they are accustomed; and to anyone interested in anecdotal, humorous history. The history of the West will never look the same! ... Read more

Book Description

The journal of James Colnett is the last unpublished account of the early maritime fur trade on the Northwest Coast. Between 1786 and 1789, Colnett’s expedition traversed the coast from Prince William Sound to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Its members were the first Europeans to encounter the Tsimshian and the southern Heiltsuk, and the first to land on the southern Queen Charlotte Islands.

The journal is reproduced with full scholarly apparatus, as well as with extracts from a second journal by Andrew Bracey Taylor, 3rd mate on one of the ships in Colnett’s command. Focusing on the expedition’s remarkable encounters with the Native peoples of the Northwest Coast, Galois’ introductory essay also addresses the geopolitical context of the voyage and the intellectual background that shaped the writing of the journals.

This fascinating account gives us a new understanding of early European presence in the Northwest and of Native responses to these developments. It will interest historians, geographers, and ethnographers of the Northwest Coast and beyond. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A remarkable book
This is a remarkable book. It is a primary account of a child's life growing up in Montana and Canada in the early part of the twentieth century. Margaret (Peggy) Bell's life spanned some 94 years, from 1888-1982, and her story is as exciting and troubling as any account one is likely to read, fiction or non-fiction. That the book is edited by Mary Clearman Blew makes it not only highly readable but lends it undeniable credibility.

Bell's account of growing up on the high plains of Montana and Canada is a rare, first person account of life on the frontier with it's numerous hardships, grinding poverty, and ultimate struggle to retain her mind and spirit that will break your heart and make you shout for joy...sometimes within a few paragraphs or pages. In a straight forward, honest, almost stoic manner she describes the many life lessons she learned and discusses a subject that is rarely seen in print in the literature of the period: the abuse, sexual and otherwise, she experienced at the hands of her uncle and stepfather. This is an amazing book that chronicles the life experiences of a resilient woman in a man's world that lived to understand who she was, where she came from, and what it all meant. That she could tell such a story without self pity or sentimental, touchy-feely themes is remarkable. Brutally frank, honest and ultimately uplifting. ... Read more

Book Description

Along with J.S. Woodsworth, William Irvine was one of the pioneers of socialism in Canada, a member of the radical Ginger Group, progenitor of the C.C.F. and N.D.P.

In the wake of the First World War Irvine struggled relentlessly to organize Alberta farmers for political action. Elected to Parliament in 1921, he along with close friend Woodsworth were the sole labour representatives in the House: they worked incessantly against the monopoly power of large corporations and financial institutions. Together they laid the basis for a socialist challenge to the Eastern-dominated, two-party system in Canada.

William Irvine: The Life of a Prairie Radical chronicles his immense contribution to the search for political alternatives in this country, a contribution that can still be felt in Canadian politics today.
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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Canadian Chemical News, published by Chemical Institute of Canada on February 1, 2004. The length of the article is 376 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Obituaries.(Karl Kiril Georgieff, Association of the Chemical Profession of Ontario)(Horace Philipp, Ottawa Section Executive Committee)(Federal Citizen Information Center)(Obituary)
Publication: Canadian Chemical News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2004
Publisher: Chemical Institute of Canada
Volume: 56Issue: 2Page: 4(1)

Article Type: Obituary

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Reviews (1)

Excellent genealogical resource
Our French Canadian Ancestors volume 3 has been an excellent resource series addition to my growing library. This volume covers the history of the church in early Canada/New France. It also included a history of the derivation of French/Canadian names, including 5 categories that many came from. It's always great to be able to find links to my family tree, along with biographical, geographical, social information about the times, occupations and location of my ancestors. Don't miss it. ... Read more