No Small Legacy: Canada's Nellie McClung

B.A. Robinson was a freelance reviewer from Toronto.

Nellie McClung had a profound impact on the women’s movement in Canada and was one of the most influential women of the early twentieth century. One of the “Alberta Five,” she was instrumental in the Persons Case (1928) in which the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that women were not “persons” in law, a ruling the overturning of which made women legal persons in Canada. In addition to her political activism, McClung was a wife, mother, lecturer, writer, and advocate of women’s rights.

If you know nothing about McClung, this is not the book to begin with. The author assumes that the reader is familiar with the scheme of McClung’s life and concentrates on her Christian beliefs, outlook, and practices. The book itself is amply illustrated with pictures of the era and includes two of McClung’s short stories, neither of which is dated. Both enhance the overall impression of this fascinating woman.

To study Nellie McClung from the Christian perspective could limit the usefulness of the book for the casual reader. While the book is well notated, it lacks an index.