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A History of Canada in Ten Maps: Epic Stories of Charting a Mysterious Land
The sweeping, epic story of the mysterious land that came to be called "Canada" like it's never been told before.
Every map tells a story. And every map has a purpose--it invites us to go somewhere we've never been. It's an account of what we know, but also a trace of what we long for.
Ten Maps conjures the world as it appeared to those who were called upon to map it. What would the new world look like to wandering Vikings, who thought they had drifted into a land of mythical creatures, or Samuel de Champlain, who had no idea of the vastness of the landmass just beyond the treeline?
Adam Shoalts, one of Canada's foremost explorers, tells the stories behind these centuries old maps, and how they came to shape what became "Canada."
It's a story that will surprise readers, and reveal the Canada we never knew was hidden. It brings to life the characters and the bloody disputes that forged our history, by showing us what the world looked like before it entered the history books. Combining storytelling, cartography, geography, archaeology and of course history, this book shows us Canada in a way we've never seen it before.
Every map tells a story. And every map has a purpose--it invites us to go somewhere we've never been. It's an account of what we know, but also a trace of what we long for.
Ten Maps conjures the world as it appeared to those who were called upon to map it. What would the new world look like to wandering Vikings, who thought they had drifted into a land of mythical creatures, or Samuel de Champlain, who had no idea of the vastness of the landmass just beyond the treeline?
Adam Shoalts, one of Canada's foremost explorers, tells the stories behind these centuries old maps, and how they came to shape what became "Canada."
It's a story that will surprise readers, and reveal the Canada we never knew was hidden. It brings to life the characters and the bloody disputes that forged our history, by showing us what the world looked like before it entered the history books. Combining storytelling, cartography, geography, archaeology and of course history, this book shows us Canada in a way we've never seen it before.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 10, 2017
288 people are currently reading
3736 people want to read
About the author
Adam Shoalts
7 books306 followersADAM SHOALTS is a historian, archaeologist, geographer, and Westaway Explorer-in-Residence at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Shoalts holds a PhD from McMaster University where his research examined the influence Indigenous oral traditions had on fur traders in the subarctic and Pacific Northwest. He is also the author of Alone Against the North, A History of Canada in Ten Maps, and Beyond the Trees, all of them national bestsellers. He enjoys long walks in the woods. Follow his adventures on Facebook and Instagram
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 300 reviews
October 4, 2017
So … this is a proof copy from the publisher via NetGalley (tanks), and I have to just put it out there that I didn’t actually see any maps in this version. I don’t know if that’s by design or simply that they hadn’t been set into the book at the type this version was exported. It seems a little silly to me that a book called A History of Canada in Ten Maps does not, in fact, include any pictures of maps. Adam Shoalts’ writing is definitely engaging and edifying, so I wouldn’t say that the lack of maps is a dealbreaker. It’s just odd considering the premise of the book.
When I first started writing this review, I said I had “somewhat mixed feelings” about this book. The more I write the review, though, and process the implications of Shoalts’ writing, the more I’m convinced this book is trash.
Taken at face value, A History of Canada in Ten Maps, aside from the not-having-maps thing, is what it says on the cover: ten stories. Starting with the Viking visitations a millennium ago and ending with Dr. Richardson’s mapping of the Arctic, Shoalts examines what he considers pivotal moments in our comprehension of the geography of this land. Basically, his thesis is the history of Canada may be understood through the history of those who explored it. His writing is, for the most part, quite entertaining and holds one’s interest (though I have a few qualms, which we’ll get to presently).
So why the long face and low rating? Put simply, Shoalts’ entire approach to Canadian history is an uncomplicated, uncritical narrative that appropriates and patronizes Indigenous cultures and histories instead of acknowledging their primacy on this land. By way of full disclaimer, I want to make it clear I’m a settler; there is no way I can adequately represent an “Indigenous perspective” of this book. But I’ve read enough trash takes on Indigenous peoples to recognize the broad strokes, and it behoves me to use my privilege as a settler to speak out about it.
Again, if we just launch into this book uncritically and take it at face value, it looks like Shoalts is acknowledging both the presence and crucial involvement of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples during the European exploration (read: invasion) of the continent. He points out that the most successful explorers and surveyors were the ones who worked with the Indigenous peoples of the area. Yet he seldom examines the reasons for those explorers and surveyors being there. I wish he presented the fur trade, and entities like the Hudson’s Bay Company, in a far more critical light.
Moreover, Shoalts relies a great deal on primary source accounts of the explorers, such as their diaries, or secondary sources written from a very Eurocentric perspective. So we end up in a situation like endnote 7 of Chapter 6¸ wherein Shoalts apologizes for Hearne’s account of the way Dene chief Matonabbee treats women:
And that’s where I checked out of that note, because putting words in a historical person’s mouth, even in an attempt to paraphrase, is not a good look for a non-fiction history book. It’s doubly un-good when the person in question is Indigenous and the author is not. Whether or not Shoalts, or Hearne, or any of the scholars and sources Shoalts relies on is ultimately “correct” in their portrayal is beside the point: the point is that this shit is complicated, but Shoalts is presenting it in a very simplified, uncomplicated light.
Intentions are also beside the point. I suspect Shoalts has good intentions here. Take a look at this passage from his afterword:
On the surface, this seems very positive, very much in the spirit of reconciliation. But if you stop and think about it, Shoalts is positioning “indigenous cultures” as these treasure troves of “a vision for a [better] society”, as if they’re something we can just adopt (cough, appropriate, cough) without doing the work. He is endorsing “Indigenous knowledge” but not actually connecting that to the action needed to restore that knowledge to primacy—i.e., restoring the land.
And this is evident from the entire rest of A History of Canada in Ten Maps. Time and again, Shoalts acknowledges the existence of Indigenous people on this land but relegates them to the roles of antagonist, sidekick/ally, or bystander; the protagonists are always European. Although he never sugarcoats the treacherous nature of traversing wilderness, he romanticizes the process of exploration and colonization: these explorers are intrepid (male) heroes who brave incredible odds, might be accompanied by the “good” or “noble” Indigenous person, and challenged by the “bad” or “unwelcoming” Indigenous person. There might be an element of wish fulfillment happening here; at the end of his afterword, Shoalts talks about a solo journey across the Arctic. I have to wonder if he rather identifies with these explorers, sees them as kindred spirits, and yearns for the “simpler times” of men being real men, of going on these adventures.
