Best 19th Century Canadian History
Easily as many as 100,000 adventurers, dreamers, and would-be miners from all over the world struck out for the remote, isolated gold fields in the Klondike Valley, most of them in total ignorance of the long, harsh Alaskan winters and the territory's indomitable terrain. Pierre Burton is the internationally renowned bestselling author of fifty books and the recipient of over thirty literary awards including the Governor-General s Award for Creative Non-Fiction (three times).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I ordered this Kindle edition to get more of an understanding of the experience of the Klondike gold rush after reading my grandfather's diaries that he kept while mining for gold on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska between 1898-1903."
"But this is a real page-turner, and it does a terrific job bringing the Klondike Gold Rush to life for the reader."
"This is the 3rd time we've purchased this book (keep giving them away!)."
"Was not aware of all the hardships these individuals went thru to get to the Klondike and then search for gold."
"Very good book!"
"A lively, well researched and fact filled account of a crazy time and the men and women who lived it."
"Very good book, but got a little boring towards the end."
"I've read quite a few books about the Klondike gold rush, but this is by far the best."
This landmark tribute to the Canadian Pacific Railway features the work of many of North America's top rail photographers. [Globe and Mail 2006 Holiday Gift Book selection] An oversized volume of fabulous train photos. A magnificent collection of photography covering the entire CP rail system... the book captures the magic that is the Canadian Pacific Railway. Features 240 pages of not only Greg's [McDonnell] excellent photography but also some fantastic photos of many well known Railfan Photographers... This beautiful work is a tribute in words and photographs from Greg McDonnell, who writes with knowledge and affection... There are enough details and facts to satisfy any true railroad historian, while the pictures show the beauty of those trains. It is as if McDonnell asked his best friends to supply their favorites [photographs] for publication in this special tribute volume.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Although not a comprehensive history of Canadian Pacific Rail, this book is a great narrative of a great railroad."
"If you are interested in the Canadian Pacific Railway System and I do mean the one that came in the good old longland script complete with beaver then this is a book for you."
"Gregg McDonnell tells the story of the Canadian Pacific Railway using amazing photo's My compliments to the photographers!"
"Canadian Pacific is one of those legendary names in transportation, a company with an impressive history, which, at the height of its influence billed itself "The World's Greatest Travel System". Prolific author Greg McDonnell delivers a tasteful tribute to this historic company that, in an era of bland mega-railroads, has not been afraid to celebrate its employees and its history. The "Craigellachie" in the book's title refers to the location where, in 1885, CPR official Donald Smith drove the ceremonial last spike that symbolically uniting eastern and western Canada. It might help to say what this book is not: it's not a comprehensive history of the entire Canadian Pacific Railway, although the volume contains historical content including many excellent photos from the post WW2 era. The highlight of this chapter is another Robert Sandusky color photo showing an interurban passenger train passing the Mount Pleasant station. It's an inspiring story: major railroad company repatriates surplus steam locomotive from south of the border and spends the big bucks to do a class restoration. In 1999 CEO Ritchie started a Remembrance Day/Veteran's Day tradition wherein all CP trains stop at 1100 on November 11 to observe a moment of silence followed by a horn blast in tribute. A somewhat ETTS chapter 7, "Not Fade Away" tells the story of the Wood Mountain Sub, a branch line whose fortunes rose and fell with the economics of hauling grain."
"And like any good photographer, Mr. McDonnell finds wonderful stories in the detail; the small things that tell the bigger story."
"The book was sealed and packed with an air pillow to prevent damage to the book."
"Another Excellent Book from a Great Canadian Author!"
In this sumptuously illustrated history of a company whose story is integral to the Golden Age of Travel, Barry Lane recounts the history of Canadian Pacific, from the construction of the transcontinental railway to the development of the hotels and the building of the shipping line that linked Canada to the rest of the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Very happy with this item."
"Basically a collection of CP ads and posters."
