Loggers of the BC Coast

by Hans Knapp

A true account of a working lifetime spent in the woods of coastal BC. Filled with life and death stories, and larger-than-life characters. Loggers of the B.C. Coast is a blend of history and autobiography set against the primitive background of post-war logging camps and populated by a bygone breed of crude, philosophical, charming, and inveterately fascinating men. The author came to British Columbia in 1951 to shore up his family's war-blasted fortunes, and to follow a childhood dream. His memories of forty-one years in the woods are crisp and clear, the descriptions of death and adversity taut and visceral. At the heart of the book are the numerous camp-dwellers themselves. Men with names like Sidewinder, Slippery, Ha Ha Harry and Whispering Swede leap out from every page and demand to be remembered. For those who enjoy language, the glossary of logging terms alone is worth the price of admission.

200 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2005

Reviews

[Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book while visiting Ucluelet over on Vancouver Island and quite enjoyed it. I was interested in the subject because I've read a similar book titled 'Blood and Iron: Building the Railroad' by Paul Lee which demonstrated the rough conditions of felling trees along British Columbia. But unlike Blood and Iron, Loggers of the BC Coast is a very real memoir which simply talks about the everyday life of the men who worked in the logging industry.

At times, the book does feel dull. But you have to remember it's not a dramatized story, but the author recounting his own experience and the experiences of other men. I found it to be quite well-written and interesting to see the very real and harsh conditions these men worked in. I did struggle at times to envision just what the author was trying to describe when it came to felling trees (They were using 1950's technology and methods), but I followed along well enough. 4/5 for being informative and captivating, but it does suffer from being slow at times.

[Abrar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one of those books that we're lucky to be able to read. Logging was/is an important part of life on the BC coast. If you travel through the Island and take an interest in the small places, you'll get a chance to see firsthand how the existence of an entire town is due to a particular industry (logging, whaling, and so on). Hearing the stories of people, many of them who could not read/write, was a delight. If only wish the author wrote more about his own thoughts, I wanted to read about his own personal development too.

[Robert Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent memoir about a way of life and work that has passed although Logging is still a very dangerous occupation. The book is filled with stories of very diverse characters who lived hard lives and yet contributed much to the development of British Columbia.