Because that’s really the tone of this book: it’s a “boy’s own adventure” chronicling the exploration of this country. Again, Shoalts makes attempts to acknowledge that not everyone sees Canada as a positive thing, referring at one point in the afterword to “an unwelcome empire”. Yet these attempts are meaningless considering the grand theme of this book, the emphasis on Canada’s greatness as a product of centuries of committed exploration. Within the same paragraph as the previous quote, he claims that the “unspoiled wilderness” is “the bedrock of our country—the harsh but beautiful reality that gives meaning to our national identity”. Much eye-rolling ensued.
This kind of hyperbole recurs throughout the book. Shoalts has these weird moments where he waxes way too poetical about our country and famous people, like when he says, “In a couple of thousand years, when history has mingled with legend, [Alexander] Mackenzie might become to Canada what Odysseus is to Greece”. Or when he talks about the treatment of Pierre-Esprit Radisson at the hands of the Iroquois and says, “Fortunately, it was only an ordinary bit of torture (a few ripped-out fingernails, burnt flesh, sitcking a red-hot knife through his foot, and so on)”. That is an oddly macabre attempt at humour, and it feels so awkward and out of place.
It’s notable that not once does Shoalts engage with any of the problematic aspects of European-sanctioned map-making. There’s an entire chapter about the redrawing of the Canadian–American border after the War of 1812, focusing a great deal on the strategic and heroic efforts of figures like Brock and Drummond. But where’s the chapter on the various Treaties (particularly the numbered Treaties)? These were a series of patchwork-map land-grabs by the federal and provincial governments, well worth entire books of their own. Similarly, Shoalts could have included a chapter on the creation on Nunavut in 1999, perhaps the most successful land claim ever since colonization. That was an event that literally redrew the map of Canada within my lifetime. How about a map that shows all the residential schools across the country? But, you know, war maps are more fun, right?
This is a prime example of how it’s possible both to be progressive and yet still racist in one’s actions or writing. A History of Canada in Ten Maps commits the same error that our current federal government has done: using the right words and phrases, like reconciliation or nation-to-nation relationship, without really acting on those words and phrases. Shoalts often says the right things, or at least tries to, but ultimately, A History of Canada in Ten Maps is an extremely Eurocentric, settler-based perspective of our country’s history. It’s not that it’s poorly written or uninteresting—but we don’t really need more books like this. We absolutely do not need to mythologize the contributions of privileged white guys “taming” Canada into the country we have today. We need more Indigenous histories of this country, by Indigenous people; and we need settlers who are writing history to examine critically what they’re saying instead of just try to say what they think might be politically correct.
Not angry, just disappointed.
When I first started writing this review, I said I had “somewhat mixed feelings” about this book. The more I write the review, though, and process the implications of Shoalts’ writing, the more I’m convinced this book is trash.
Taken at face value, A History of Canada in Ten Maps, aside from the not-having-maps thing, is what it says on the cover: ten stories. Starting with the Viking visitations a millennium ago and ending with Dr. Richardson’s mapping of the Arctic, Shoalts examines what he considers pivotal moments in our comprehension of the geography of this land. Basically, his thesis is the history of Canada may be understood through the history of those who explored it. His writing is, for the most part, quite entertaining and holds one’s interest (though I have a few qualms, which we’ll get to presently).
So why the long face and low rating? Put simply, Shoalts’ entire approach to Canadian history is an uncomplicated, uncritical narrative that appropriates and patronizes Indigenous cultures and histories instead of acknowledging their primacy on this land. By way of full disclaimer, I want to make it clear I’m a settler; there is no way I can adequately represent an “Indigenous perspective” of this book. But I’ve read enough trash takes on Indigenous peoples to recognize the broad strokes, and it behoves me to use my privilege as a settler to speak out about it.
Again, if we just launch into this book uncritically and take it at face value, it looks like Shoalts is acknowledging both the presence and crucial involvement of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples during the European exploration (read: invasion) of the continent. He points out that the most successful explorers and surveyors were the ones who worked with the Indigenous peoples of the area. Yet he seldom examines the reasons for those explorers and surveyors being there. I wish he presented the fur trade, and entities like the Hudson’s Bay Company, in a far more critical light.
Moreover, Shoalts relies a great deal on primary source accounts of the explorers, such as their diaries, or secondary sources written from a very Eurocentric perspective. So we end up in a situation like endnote 7 of Chapter 6¸ wherein Shoalts apologizes for Hearne’s account of the way Dene chief Matonabbee treats women:
… on the other hand, if we try to set aside twenty-first-century perspectives and examine things from the context of the 1770s, Matonabbe’s views can be seen in another light. Matonabbee was in essence saying to Hearne…
And that’s where I checked out of that note, because putting words in a historical person’s mouth, even in an attempt to paraphrase, is not a good look for a non-fiction history book. It’s doubly un-good when the person in question is Indigenous and the author is not. Whether or not Shoalts, or Hearne, or any of the scholars and sources Shoalts relies on is ultimately “correct” in their portrayal is beside the point: the point is that this shit is complicated, but Shoalts is presenting it in a very simplified, uncomplicated light.
Intentions are also beside the point. I suspect Shoalts has good intentions here. Take a look at this passage from his afterword:
Perhaps the revival of indigenous cultures provides a vision for a society that gets us past seeing the natural world in terms of dollars and cents, gross domestic product, a means to an end. Indigenous knowledge holds out the hope that we’ll recognize Canada’s remaining wild lands and wildlife for the irreplaceable gifts that they are.
On the surface, this seems very positive, very much in the spirit of reconciliation. But if you stop and think about it, Shoalts is positioning “indigenous cultures” as these treasure troves of “a vision for a [better] society”, as if they’re something we can just adopt (cough, appropriate, cough) without doing the work. He is endorsing “Indigenous knowledge” but not actually connecting that to the action needed to restore that knowledge to primacy—i.e., restoring the land.
And this is evident from the entire rest of A History of Canada in Ten Maps. Time and again, Shoalts acknowledges the existence of Indigenous people on this land but relegates them to the roles of antagonist, sidekick/ally, or bystander; the protagonists are always European. Although he never sugarcoats the treacherous nature of traversing wilderness, he romanticizes the process of exploration and colonization: these explorers are intrepid (male) heroes who brave incredible odds, might be accompanied by the “good” or “noble” Indigenous person, and challenged by the “bad” or “unwelcoming” Indigenous person. There might be an element of wish fulfillment happening here; at the end of his afterword, Shoalts talks about a solo journey across the Arctic. I have to wonder if he rather identifies with these explorers, sees them as kindred spirits, and yearns for the “simpler times” of men being real men, of going on these adventures.
