Careless at Work: Selected Canadian Historical Studies

Wesley B. Turner is an associate professor of History at Brock
University and author of TheWar of 1812: The War That Both Sides Won.

In this unusual book, Careless presents 16 essays intended “to display
the main lines of [his] career in Canadian historical scholarship.”
His is a distinguished academic career spanning more than 40 years. All
but one of the items have been previously published in books or in
historical journals (four in the Canadian Historical Review).

Carl Berger is quite right when he states in the foreword that “these
pieces are impressive for their analytical rigour as well as their
scope.” They are mainly about urbanism and metropolitanism, but they
also touch on George Brown, regionalism, multiculturalism, and the
unavoidable question of Canadian identity. Careless seeks to impart a
sense of the complexity of the Canadian experience, as well as a sense
of the “distinctive Canadianism” that arises from the limited and
varied identities found in this country.

This book not only illuminates Canadian history but also reveals a
scholar’s mind at work, as, during his long career, he developed an
understanding of historical processes and of individuals. While the
ideas presented here are familiar to students of Canadian history, such
students will find this a useful volume. Readers not yet acquainted with
Careless’s writings will find this book a good introduction to the
intellectual challenge of Canadian history.