Best 20th Century Canadian History
From New York Times bestselling author John U. Bacon, a gripping narrative history of the largest manmade detonation prior to Hiroshima: in 1917 a ship laden with the most explosives ever packed on a vessel sailed out of Brooklyn's harbor for the battlegrounds of World War I; when it stopped in Halifax, Nova Scotia, an extraordinary disaster awaited …. On Monday, December 3, 1917, the French freighter SS Mont-Blanc set sail from Brooklyn carrying the largest cache of explosives ever loaded onto a ship, including 2,300 tons of picric acid, an unstable, poisonous chemical more powerful than TNT. While much has been written about the disaster, there is still much more to the story that remains untold, including an investigation of the key figures involved, the histories of the colliding ships, and the confluence of circumstances that brought these two vessels together to touch off one of the most tragic disasters of the twentieth century. The Halifax Explosion reveals the gripping untold story of Canada’s worst disaster, a haunting tale of survival, incredible courage, and, ultimately, the triumph of the human spirit.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Deeply researched and told in a riveting fashion, this book vividly draws you through the moments of one of the biggest man made tragedies ever experienced."
"He suspensefully sets up the collision of two ships and explosion that followed against the backdrop of WWI and US - Canadian relations in 1917."
"Although you know what is going to happen the opening chapters put together the various elements that ultimately lead to the tragedy."
"Excellent book about a part of history that many of us do not know."
"This is a very interesting book."
"The book also explains how the explosion played an important part in US/Canada relations, which were far less cordial than I'd realized prior to the tragedy described in the book."
"We're coming up to the 100th anniversary of the explosion that rocked Halifax and the surrounding communities on December 6, 1917 and author John Bacon has done a marvelous job in relating the events that led up to the tragedy along with the suffering that took place, and people coming together to assist one another in times of urgent need."
Best First Nations Canadian History
In the most comprehensive atlas of Native American history and culture available, the story of the North American Indian is told through maps, photos, art, and archival cartography. "...gorgeously illustrated volume...Chock full of historical and contemporary maps, photographs, and paintings, this smart hybrid of art book and textbook is irresistible to leaf through because of the eye-catching images on every page.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"When I look at the citations for the art work, I see the name of the Museum, but no artist is listed. Any artist wants acknowledgement of their work of art."
"Wonderful."
"This is a gift."
"A little broad and generalized but a good quick reference book."
"Everyone would do well to read this."
Best Pre-Confederation Canadian History
A huge, ambitious re-creation of the eighteenth-century Battle of the Plains of Abraham, the pivotal battle in the Seven Years’ War (1754–1763) to win control of the trans-Appalachian region of North America, a battle consisting of the British and American colonists on one side and the French and the Iroquois Confederacy on the other, and leading directly to the colonial War of Independence and the creation of Canada. It took five years of warfare fought on three continents—Europe, Asia, and North America—to bring the forces arrayed against one another—Britain, Prussia, and Hanover against France, Austria, Sweden, Saxony, Russia, and Spain (Churchill called it “the first world war”)—to the plateau outside Quebec City, on September 13, 1759, on fields owned a century before by a fisherman named Abraham Martin . It was the final battle of a three-month siege by the British Army and Navy of Quebec, the walled city that controlled access to the St. Lawrence River and the continent’s entire network of waterways; a battle with the British utilizing 15,000 soldiers, employing 186 ships, with hundreds of colonists aboard British warships and transports from Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, with France sending in a mere 400 reinforcements in addition to its 3,500 soldiers. France surrendered Quebec to the British, setting the course for the future of Canada, paving the way for the signing of the Treaty of Paris that gave the British control of North America east of the Mississippi, and forcing France to relinquish its claims on New Orleans and to give the lands west of the Mississippi to Spain for surrendering Florida to the British. Excitement about Peter MacLeod’s. NORTHERN ARMAGEDDON. “Significantly advances our understanding of the naval role in the battle of the Plains of Abraham and excels all previous studies . He skillfully illuminates the many ways Americans fit into the big picture of the continent’s conflicts, in which two big nations emerged out of a patchwork of contending powers.”. —Clarke Crutchfield, Richmond Times-Dispatch “Writing with a keen eye for the dramatic, MacLeod tells this story in a big way, giving equal parts to each side . The events of the battle are finely rendered, and MacLeod makes a strong case for their importance as a precursor to the American Revolution.”. — Publishers Weekly “MacLeod explores the extent of Quebec’s insurmountable natural defenses and Wolfe’s inability to overcome them . The author’s strong knowledge of every aspect of the fight prevails to produce an intricate, enlightening account . Students of American history will appreciate the detail and the thoroughness of this account of what Churchill called the ‘first world war.’ ”. — Kirkus “Definitive . Americans (who composed roughly a third of the conquering army) did not realize at the time that as Montcalm’s men surrendered they had taken the first steps on their own country’s path to independence.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"i like history, and I found this to be history that i enjoyed reading ."