Because that’s really the tone of this book: it’s a “boy’s own adventure” chronicling the exploration of this country. Again, Shoalts makes attempts to acknowledge that not everyone sees Canada as a positive thing, referring at one point in the afterword to “an unwelcome empire”. Yet these attempts are meaningless considering the grand theme of this book, the emphasis on Canada’s greatness as a product of centuries of committed exploration. Within the same paragraph as the previous quote, he claims that the “unspoiled wilderness” is “the bedrock of our country—the harsh but beautiful reality that gives meaning to our national identity”. Much eye-rolling ensued.
This kind of hyperbole recurs throughout the book. Shoalts has these weird moments where he waxes way too poetical about our country and famous people, like when he says, “In a couple of thousand years, when history has mingled with legend, [Alexander] Mackenzie might become to Canada what Odysseus is to Greece”. Or when he talks about the treatment of Pierre-Esprit Radisson at the hands of the Iroquois and says, “Fortunately, it was only an ordinary bit of torture (a few ripped-out fingernails, burnt flesh, sitcking a red-hot knife through his foot, and so on)”. That is an oddly macabre attempt at humour, and it feels so awkward and out of place.
It’s notable that not once does Shoalts engage with any of the problematic aspects of European-sanctioned map-making. There’s an entire chapter about the redrawing of the Canadian–American border after the War of 1812, focusing a great deal on the strategic and heroic efforts of figures like Brock and Drummond. But where’s the chapter on the various Treaties (particularly the numbered Treaties)? These were a series of patchwork-map land-grabs by the federal and provincial governments, well worth entire books of their own. Similarly, Shoalts could have included a chapter on the creation on Nunavut in 1999, perhaps the most successful land claim ever since colonization. That was an event that literally redrew the map of Canada within my lifetime. How about a map that shows all the residential schools across the country? But, you know, war maps are more fun, right?
This is a prime example of how it’s possible both to be progressive and yet still racist in one’s actions or writing. A History of Canada in Ten Maps commits the same error that our current federal government has done: using the right words and phrases, like reconciliation or nation-to-nation relationship, without really acting on those words and phrases. Shoalts often says the right things, or at least tries to, but ultimately, A History of Canada in Ten Maps is an extremely Eurocentric, settler-based perspective of our country’s history. It’s not that it’s poorly written or uninteresting—but we don’t really need more books like this. We absolutely do not need to mythologize the contributions of privileged white guys “taming” Canada into the country we have today. We need more Indigenous histories of this country, by Indigenous people; and we need settlers who are writing history to examine critically what they’re saying instead of just try to say what they think might be politically correct.
Not angry, just disappointed.
September 27, 2017
This is definitely not a historical or an adventure novel. But the author succeeded in showing this immense country's history through the eyes of those who mapped it, the adventurers who wanted to see beyond the trees near its natural borders. The book goes back as far as modern knowledge allows it, that is to say up to its very first inhabitants and until the confederation, passing by the coming of Vikings. It tells of its legends, trades and deals, rivalries, partnerships, and agreements, mysteries and much more.
The author has done a tremendous research work. His book is not just a rough map of the country's borders; it's a visit to the heart of the country's first nations, the people who created it and lived there.
Obviously, we are not shown everything that happened at that distant time. But how could that be? It was necessary to stay with the founders and other outstanding figures and milestones. But the author has managed to give this magnificent country its place on the world map and to do so in a reader-friendly way.
I recommend this book to all history lovers, of course, whether they are Canadian or not, but also to those who are interested in geography and anthropology. If you think you know everything about Canadian history and culture, I can assure you that you will discover a few things here. But even readers of historical novels or adventure story could find what they are looking for in its pages.
Thanks to GoodReads giveaways for this book I won in exchange for an honest review.
The author has done a tremendous research work. His book is not just a rough map of the country's borders; it's a visit to the heart of the country's first nations, the people who created it and lived there.
Obviously, we are not shown everything that happened at that distant time. But how could that be? It was necessary to stay with the founders and other outstanding figures and milestones. But the author has managed to give this magnificent country its place on the world map and to do so in a reader-friendly way.
I recommend this book to all history lovers, of course, whether they are Canadian or not, but also to those who are interested in geography and anthropology. If you think you know everything about Canadian history and culture, I can assure you that you will discover a few things here. But even readers of historical novels or adventure story could find what they are looking for in its pages.
Thanks to GoodReads giveaways for this book I won in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2017
For starters, this isn't really a book about maps. So put aside notions of a boring tome of cartography. Sure, there are maps here, but they feel more like an organizing principle than the topic of discussion.
What is that discussion? The dramatic, heroic, foolhardy, bloody, frozen, and inspired exploration of Canada. How did our vast country come to be drawn on the maps and understood? Before Google Earth documented everything from the heavens, obstinate but brilliant men, women, Europeans, Canadians, and most of all Indigenous People trekked past the last ramshackle fort and into the forest. And sometimes beyond to the frozen wastes.
Why we haven't learned THIS version of Canadian history in school is black mark on curricula across the country. More students would pursue history as a proud discipline while standing with humility before the feats of those who literally put it on the map.
What is that discussion? The dramatic, heroic, foolhardy, bloody, frozen, and inspired exploration of Canada. How did our vast country come to be drawn on the maps and understood? Before Google Earth documented everything from the heavens, obstinate but brilliant men, women, Europeans, Canadians, and most of all Indigenous People trekked past the last ramshackle fort and into the forest. And sometimes beyond to the frozen wastes.
Why we haven't learned THIS version of Canadian history in school is black mark on curricula across the country. More students would pursue history as a proud discipline while standing with humility before the feats of those who literally put it on the map.
January 12, 2018
This book is a fantastic read. The author really took the time to research this book and get all the facts. I found that he had a fantastic way of writing that really showed his passion and really added additional fuel to my passion for Canadian history. I had the opportunity to meet the author at a book signing where he talked about his time he did canoeing the arctic and followed the same route as the explorers. It was awesome to see the pictures and then to read about what the explorers did while in the same places. I think this is a read every Canadian should read as it gives an interesting prospective on Canada history.
