Acadian Root Baskets of Atlantic Canada

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Careful research and an explanation of basket-weaving technology are the
strengths of this slim book. Local historians and basket collectors will
appreciate the history of basket making and usage by First Nations,
black, and Acadian inhabitants of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and
Newfoundland. Craft workers will welcome the terminology section and the
step-by-step description of how to make a basket from spruce roots.

In addition to a general overview and history of the craft, the book
profiles three master basket makers, giving a taste of their lives and
the role of basket making in their families. The illustrations include
black-and-white pictures of 27 baskets and numerous shots of
construction details.

Academic research and attention to citations and sources gives the book
credibility and make it a valuable local and craft history reference.
Stylistically, however, it fails to show enthusiasm or passion for the
subject, making for rather dull reading.