Prairie: A Natural History

William A. Waiser is a professor of history at the University of
Saskatchewan. He is the author of Saskatchewan’s Playground: A History
of Prince Albert National Park and Park Prisoners: The Untold Story of
Western Canada’s National Parks, 1915–1946

Prairie: A Natural History will hopefully put to rest the notion that
the central interior grasslands of the North American continent are a
monotonous landscape. Drawing on her skills as a writer, Savage presents
an intimate portrait of life in one of the most misunderstood natural
environments of the world. Indeed, her engaging description of the
prairie grasslands and its many faces and rhythms owes much to
Savage’s family history and her conscious decision to live her life in
the region.

Throughout the book, the text is lavishly illustrated with stunning
photographs, handy reference maps, and simple-but-useful black-and-white
sketches. As someone who has lived in the region for most of his adult
life, I was constantly reminded how little I actually knew about the
unique environment, even though I have made a concerted effort in recent
years to get out on the land.

As with all good books, I wanted more. Although the book is essentially
a natural history primer, it would have been instructive if Savage could
have examined at greater length the Aboriginal relationship with the
land, particularly before the arrival of Euro-Canadian newcomers. More
could also have been said about the challenges facing the region today
and what the future might hold unless current farming practices and the
overdependence on herbicides are modified. But these are nothing more
than quibbles. Read this book if you want to understand and appreciate
the prairie environment.