December 28, 2021
4.5 stars for this fascinating & engrossing book.
April 14, 2023
Adam Shoalts definitely has a knack for making history come alive with this well-rounded collection of anecdotes that take the reader from the Viking discoveries of Vinland (now thought to be parts of Newfoundland and Labrador) in the 11th century through to Franklin's doomed arctic expedition in the mid-19th century. He constructs the book around the maps that resulted from each of these eras of Canadian exploration; however, like other readers, I found that the maps themselves get lost in the book. Sadly, in my paperback edition, they are set in photo plates in the middle section and much too small to be very legible, let alone useful as a reference to the anecdotes. Shoalts also spends very little time discussing the maps themselves but focuses mostly on the stories of the associated explorer.
Perhaps my 3 to 3.5 stars are a little harsh. Entertaining historical prose about Canada is rare, and I would not want to discourage an interested reader in this book, as it is somewhat of a gem. I have become more interested and better read in Canadian exploration of late, and maybe I was spoiled by the very detailed book by Barry Gough I finished recently. Although interesting and entertaining, I found Shoalt's book a bit too cursory in areas.
Nonetheless, if you are interested in Canadian history, geography, and maps, this book is well worth a look!
Perhaps my 3 to 3.5 stars are a little harsh. Entertaining historical prose about Canada is rare, and I would not want to discourage an interested reader in this book, as it is somewhat of a gem. I have become more interested and better read in Canadian exploration of late, and maybe I was spoiled by the very detailed book by Barry Gough I finished recently. Although interesting and entertaining, I found Shoalt's book a bit too cursory in areas.
Nonetheless, if you are interested in Canadian history, geography, and maps, this book is well worth a look!
December 28, 2020
As a recent Canadian citizen, this was easily one of my favourite reads of 2020. Shoalts walks us through the history of Canada through 10 explorers who drew maps of what is today Canada. From the early Viking visits of northern Newfoundland, to Champlain, and Mackenzie (my personal favourite). I have something for these early explorer tales. Absolutely fascinating to read about these brave souls venturing deep into the unknown. Can't recommend this enough!
November 7, 2018
I enjoyed this throughout though it kind of also missed out on what it said it would be. The stories presented -- about the explorers and voyageurs -- were well worth the space on the paper, but throughout the entire book the maps were more of a secondary thought. This could have been 'A History of Canada in Ten Episodes' and the difference would have been immaterial.
So, for the lack of emphasis on the maps I deducted a point while the excellent quality of the stories is worth quite a few others. I do think the author's biases come through and he is perhaps not as harsh as one should be on Mackenzie (and how original he was and who he borrowed from in his journeys), but at the same time the chapter on the Norsemen is illuminating and the early Frenchmen get a lot of credit (as is their due).
The final points about the future are perhaps less required in a book like this although it came at the right time for me when I'd just been looking into the Canadian Arctic and it's general mapping. Hydrography is where it is right now, but the pace of the afterword was quite different from the rest of the book -- but if my main problem is with the title and the afterword, I think we can say that the book itself was pretty good indeed.
More importantly, heed my warning about maps. Maps aren't a part of this story, but Canada is -- so if you are more interested in Canada, go ahead, but if it is maps, then rather stay away.
This review was originally posted on my blog.
So, for the lack of emphasis on the maps I deducted a point while the excellent quality of the stories is worth quite a few others. I do think the author's biases come through and he is perhaps not as harsh as one should be on Mackenzie (and how original he was and who he borrowed from in his journeys), but at the same time the chapter on the Norsemen is illuminating and the early Frenchmen get a lot of credit (as is their due).
The final points about the future are perhaps less required in a book like this although it came at the right time for me when I'd just been looking into the Canadian Arctic and it's general mapping. Hydrography is where it is right now, but the pace of the afterword was quite different from the rest of the book -- but if my main problem is with the title and the afterword, I think we can say that the book itself was pretty good indeed.
More importantly, heed my warning about maps. Maps aren't a part of this story, but Canada is -- so if you are more interested in Canada, go ahead, but if it is maps, then rather stay away.
This review was originally posted on my blog.
September 25, 2021
If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. Adam Shoalts wrote a book about Canadian history as seen through the creation of its maps, and they are, as the cover says, epic stories of charting a mysterious land. As an American who has visited Canada frequently, I’ve enjoyed both its cities and its wild areas, while being admittedly ignorant of much of the country’s history. And the wild areas I’ve visited, while spectacular, are a misnomer when compared to the country’s once unknown and treacherous vastness. The good news is that there are still large tracts of Canada that are largely unknown and treacherous. The bad news is that they’re going away, fast, as they have been since the first Europeans began colonizing it. Same as here in the States, but the difference, in my view, is what Shoalts says in his afterword: Canada isn’t defined by hockey or canoes, but by its wilderness and its wildness. Once that’s gone, paved over, “developed”, what will remain of Canada’s identity? I hadn’t even thought about that when I bought the book. I was interested in those epic stories mentioned on the cover, and Shoalts definitely delivers the goods on that score. But this is a great book because of the perspective he brings to it as a naturalist still deeply attached to his native land.
January 1, 2023
DNF. Highly biased in favour of colonists and against indigenous peoples. Perhaps this was OK in 2017, but I’d like to hope that in 2023 we know better.
Here’s an example from chapter 4 - where I gave up:
“Massacres were a grim reality in the embattled colony; in 1689 a force of 1500 Iroquois warriors slaughtered twenty-four colonists at Lachine, captured a further seventy to be ritually tortured later, and burned the majority of the farmsteads to the ground. Earlier, in a 1660 battle that was to assume mythical proportions, a twenty-five-year-old professional soldier named Adam Dollard des Ormeaux had held out for five days in a small fort with just sixteen French companions and some Algonquin allies against an overwhelming attacking force of seven hundred Iroquois warriors. Dollard and his little band were all that stood between the Iroquois and Montreal. Before they'd left the settlement on their sacrificial mission, each man in Dollard's party had written out his last will and testament. In the end, they were all killed in battle but like the Spartans at the pass of Thermopylae, they had sold their lives dearly. The heavy losses they inflicted on their attackers proved enough to avert any attack on Montreal. For this bloody last stand, the fallen Dollard was revered by Canadien colonists as the "Saviour of Canada."
