Snowshoe Country

by Florence Page Jaques, Francis Lee Jaques

Together, using her journal and his sketches from a winter's journey on Gunflint Lake in northern Minnesota, the Jaqueses produced this delightful book, first published in 1944 and now reissued in its original format.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Travel

112 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Rachel Libke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I want to go live in a cabin on the Gunflint for the winter!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Florence's journal about a few months spent in early 1940s in one of my favorite places on earth (the wintery Gunflint Trail.) This book made me want more snow, more cold, a long walk through the woods looking for birds and animal tracks, and good people to share it with. All around great winter read for a Minnesotan.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dated in places, as to be expected, but truly nothing compared to the Huxley travelogue I just read.

Wonderful descriptions of Minnesota and winter, of the cold and beauty and isolation and companionship. Drawings were lovely and evocative too.

I want to read their summer book too.

[Karen GoatKeeper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spending a winter in far northern Minnesota on the Canadian border is a cold proposition. The author looks forward to it, her first in such cold country. The couple have some time to go canoeing before the snow flies and the lakes freeze. People living nearby who operate a lodge over the summer take her places and help her learn to cope with the cold. They snowshoe, dogsled, ice fish and more.
Written as diary entries, the book is an easy one to read. Lee Jaques illustrations are wonderful. The only problem is remembering what thirty below is like and shivering as the author relates her experiences.

[Michael Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of books about the outdoors and this one exceeded my expectations. This husband and wife team put together a great book from her writing to his illustrations. This is as good as it gets if you love the outdoors.

[Rachael Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Even better than canoe country

[Bob Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetic prose about experiencing winter in northern Minnesota outback.

[Mary Shafer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the prequel to this book some 30 years ago, while living in Wisconsin's Great Northwoods. Though it was dated even then, I loved Mrs. Jaques' evocative writing style, and her vivid depictions of the summertime in the Border Country between America and Canada got my mind off the frigid, endless winters I endured where I was. But I so hated winter that I could never bring myself to read this sequel, about winter in the Boundary Waters region. So I thought now might be a good time to complete the year-long saga, and I was right.

I was fortunate to be able to find a copy of the original hardcover edition, which still has its slightly ragged but still serviceable and attractive dust jacket. The cover ink has faded a bit (after all, it was published during WWII), but the beautiful illustration by the author's husband, Francis Lee Jaques, is still striking, and the $3.00 price printed on the back certainly gives one pause.

I'm pleased to report that, though some topics and descriptions are dated as one must expect, overall the writing holds up remarkably well across the years. The author, though an enthusiastic appreciator of nature, doesn't take herself too seriously, and this helps the reader stay connected and engaged. I learned a lot of interesting stuff from this book, and recommend it for those who'd like to take an armchair trip to another time and place.

[Therese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book over and over again in the winter. Florence Jaques' writing takes me to northern Minnesota, to a winter of cold and snow and ice. A respite from work and snowplows and dirty snow, to a simpler time and place, still in love with winter. "This great country in its midnight silver, and I was part of it."

[Elizabeth Thorpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much that I hated to see it end. I'm already planning to take it out and re-read it next winter -- it really makes you appreciate the season.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous language used to describe the north woods in winter. Makes me appreciate the beauty of nature even more.