"Almost finished with this book."
"Excellent, well written."
"This is a welcome book on the battle for Quebec, which helped determine the outcome of the so-called French and Indian War. One point made by the author is that Quebec's defense was enhanced immensely by a geological formation going back 500,000 years. The leader of the French forces at Quebec was General Montcalm, who had established a pretty good record in the war. The French forces--and citizens of Quebec--struggled with acquiring enough food and other needed goods. There is a nice discussion of how the French strove to create logistics to provide food and other needed goods. In the aftermath, with the French withdrawing and both commanding generals dead, the British moved to put Quebec under siege."
"On Thursday, September 13, 1759, at 10 o'clock in the morning, the Marquis de Montcalm, commander of the French forces at Ville de Québec (Quebec City), ordered his troops to charge the British forces under General James Wolfe that were arrayed on the Plains of Abraham below the city. All Canadians are well aware of this famous battle but what they, and their American neighbours and other people around the world, generally don't know is that this battle not only shaped the future of Canada but, as Dr, MacLeod says, it also shaped the futures of "...the United States, Native Americans across the continent, the French and British Empires, and the world." In the telling of this story, Dr. MacLeod, an historian at the Canadian War Museum, surpasses all previous accounts of the conflict, and he does so in a manner that makes his book in its dynamics more akin to a thriller than the sort of sloggy tome we can associate with history books. Canadians whose "langue maternelle" is English, and who can be chauvinistic about the outcome of the battle, will be sobered by the facts of how utterly ruthless the British were in their scorched earth policy toward the Canadians (i.e, the people of Québec, who were the only true "Canadians" at the time). Had he been the leader of the French troops and the Canadian irregulars, Québec might never have fallen for it was precisely the place he worried about that the British troops finally scaled in the middle of the night."
Best Canadian Exploration History
Stephen R. Bown has unearthed archival material to give Amundsen's life the grim immediacy of Apsley Cherry-Garrard's The Worst Journey in the World , the exciting detail of The Endurance , and the suspense of a Jon Krakauer tale. Brown's biography breaks some new ground in detailing the explorer's time spent in New York and the evidence of his sense of humor, which stands in contrast to the usual picture of him as cold, methodical and harsh.” Winnipeg. Free Press , 10/6/12 Bown's tension-packed narrative recounts the illustrious career of the most accomplished polar explorer of all time.” Shipwreckology.com, 10/25/12 In a world where little is left to explore, Bown transports his readers to a time when great men battled nature to explore the earth's last remaining terra incognita. As the winter months approach, readers would be well served to buy The Last Viking and curl up in front of a roaring fire to enjoy Bown's gripping account of Amundsen's epic polar adventures.” Maclean's , 10/26/12 Bown draws on extensive research and access to the personal journals of Amundsen and his travel companions to paint rich and gripping accounts of his perilous voyages. Amundsen, perhaps the greatest polar explorer of all time, comes to life once again to ignite the spirit of exploration in all of us.” Toronto. Globe & Mail , 11/16/12 Bown writes from the lofty, distancing heights of the fair-minded historian The work is sharp-eyed, thorough and convincing, and constitutes a significant addition to the Arctic canon.”