The Iroquois terrorized French Canada for generations…”
The Iroquois massacre and terrorize. The Canadiens are Spartans and saviours. But from another perspective, the Iroquois were valiantly attempting to recapture territory seized from them by duplicitous foreigners. I’m sure if I knew more history I could come up with an Ancient Greek analogy.
I doubt that Shoalts intended to be biased, because he makes attempts to demonstrate that settlers were just as brutal as natives. But his choice of words gives him away and his sources are clearly mostly settlers. I found little attempt from him to incorporate sources that study and report on the indigenous reality of this time.
Here’s an example from chapter 4 - where I gave up:
“Massacres were a grim reality in the embattled colony; in 1689 a force of 1500 Iroquois warriors slaughtered twenty-four colonists at Lachine, captured a further seventy to be ritually tortured later, and burned the majority of the farmsteads to the ground. Earlier, in a 1660 battle that was to assume mythical proportions, a twenty-five-year-old professional soldier named Adam Dollard des Ormeaux had held out for five days in a small fort with just sixteen French companions and some Algonquin allies against an overwhelming attacking force of seven hundred Iroquois warriors. Dollard and his little band were all that stood between the Iroquois and Montreal. Before they'd left the settlement on their sacrificial mission, each man in Dollard's party had written out his last will and testament. In the end, they were all killed in battle but like the Spartans at the pass of Thermopylae, they had sold their lives dearly. The heavy losses they inflicted on their attackers proved enough to avert any attack on Montreal. For this bloody last stand, the fallen Dollard was revered by Canadien colonists as the "Saviour of Canada."
The Iroquois terrorized French Canada for generations…”
The Iroquois massacre and terrorize. The Canadiens are Spartans and saviours. But from another perspective, the Iroquois were valiantly attempting to recapture territory seized from them by duplicitous foreigners. I’m sure if I knew more history I could come up with an Ancient Greek analogy.
I doubt that Shoalts intended to be biased, because he makes attempts to demonstrate that settlers were just as brutal as natives. But his choice of words gives him away and his sources are clearly mostly settlers. I found little attempt from him to incorporate sources that study and report on the indigenous reality of this time.
October 3, 2017
I heard the author speak at a Rotary Conference in Collingwood; not having read his first book, wasn't sure what to expect, but his talk was very entertaining and funny so I bought his book afterwards. I was lucky to get a copy as the bookseller at the event quickly sold out. I've read a lot of Canadian history; much of it boring, some of it interesting. But nothing like this! History would be everyone's favourite subject if it were taught like this. I ended up staying up until 2:30 that night because I couldn't put the thing down! The book has an epic scope that transcends a more traditional approach to the country's past, weaving in Vikings, First Nations, Champlain, legends, monsters, voyageurs, explorers, wars, heroes, villains, and more into a story that is often inspiring but also at times quite funny. The maps in the book are beautiful colour reproductions of very old maps, with each one linked to a chapter in the book. Shoalts has a knack for bringing the past to life; even more impressive for a book that reads as well as this one are the hundreds of notes on sources included at the end of the book for readers wanting to know more.
February 28, 2022
The sense of adventure within the pages of this book was palpable. Each story, loosely connected to a map, gives a glimpse into the early interactions between colonial explorers and the indigenous peoples of Canada. There is complexity in this, knowing how this relationship ends makes each step in charting the wilderness feel like one step closer to tragedy.
The writing paints the perfect picture of Canada's at its wildest. Of the people who were willing to step into the unknown and discover what lay beyond. While their motivations will always be questionable, reading the stories of their trials and tribulations was both entertaining and informative.
The writing paints the perfect picture of Canada's at its wildest. Of the people who were willing to step into the unknown and discover what lay beyond. While their motivations will always be questionable, reading the stories of their trials and tribulations was both entertaining and informative.
February 26, 2025
Unbelievably excellent
June 23, 2020
Covering 900-some-odd years, it's impressive the author kept it to 300 pages. Here's some quotes that made me go "hmm" or "huh":
-So was this the long-sought Vinland? The question is misleading - Vinland was a "land," not a single place.
-In portugal, Henry the Navigator became a patron of exploration and mapmaking *(imagine having to address someone as "Henry the Navigator")
-Donnacona was displeased by the idea of Cartier heading inland. He'd hoped that Cartier would venture no farther than Montreal, allowing Donnacona to create a lucrative monopoly on the trade in European goods with all the other nations that lived upriver. Ignoring Donnacona's wishes, Cartier headed upriver, convinced that these waters were the final obstacle in the long-sought route to China.
-Meanwhile, of the nine aboriginal people Cartier had kidnapped and taken back to France with him, eight had died, including Donnacona. When Cartier and his ships eventually arrived back in 1542, he found that the natives no longer trusted him. Cartier admitted that Donnacona had died, but he lied about the fate of the others, claiming that they "had remained in France where they were living as great lords".
-To replenish their losses in the widespread wars, the Iroquois, like the early Romans, incorporated choice members of vanquished tribes into their own nations
-Later, exploration became a two-way street, with the Wendat and Algonquin exploring France just as the French were exploring Canada *(now make like Henry the Navigator and go pick up your own copy)
-So was this the long-sought Vinland? The question is misleading - Vinland was a "land," not a single place.
-In portugal, Henry the Navigator became a patron of exploration and mapmaking *(imagine having to address someone as "Henry the Navigator")
-Donnacona was displeased by the idea of Cartier heading inland. He'd hoped that Cartier would venture no farther than Montreal, allowing Donnacona to create a lucrative monopoly on the trade in European goods with all the other nations that lived upriver. Ignoring Donnacona's wishes, Cartier headed upriver, convinced that these waters were the final obstacle in the long-sought route to China.
-Meanwhile, of the nine aboriginal people Cartier had kidnapped and taken back to France with him, eight had died, including Donnacona. When Cartier and his ships eventually arrived back in 1542, he found that the natives no longer trusted him. Cartier admitted that Donnacona had died, but he lied about the fate of the others, claiming that they "had remained in France where they were living as great lords".
-To replenish their losses in the widespread wars, the Iroquois, like the early Romans, incorporated choice members of vanquished tribes into their own nations
-Later, exploration became a two-way street, with the Wendat and Algonquin exploring France just as the French were exploring Canada *(now make like Henry the Navigator and go pick up your own copy)
August 31, 2024
Almost every chapter focuses on an explorer, telling the most dramatic stories about them. This is not a bland historical overview; it's a page-turner, focusing on the details that will help you truly connect with Canada's history. Highly recommended, especially if you ever thought Canadian history was boring.
