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138th out of 395 books
—
141 voters
Sisters in the Wilderness
In the inhospitable and hardscrabble bush of Canada, facing a pioneering existence that they never even knew existed, the well-educated, but modestly married, British born Strickland sisters, Susanna and Catharine, turned to the pen to ease their loneliness and isolation. Susanna Moodie’s Roughing It in the Bush warned her countrymen from taking the bait and emigrating to...more
Paperback
Published
August 31st 2000
by Penguin Canada
(first published 1999)
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This is the tale of two sisters from my part of the world, Suffolk in England, Susanna Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill, who travelled to the remote Canadian backwoods and lived a backbreaking life there - yet both became famous authors by writing about their experiences. I found this a fascinating and very readable account, good to read alongside the sisters' own reminiscences. The whole family is very interesting, as several other siblings were also writers, including another sister, Agnes Str...more
This book describes the lives of two sisters born into Jane Austen's world of gentility who marry feckless men who take them to the Canadian frontier where they are unable to succeed because their upper middle class upbringings have unsuited them to the challenges of pioneering. The sisters both wrote books that are now honored as accounts of women's life on the Canadian frontier, but they were ripped off by all their publishers earning almost nothing for books some of which went through ten edi...more
I have an interest in local history and really enjoyed reading this book. The author provides much information about the physical, financial, and social hardships facing the sisters as they adjusted to life in the backwoods of Canada, as well as information about their attempts to publish literature here and in England. I usually presumed that people who made the choice to move to Canada in the early to mid 1800s had a very good reason for doing so, and consequently didn't likely regret their de...more
This is a really interesting view into the lives of two early Canadian writers. Like the diaries of L.M. Montgomery they really do nothing to encourage trust in book publishers as they were cheated or treated unfairly by publishers in three countries. It is also shocking to imagine just surviving the trials they faced let alone publishing one's last book at 80 some years!
The writing style of Charlotte Gray made for pleasant reading.
The writing style of Charlotte Gray made for pleasant reading.
I've had this on my stack for over two years now. It was one of our very
first selections for CanLitReaders, and I had trouble getting hold of it.
By the time the bookstore got it in, the discussion was over, and I just
never got around to reading it before now. This is a biography of two
sisters who came to Canada from England in the early 19th century, settling
with their husbands and families in the areas around what is now Toronto and
Peterborough. Engrossing depiction of colonial struggles and th...more
first selections for CanLitReaders, and I had trouble getting hold of it.
By the time the bookstore got it in, the discussion was over, and I just
never got around to reading it before now. This is a biography of two
sisters who came to Canada from England in the early 19th century, settling
with their husbands and families in the areas around what is now Toronto and
Peterborough. Engrossing depiction of colonial struggles and th...more
This was another book from our Bookclub list. It started off a little painfully - lots of historical references and details - and I wanted to get on with the story. Soon I was hooked and I finished the book in 3 days. It was a fascinating glimpse into the settlers and pioneers of Upper Canada in the 1840's and up to the late 1800's based on the writings from 2 English sisters who were just such pioneers.
The biography of two sisters who were both pioneers and authors in 1800s Ontario: Susanna Moodie who wrote Roughing it in the Bush and Catherine Parr Traill who wrote The Backwoods of Canada. A fascinating account of what it was like to homestead in the 1830s (very difficult!) Both sisters were dogged by poverty their entire lives, but lived to see life get easier and less labour-intensive.
National bestseller and winner of 2000 Canadian Book Assoc. Libris Award for Non-Fiction.
Fantastic! Unbelievable! From upper middle class London, England to settling in the wilds of Canada: the hardships and everyday life. They had NO idea what they were getting into: who would ever do it!
Fantastic! Unbelievable! From upper middle class London, England to settling in the wilds of Canada: the hardships and everyday life. They had NO idea what they were getting into: who would ever do it!
I liked to read about the life of the pioneers in the area where I live. These two families, or should I say two women struggling for the survival of their children and husbands in the worst of adversity.
I would recommend it to anyone wanting to find out more about what life in Ontario was like in the 19th century, and interested in the birth of literature in Canada.
I would recommend it to anyone wanting to find out more about what life in Ontario was like in the 19th century, and interested in the birth of literature in Canada.
Fantastic, unbelievable: from upper middle class London, England to settling in the wilds of Canada...hardships. Who would ever do it? They had no idea what they were getting into!
A well-researched, engagingly written account of two fascinating gentlewomen who emigrated from England to carve out lives in the harsh and unforgiving backwoods of Upper Canada.
Aug 02, 2010
Daphne
added it
Not just about life in the bush. I was fascinated to learn more about these two literary women and about the various paths to publication during that time.
Wonderful book, couldn't stay away from it once I got started. Loved learning the Canadian history while following these two authors through their adult lives.
"Sisters in the Wilderness" was a quick and enjoyable read. However, it was nothing amazing; the writing is fairly generic. I really have nothing else to say about it. It is worth reading, but not overly memorable. I now have to grade 11 essays on this book. Ugh!
Excellent story of life in Upper Canada in the late 1800's. It's a wonder they survived.
Catherine Parr Traill and Susana Moodie were sisters, writers, and early Canadian immigrants.
I've read this before, and remember loving it - I hope the impression holds true!
I've read this before, and remember loving it - I hope the impression holds true!
Edition irrelevant.2007-02-04
Apr 26, 2013
Cate
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Charlotte Gray is one of Canada’s best-known writers, and author of eight acclaimed books of literary non-fiction. Born in Sheffield, England, and educated at Oxford University and the London School of Economics, she began her writing career in England as a magazine editor and newspaper columnist. After coming to Canada in 1979, she worked as a political commentator, book reviewer and magazine col...more
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