. One of Bown's strengths in writing this biography is his ability to write about Amundsen's expeditionsoften multi-year affairs during which the crew was completely isolatedin a way that engages readers accustomed to satellite phones and real-time updates Bown's clear prose never gets bogged down by the vast emptiness of its settings or by Amundsen's regular successes in his expeditions. These later stories of Amundsen's life are less frequently told, and Bown has done a good job of restoring them to Amundsen's biography Since the highly private Amundsen kept his private life to himself, we get little insight into the man (and Bown wisely avoids speculation). What we do get is an overdue acknowledgment of what Amundsen was: the greatest polar adventurer who ever lived, and the man whose life was the capstone on the Age of Exploration.”. If you haven't read about polar exploration it's a good book to read since it relates the entire history of man's search for the final fabled lost lands or undiscovered sea lanes that would make trade travel quicker and cheaper In this day of constant communication the book acts like an escape of sorts to a time when years would go by between shoving off on an expedition and returning.” Politics and Patriotism Show” (blog), 11/21/12 An eye opening history of the larger-than-life Norwegian explorer Intensely researched and passionately written.” Literary Review of Canada , October 2012 A riveting tale of adventure, political intrigue and achievement Exceptionally well researched and eminently readable An important contribution to the historiography of polar exploration.” Milwaukee. Shepherd Express , 12/4/12. CBC Books, 12/17/12 Bown draws on extensive research to create a clear and often surprising portrait of a truly adventurous spirit.” Library Journal , 12/20/12 A great new biography Well written and enjoyable, the book uses ample quotes from Amundsen to give readers a sense of the man a great title for collections that don't own Amundsen's own books or previous biographies, this volume is recommended for readers high school-age and up who are interested in polar exploration.” Minneapolis Star-Tribune , 1/8/13 [A] persuasive and highly readable biography/adventure story.”. Bown writes Amundsen's story with a sharp eye to what's important Amundsen's life is without a doubt fascinating, and Bown does it a service by getting out of the way and just telling the story. He succeeds; his Amundsen is complicated and compelling, capable of leading men through deadly danger and telling self-deprecating stories to rapturous lecture audiences later The New York Times published hundreds of articles chronicling his voyages, and Bown gracefully weaves together these and other journalistic records, along with journals kept by Amundsen and his men, to paint a surprisingly intimate portrait of a complex, at times difficult, yet eminently admirable man.” Denver. Post , 9/30/12 A deep, spine-chilling look at the life of Roald Amundsen, Norwegian polar explorer.” Tucson Citizen , 10/4/12 An outstanding biography of a focused, determined man Bown has served up a crisply written book that is exciting, meticulously researched, and an appropriate literary tribute to one of history's greatest explorers.” Bookviews blog, October 2012 The story of a man who accomplished in two decades when other explorers of his day couldn't do in a lifetime The world needs heroes like Amundsen, warts and all.”.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Second, I was preparing a presentation "Leadership Lessons from the South Pole" for a professional group in the Twin Cites (MN). Since then, I've read several books and many articles about polar explorers such as Amundsen, Scott, and Shackleton."
"This book read like some of the best non-fiction for the first half, with Roald Amundsen's voyage to the South Pole described in detail."
"Good info on the lesser known sides of this famous explorer; he may have had everything together during his journeys, but in "regular life" he was as flawed as most human beings ..."
"Excellent book - I recommend to others."
"FASCINATING READ OF ONE OF THE GREATEST POLAR EXPLORERS."
"Learned so much about the time when explorers were looked up to like our astronauts are now."
"And one comes away with a diminished view of British nationalism and attitude of the time against the tiny Norway which had only gotten its independence from Sweden in 1905."