November 29, 2025
This novel has an interesting premise and I love the history of Canada; however, A History of Canada in 10 Maps did not deliver on what I hoped was going to be a really great book.
The 10 “maps” were explorers or groups that most people with a cursory knowledge of Canadian history would expect - Vikings, Cartier, Champlain, Mackenzie, Thompson, Franklin, War of 1812… but they were also men, men, men. Yes, history has always favoured the white men who did a thing, but where were the women in this story? There are numerous stories/maps that could have been chosen that featured the women who helped shape Canada but those weren’t the ones chosen. One must ask themselves why. The viral #MeToo movement preceded the release of this novel by one year. I question why the author and his editor did not take a moment to pause and reflect before taking a stand that Canada owes its history to men.
Further, I think the author’s research would have been enhanced if he had consulted with Indigenous experts when writing about Indigenous people. The historic Canadian men were written with such passion and vigour that it would have been wonderful to see that same liveliness brought to the Indigenous guides and translators in the novel. Yes, I’m sure many of the people and names have been lost over time, but Shoalts seems to be an incredible researcher. He scoured archives. But again, people with a cursory knowledge of Canada know that Indigenous storytelling is oral storytelling. So treating Indigenous elders as primary sources of information would have been wonderful and appropriate. Instead, the writing of Indigenous people felt like a facsimile. Which is less than ideal considering the Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded in 2015 (three years before this novel) and the #IdleNoMore movement was six years before this novel. There really are no excuses for Shoalts not properly researching the Indigenous histories by going to Indigenous sources (we also know he didn’t do this because he would have shared his experience with us or acknowledged the assistance at the end of the novel).
The premise of this book is fascinating. But so is the privilege of a white man.
The 10 “maps” were explorers or groups that most people with a cursory knowledge of Canadian history would expect - Vikings, Cartier, Champlain, Mackenzie, Thompson, Franklin, War of 1812… but they were also men, men, men. Yes, history has always favoured the white men who did a thing, but where were the women in this story? There are numerous stories/maps that could have been chosen that featured the women who helped shape Canada but those weren’t the ones chosen. One must ask themselves why. The viral #MeToo movement preceded the release of this novel by one year. I question why the author and his editor did not take a moment to pause and reflect before taking a stand that Canada owes its history to men.
Further, I think the author’s research would have been enhanced if he had consulted with Indigenous experts when writing about Indigenous people. The historic Canadian men were written with such passion and vigour that it would have been wonderful to see that same liveliness brought to the Indigenous guides and translators in the novel. Yes, I’m sure many of the people and names have been lost over time, but Shoalts seems to be an incredible researcher. He scoured archives. But again, people with a cursory knowledge of Canada know that Indigenous storytelling is oral storytelling. So treating Indigenous elders as primary sources of information would have been wonderful and appropriate. Instead, the writing of Indigenous people felt like a facsimile. Which is less than ideal considering the Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded in 2015 (three years before this novel) and the #IdleNoMore movement was six years before this novel. There really are no excuses for Shoalts not properly researching the Indigenous histories by going to Indigenous sources (we also know he didn’t do this because he would have shared his experience with us or acknowledged the assistance at the end of the novel).
The premise of this book is fascinating. But so is the privilege of a white man.
August 27, 2021
An excellent, quick read. Fascinating for the first nations history, the view of Viking settlement, and the revelation of things my American education never taught me--like that a crossing to the Pacific (in British Columbia) was made before Lewis & Clark, that the War of 1812 was at least partly motivated by desires to annex Canada and a battle was fought at Niagara, not to mention how the French ended up with Quebec and New Orleans--through overland exploration out of the St Lawrence and down the Mississippi?? Or that maritime trade at the Pacific coast already existed pre-westward continental expansion. Extremely well written, and while the episodes are strung together a bit loosely (the ten maps construct hangs together somewhat thinly though it does function), the research is incredible and it's sensitive to the native voices on the scene. Doesn't make any claims as to the Canadian project itself but clearly comes from an impassioned believer in Canada's wild spaces and gave me a new sense of the history of North America and Canadian history. Highly recommend.
November 21, 2021
I am an adventurer at heart and have always found Canada's wilderness and natural beauty awe inspiring.
While the writing is a little too conservational at times, the stories of these daring explorations and explorers such as MacKenzie are all equally fascinating.
There was one chapter on the battle of Fort Erie in 1815 that did not fit with the rest of the book. There was one hand drawn map of the fort though and the gruesome battle itself was intriguing.
5 stars
While the writing is a little too conservational at times, the stories of these daring explorations and explorers such as MacKenzie are all equally fascinating.
There was one chapter on the battle of Fort Erie in 1815 that did not fit with the rest of the book. There was one hand drawn map of the fort though and the gruesome battle itself was intriguing.
5 stars
January 17, 2025
Best book ever written.
June 6, 2025
Learned so much about the history of Canada. We so might have been part of USA, it is amazing we aren't. Well worth a read and not as dry as you might think.
September 27, 2017
I received a copy of this in a Goodreads giveaway.
This book is a history of Canada from approximately 1000 A.D. to the mid 1800s, told through the lens of various explorers and map makers.
Each chapter focuses on a different explorer and mapmaker, some well known, like Samuel de Champlain and Alexander Mackenzie, some not as well known, like Jacques-Nicolas Bellin and Peter Pond.
Chapter 9 included a detailed account of one particular battle of the War of 1812, though, that didn't quite seem to fit in with the rest of the book.
The book was full of action and adventure, and I really enjoyed it.
The only thing is that, with the title, I expected there to be maps in the book.
It would greatly enrichen the experience of reading the book if you could refer to the maps spoken about in the text.
My copy was just a proof copy, so maybe there will be maps in the hardcover when it comes out next month.
This book is a history of Canada from approximately 1000 A.D. to the mid 1800s, told through the lens of various explorers and map makers.
Each chapter focuses on a different explorer and mapmaker, some well known, like Samuel de Champlain and Alexander Mackenzie, some not as well known, like Jacques-Nicolas Bellin and Peter Pond.
Chapter 9 included a detailed account of one particular battle of the War of 1812, though, that didn't quite seem to fit in with the rest of the book.
The book was full of action and adventure, and I really enjoyed it.
The only thing is that, with the title, I expected there to be maps in the book.
