Concise Historical Atlas of Canada

J.L. Granatstein, distinguished research professor emeritus of history
at York University, is the author of Who Killed Canadian History?, and
co-author of The Canadian 100: The 100 Most Influential Canadians of the
20th Century and the Dictionary of Canad

The three volumes of the Historical Atlas of Canada stand as one of the
great achievements of Canadian scholarship and publishing. Superbly
researched, with excellent archival work and splendid cartography, the
volumes took the Canadian story and put it into a visual form that was
at once easy to follow and groundbreaking. This was no mean achievement,
and it was well worth the 20-plus years of work and the substantial sums
it cost.

This single volume presents about one-third of the plates found in the
three-volume set, regroups them under three headings with new
introductions, and in fact gives readers the most important information
they are likely to want. Here you can discover the details on precontact
aboriginal Canada, exploration, population, political changes, the
economy, and specific regional or local areas, such as the North. There
is a wealth of information, for example, on the wars of the 20th century
(the Great War map shows enlistments, munitions contracts, military
hospitals and cemeteries, casualty rates, conscription, taxes, and
public debt) and on industrial development.

In other words, while the Concise Historical Atlas is no substitute for
the three-volume work, it stands on its own—and it is much more
affordable.