The History of the Canadian West, 2

Kathy Lea is head of learning resources at the Buchanan Resource Centre,
Lethbridge Community College.

This is the second offering in the Mr. Paperback series on Western Canadian history. Instead of chapters, the editors offer a series of ten independent stories each told by a separate author. Each author has his or her own style and illustrates the writing with maps, diagrams, or photographs in a self-contained fashion. The common theme is that all stories must be non-fiction (preferably predating 1900), 3000 to 4000 words in length, and about some aspect of the Canadian West. The blend of styles and the variety in choice of topics makes this presentation highly readable.

Story authors pull us into the past with the same human interest hooks that captivated people when these tales became legends — unsolved murders, fabulous niches discovered by fluke, man’s battles with the elements, etc. Detailed descriptions of locations for stories are so complete that readers are indirectly invited to pursue the stories further, to become involved. It’s not inconceivable that with book in hand an avid reader could base a summer vacation on a story, tracing it down and exploring sites described. The other important element that makes this book so valuable is its authenticity, always important in history but used to real benefit in this volume for heightening feelings of realism and immediacy. The only disappointment in this book is that it ends after page 114 — hardly enough to whet your appetite.