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Trapper
Albert Johnson, known as the Mad Trapper of Rat River, struggles for survival in the Canadian arctic as he attempts to outrun the contingent of Mounties determined to hunt him down
476 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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About the author
Thomas York
17 books1 followerThomas Lee York was an US-born Canadian novelist and United Church minister.
Born in Washington, D.C. in 1940 and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Thomas York came to Canada in 1962. He retreated to the New Brunswick woods and immersed himself in the Bible, learning to read it in both Greek and Hebrew. He was indicted for draft evasion in 1964. When he later surrendered in 1973 and was sentenced to three years for failure to notify the draft board of his change of address, he objected only to the charge. "I'm not innocent," he said, "I may be innocent of what I'm going to jail for, but as a person I am not innocent." He appealed the conviction and was acquitted. He became an ordained minister in 1967 and subsequently served parishes in the Queen Charlotte Islands, Bella Bella, Yellowknife, Chapel-in-the-Park in Toronto, Pemberton/Whister and St. Paul's College in Waterloo.
His novels were set where he lived and included his passion for the arctic and wilderness canoeing. We, The Wilderness (McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1973) is the story of an Indian village on the B.C. coast. Snowman (Doubleday, 1976) is set near and beyond Yellowknife, a story loosely based on the tale of John Hornby. The Musk Ox Passion (Doubleday, 1978) is a tragic-comedy based in part on an unsuccessful 1972 real-life attempt to collect musk ox qiviut (wool) on a $5000 contract. Only 1.5 kilograms were found.
His autobiographical And Sleep in the Woods (Doubleday, 1978) concerned his New Brunswick spiritual quest. His finest work to date is Trapper (Doubleday, 1981), without a doubt the best telling of Albert Johnson's story, the 'Mad Trapper of Rat River'. Johnson became York's alter ego and York knew the man and the country as no other writer had. His last novel is Desireless (Viking, 1988) set in New Orleans.
He was killed in a traffic mishap in December of 1987.
Born in Washington, D.C. in 1940 and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Thomas York came to Canada in 1962. He retreated to the New Brunswick woods and immersed himself in the Bible, learning to read it in both Greek and Hebrew. He was indicted for draft evasion in 1964. When he later surrendered in 1973 and was sentenced to three years for failure to notify the draft board of his change of address, he objected only to the charge. "I'm not innocent," he said, "I may be innocent of what I'm going to jail for, but as a person I am not innocent." He appealed the conviction and was acquitted. He became an ordained minister in 1967 and subsequently served parishes in the Queen Charlotte Islands, Bella Bella, Yellowknife, Chapel-in-the-Park in Toronto, Pemberton/Whister and St. Paul's College in Waterloo.
His novels were set where he lived and included his passion for the arctic and wilderness canoeing. We, The Wilderness (McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1973) is the story of an Indian village on the B.C. coast. Snowman (Doubleday, 1976) is set near and beyond Yellowknife, a story loosely based on the tale of John Hornby. The Musk Ox Passion (Doubleday, 1978) is a tragic-comedy based in part on an unsuccessful 1972 real-life attempt to collect musk ox qiviut (wool) on a $5000 contract. Only 1.5 kilograms were found.
His autobiographical And Sleep in the Woods (Doubleday, 1978) concerned his New Brunswick spiritual quest. His finest work to date is Trapper (Doubleday, 1981), without a doubt the best telling of Albert Johnson's story, the 'Mad Trapper of Rat River'. Johnson became York's alter ego and York knew the man and the country as no other writer had. His last novel is Desireless (Viking, 1988) set in New Orleans.
He was killed in a traffic mishap in December of 1987.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 25, 2022
Thomas York knew what he was writing about from first-hand experience, and much research. The mixture of case facts and bulletins with narrative prose and dialogue, and character development is at times compelling, yet at other times maladroit. York's vocabulary manages to yield impressive flourishes and details. I feel the book should have been about 1/4 shorter, and could have done without the unnecessarily dark imagery and psychological stresses of some of his characters. There were times when I thought scenes which had realy nothing to do with the primary story were not only unnecessary but actually offensive. The book is worth reading, and is brilliant at times, but if you're looking for a straighforward account, or a fictionalisation appropriate for adolescents, look elsewhere. If you want a long, deep and dark dive, not eschew of nightmares and spiritual grayness, yet also strong on the elements of the actual RMCP hunt for Johnson, this one's for you. I was prepared to give it 4 of 5 stars, but settled on 3, as the seedier parts I could have done without.
Displaying 1 of 1 review