Best Canadian Founding History
Hélène, along with the majority of the other French settlers, was put on an English ship and taken to France. This, then, is her remarkable story, set against the backdrop of France’s efforts to establish a colony in the New World along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. "Against a backdrop of the history of the period, customs of the times, contemporary descriptions, and the lives of her fellow pioneers, Hélène's conjectured life takes on form and color. [This book] will appeal as much to anyone with a general interest in the founding colonists of Québec as it will to descendants of Hélène Desportes." Instead she paints a rich background and then states what is known about Hélène's life from the available documents for her and her neighbors."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book will appeal to French Canadians researching their family trees because almost everyone has Hélène Desportes in their lineage."
"Since most histories of New France focus on the missionary efforts of the Jesuits among the Amerind population, the fur trade, or the military/strategic aspects of French colonial rule, this is a fresh approach, comparable to a "family history", at the same time introducing the important aspects of Amerind relations, missionary and other religious aspects of 17th century Colonial life, as well as the effects of the fur trade, relations with the Mother Country, and the characters of Colonial administration."
"I enjoyed the book especially with breaking the time period into chapters which helped explain the history of what was going on during each time period & in general Champlain's community in New France."
"As I make my way through this book I am impressed with the plethora of details that the author provides about the daily life of early French settlers."
"Helene Desportes is my 9th Great Grandmother, so to find such specific information about her and some of my other ancestors is fascinating."
"Although she and others like her pre-ceeded my French-Canadian ancestors, I felt very connected because many of the early French settlers (habitants) sailed from La Rochelle which became my family surname before leaving Canada and settling in the U.S."
"It has a lot of interesting facts about life in the days of the early colonists of Canada, which is really intriguing to me."
"This is a GREAT book, especially if you are descended from Helene!"
Best Province & Local Canadian History
This riveting true story recounts the authors journey on horseback across Arizona and New Mexico, retracing Coronados desperate search for the legendary Seven Cities of Gold. The Old West's last glimmers flicker through this piercingly beautiful adventure, an unforgettable saga in which Preston, astride his horse Popeye, traverses the desert and mountain wilderness of Arizona and New Mexico, retracing the trailblazing 1540-1541 expedition of Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In fact, there were times when I felt that I had to put the book down after reading how hard the experience was when they ran out of water or food!"
"I have lived in Arizona for twenty five years and have learned more about it's past through this story than I have learned in all the years of living here."
"I would like to see the photos journal packed with drone footage, gps mapping of the path traveled listing water found and important landmark locations."
"This is a captivating story that everyone needs to read and never forget."
"To carry that large format camera on a trip like that is dedication!"
"Liked the way the narrative moved back and forth between the "adventure/expedition" and the historical and political perspectives."
"I love the idea of hoofing it thru all kinds of terrain with nearly a stranger."
"A step back in time experienced in todays time."
Best Canadian War of 1812 History
The battle of the Thames was the culmination of a bloody campaign that saw American forces clash with the British and their Native American allies on multiple occasions. Peter has since contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects, including many Osprey titles.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It took the appointment of an experienced and determined commander, William Henry Harrison, to turn the tide to U.S. advantage against British troops and their Indian allies... "The Thames 1813" is an Osprey Campaign Series book, written by John F. Winkler, who also authored an excellent account of the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant. The narrative makes the excellent point that both sides were fighting at the limits of their respective supply lines; victory might go to the commander who could best feed and arm his forces in his opponent's territory."
"In this Osprey Campaign #302 "The Thames 1813: The War of 1812 on the Northwest Frontier", author John Winkler gives us an excellent and concise treatment of the battles in Ohio and the Indiana Territory. The author does a good job of not only giving the reader an eminently readable account of the campaign, but also introducing the reader to many of the characters who would impact the course of events such as Private Patrick Russell, Tecumseh and other Indian chiefs, Isaac Shelby, William Whitley."
"An excellent short history of the War of 1812 in the west. Highlights the major players in the conflict and set out the terrain and composition of the armies."
"Great book, especially if your are into frontier history."
"This is one of the very important battles of the war of 1812."
"Good campaign analysis and excellent maps and narrative."