It would greatly enrichen the experience of reading the book if you could refer to the maps spoken about in the text.
My copy was just a proof copy, so maybe there will be maps in the hardcover when it comes out next month.
April 9, 2018
This work of popular history by a young man who is a "modern explorer" himself is understandably chiefly centred around exploration maps of territory now within Canada's boundaries. It has a fairly informal tone, but full scholarly apparatus. I enjoyed the thoughtful preface and afterword material, and the summaries of the exploits of various famous explorers were highly readable, with many interesting anecdotes. I also thought the tone successfully avoided any suggestion of hero-worship, and also acknowledged in a timely way the major contributions of named and described indigenous allies and collaborators, some of whom, as expedition members, ventured nearly as far away from their homes as the Europeans or Canadians they assisted. The main disappointment of the volume is one that was presumably out of the author's control: the reproductions of the maps, although coloured and glossy, are constrained to too small a size by the book's standard format to be really enjoyed. A coffee-table format would have been better (but probably too expensive). One of the chief victims of this shortcoming is the Thomson map (one I am very familiar with, having worked alongside the original for many years), but that huge, faded map would likely have been chiefly illegible even in a much larger reproduction: it is largely illegible close up, in its original.
This is not groundbreaking history, nor is it really cartographic analysis, though there is some discussion of the history and techniques of cartography in the preliminaries. It's a sesquicentennial project, aimed at a general audience, and, if my quite vivid recent memories of its tales about the Vikings, about Cartier and Champlain and Hearne and Mackenzie and Thomson and Franklin, are any indication, it has certainly done its job of raising awareness of the role exploration and mapping played in the early definition of the boundaries of the state we now call Canada. The roles of other forces (war, politics and statecraft) are, legitimately I think, largely left aside. As others have remarked, the one chapter on the Fort Erie battle during the war of 1812 seems a little forced and out of place. But then military history is not something I read with pleasure in any case.
Shoalts also seems to be quite an interesting guy, and I recommend a browse through his website after finishing this book.
This is not groundbreaking history, nor is it really cartographic analysis, though there is some discussion of the history and techniques of cartography in the preliminaries. It's a sesquicentennial project, aimed at a general audience, and, if my quite vivid recent memories of its tales about the Vikings, about Cartier and Champlain and Hearne and Mackenzie and Thomson and Franklin, are any indication, it has certainly done its job of raising awareness of the role exploration and mapping played in the early definition of the boundaries of the state we now call Canada. The roles of other forces (war, politics and statecraft) are, legitimately I think, largely left aside. As others have remarked, the one chapter on the Fort Erie battle during the war of 1812 seems a little forced and out of place. But then military history is not something I read with pleasure in any case.
Shoalts also seems to be quite an interesting guy, and I recommend a browse through his website after finishing this book.
January 7, 2018
Shoalts is a lively storyteller with engaging prose. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and think it's a great idea. Honestly, I devoured it.
That said, there are some shortcomings. Part of what makes it a lively read is that it is very much Great Man History. Makes for good storytelling, weaker history. It is also a highly romanticized version.
One thing I did appreciate was the credit he gave to Fist Nations maps and knowledge, and the crucial role they played in exploration and cartography, and it emphasizes the importance of establishing positive relations. However, at the same time, it completely leaves out some of the nastier aspects of some of the more highly praised explorers. One who stands out in particular is La Verendrye, whose role in the slave trade is not mentioned at all (perhaps the author needs to read a bit more of Marcel Trudel?).
The other great shortcoming is the maps themselves. They are clumped in one central section so that they can be on a higher quality of paper, but are reproduced far to small to satisfy anyone who is actually interested in the maps. This was a highly unfortunate decision by the publisher, as they are truly fascinating maps.
Those negatives aside, it is a novel approach to Canadian history, and one that certainly introduces several characters who are less well known to Canadians. And, like I said, it is a real page-turner. Really enjoyed reading A History of Canada in Ten Maps.
That said, there are some shortcomings. Part of what makes it a lively read is that it is very much Great Man History. Makes for good storytelling, weaker history. It is also a highly romanticized version.
One thing I did appreciate was the credit he gave to Fist Nations maps and knowledge, and the crucial role they played in exploration and cartography, and it emphasizes the importance of establishing positive relations. However, at the same time, it completely leaves out some of the nastier aspects of some of the more highly praised explorers. One who stands out in particular is La Verendrye, whose role in the slave trade is not mentioned at all (perhaps the author needs to read a bit more of Marcel Trudel?).
The other great shortcoming is the maps themselves. They are clumped in one central section so that they can be on a higher quality of paper, but are reproduced far to small to satisfy anyone who is actually interested in the maps. This was a highly unfortunate decision by the publisher, as they are truly fascinating maps.
Those negatives aside, it is a novel approach to Canadian history, and one that certainly introduces several characters who are less well known to Canadians. And, like I said, it is a real page-turner. Really enjoyed reading A History of Canada in Ten Maps.
December 25, 2024
Do you know what I have in common with a map key? We’re both legends. Hahaha! Now that you are as relaxed as Samuel de Champlain in an Introduction to Cartography class, let me tell you about A HISTORY OF CANADA IN TEN MAPS by Adam Shoalts.
As you can probably decipher from the title, the author uses maps to tell the story of the land that would become Canada. Now, if your only experience with maps is getting carpal tunnel syndrome when your high school social studies teacher made you colour a map of Canada, don’t worry. The maps only act as introductions to the stories. And what stories they are! Shoalts spins a yarn like David Thompson maps territory - expertly. He gives us the who, what, where, when, why, and how behind these maps while sharing the eye-opening tales of their creators. Our history has rarely been told this well. Chart a path to your local bookstore and find a copy today!
Hope you enjoyed my review. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with today. What? You’re lonely? Maybe you need to find that special someone and start mapping out your future together. Try 1-800-TEN-MAPS. It’s the international date line.
As you can probably decipher from the title, the author uses maps to tell the story of the land that would become Canada. Now, if your only experience with maps is getting carpal tunnel syndrome when your high school social studies teacher made you colour a map of Canada, don’t worry. The maps only act as introductions to the stories. And what stories they are! Shoalts spins a yarn like David Thompson maps territory - expertly. He gives us the who, what, where, when, why, and how behind these maps while sharing the eye-opening tales of their creators. Our history has rarely been told this well. Chart a path to your local bookstore and find a copy today!
Hope you enjoyed my review. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with today. What? You’re lonely? Maybe you need to find that special someone and start mapping out your future together. Try 1-800-TEN-MAPS. It’s the international date line.
January 29, 2023
This book was on my Christmas list for a couple of years before I finally got it this past year. Now that I’ve read it, I’m conflicted. Firstly, this is a very good book for a reader with no background in Canadian history. It is well-written, accessible and, being about some of the more entertaining episodes of Canadian history, it makes for an interesting read. However, it doesn’t add anything new to the historiography. It retells episodes that are already included in countless previous published books, both academic and popular. My other disappointment is that for a book that is supposed to be about maps, there is precious little in the book about the actual maps. Each 20-25 chapter only contains about a page and half to three pages about the map the chapter is purportedly about. It is a well-written, entertaining book and a great introductory text to the uninitiated in Canadian history, but it fell short of my expectations based on the title and description.
Read
January 25, 2020Fascinating! Unsurprising how much the successful explorers relied on Indigenous and French Canadian voyageurs to survive in uncharted lands. Amazing how locals were able to free-hand accurate maps of the area. I was hoping Shoalts would discussing the aerial mapping push during the second world war by Canadian and US air force and land surveyors, maybe not enough archival material is available? (I have sources!) Or maybe there was no 'pretty' map to go along with. Or maybe it seemed less dramatic than land+canoe missions? Anyway. I am motivated to read more history!
April 29, 2022
Love to read something written from a good old local boy from the Niagara region. Very interesting stuff, Shoalts dives deep into Canadian history through a series of maps that he has done alot of research on. Love to learn about what's happened in my own back yard. Thanks for your time and effort Adam and keep up the good work, your biggest fan Earl <3
2nd time reading this, such a good book, very informative while keeping me engaged and wanting to learn more in every chapter.
2nd time reading this, such a good book, very informative while keeping me engaged and wanting to learn more in every chapter.
August 10, 2018
This was a really neat read! In each chapter, Shoalts looks at a different pre-confederation map of Canada, and the conditions under which it was created. The maps range from Leif Erikson's first map of Vinland to the maps of the Arctic produced by the Franklin expedition, so there's a wide range of material drawn from. With each map, Shoalts takes time to present the cultural and political reasons behind each map's development, in a manner that is welcoming and open to those without much Canadian history knowledge.
Due to the nature of the book, it's not without its limitations. The book relies heavily on settler sources (although it does acknowledge the role of Indigenous people in the development of the country), and the map-making conceit means that a lot of the political and cultural history that shaped the country is overlooked. If you understand those limitations going in, though, it's a real treat, because Shoalts' ability to relate the compelling and complex nature of Canadian history is incredible.
Due to the nature of the book, it's not without its limitations. The book relies heavily on settler sources (although it does acknowledge the role of Indigenous people in the development of the country), and the map-making conceit means that a lot of the political and cultural history that shaped the country is overlooked. If you understand those limitations going in, though, it's a real treat, because Shoalts' ability to relate the compelling and complex nature of Canadian history is incredible.
January 10, 2021
This isn't a book about maps. However, maps do shape this book; the journey to map out the inhospitable land of Kanada over the span of several centuries is what brings this thrilling and very engaging book to life. I'm holding back on categorising this book as a "History" book, because it's so much more than that. Adam Shoalts did a remarkable job with all the pieces of history he could find, to create a historical narrative that I swear reads like delicious, action-packed fiction.
I'm fascinated by Canadian history, even though I knew so little about it. Walking on the cold, wintery and unforgivingly cold lands always makes me wonder about the dedication that it took to fully explore them, or simply not abandon them. Adam Shoalts answers these questions with engaging stories. I have eaten every single one of his words for lunch and supper too. What a remarkable "History" book, that made me so hungry for adventure and exploration. Unfortunately, it's January 2021 and the further I can explore is the park outside my apartment.
But soon.
I'm fascinated by Canadian history, even though I knew so little about it. Walking on the cold, wintery and unforgivingly cold lands always makes me wonder about the dedication that it took to fully explore them, or simply not abandon them. Adam Shoalts answers these questions with engaging stories. I have eaten every single one of his words for lunch and supper too. What a remarkable "History" book, that made me so hungry for adventure and exploration. Unfortunately, it's January 2021 and the further I can explore is the park outside my apartment.
But soon.
January 6, 2022
A solid piece of writing.
Shoalts offers very strong evidence to illustrate how maps serve as artefacts.
This is also, simultaneously, a series of insights into how the place, labelled on current maps as Canada, came to be mapped. The provision of the context for each of the ten maps provide a history of what is thought of as Canada; the land, and what is Canadian.
As someone who is curious and interested in the continually changing shape and definition of what Canada is; what is included under the term Canadiana; and what it means to be Canadian; I found this book offered me a discussion of the history of this place in palatable and engaging language. In this account of how "Canada" came to be charted, I found a deeper understanding of facts I had heard, but in which, I hadn't realized the value.
Starting in the east and heading through to the west, the descriptors of peoples and landscape inspired a sensation of connection and appreciation for this place labelled as Canada. It was especially thrilling to see and read the names and stories of First Nation's women, as well as place names. It made me long to see more, and travel more of this amazing part of the globe.
It also made me want to encourage others to read this book so that I could have more people with whom to exchange (Canadian) ideas and experiences.
Absolutely worth the read!
Shoalts offers very strong evidence to illustrate how maps serve as artefacts.
This is also, simultaneously, a series of insights into how the place, labelled on current maps as Canada, came to be mapped. The provision of the context for each of the ten maps provide a history of what is thought of as Canada; the land, and what is Canadian.
As someone who is curious and interested in the continually changing shape and definition of what Canada is; what is included under the term Canadiana; and what it means to be Canadian; I found this book offered me a discussion of the history of this place in palatable and engaging language. In this account of how "Canada" came to be charted, I found a deeper understanding of facts I had heard, but in which, I hadn't realized the value.
Starting in the east and heading through to the west, the descriptors of peoples and landscape inspired a sensation of connection and appreciation for this place labelled as Canada. It was especially thrilling to see and read the names and stories of First Nation's women, as well as place names. It made me long to see more, and travel more of this amazing part of the globe.
It also made me want to encourage others to read this book so that I could have more people with whom to exchange (Canadian) ideas and experiences.
Absolutely worth the read!
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