Great Adventure: How the Mounties Conquered the West

by David Cruise, Alison Griffiths

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Canada, Adventure, Historical

495 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1997

Reviews

[Josiah Jost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly enjoyed reading this book with my wife. It especially piqued our interest when we realized that part of their journey out to Alberta took them right through our 'backyard'. Very stirring to read of the intense challenges these Mounties faced, and very intrigued to read of what the western prairies were like just 140 years ago. Very worthwhile historical piece!

[Amy Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. A highly readable, entertaining and immersive book on the Mounties. It's written more like a novel than a dry history book and I loved that! Many of the Mounties journals and personal letters are used and heavily, which brings a first-hand experience to the reader and you get pulled in by reading about their thoughts, emotions, feelings and opinions. This is how all history books should be written!

I was intrigued by what certainly was a "great adventure",man what a time these poor guys had! I especially liked the diaries of the youngest boy,Fred Bagley who was only 15. I felt terrible for the horses and oxen as well as the animals which fell prey to the men,ducks, buffalo and others,it was hard to read some parts.

Some political parts were dry and I found the section on the whiskey traders,outlaws and everyone causing the problems which the Mounties were to solve to be very boring and slow. The diary entries didn't exist through that 80 or so pages and I almost quit reading it.

[Paul Lunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published in 1996, David Cruise & Alison Griifths "The Great Adventure: How the Mounties Conquered the West" is the story of how the early dominion of Canada sent 150 men from Toronto into what are now the modern provinces of Alberta, Manitoba & Saskatchewan to handle issues out there particularly with liquor that was causing problems on the frontier in 1873. This book is an interesting read because it not only incorporates early Canadian history but also history of parts of Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana. It's a good reminder that the challenges facing the US at the time were very similar to what the Canadians were facing as well especially from the Native Americans as well as their own lack of experienced people. This book is definitely one that anyone with an interest in the west on both sides of the border will enjoy.

[Mark Lisac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoever says Canadian history is dull never read this well researched, entertaining and informative history of the North West Mounted Police journey into the West. Given the centrality of the Mounties' (later the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) to Canada's image, it is also important as an anchor of fact in an otherwise rather misty sea of impressions.

[Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book as I suspected. Lent a ton of colour to the story and brought the early mounties to vivid life. There was a lot of tension to the story... We all know they got there... But the how is not something many know and it was not a sure thing. Grateful I could borrow and enjoy this book.

[Gail Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but I found it a bit of a slow read

[BasedToucher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book was a keystone in pricing together some late 1800s Canadian history

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite historical figures: Major Macleod, Jerry Potts, Fred Bagley.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was able to follow the narrative because I'm already familiar with the early history of the Mounties, but I suspect another USian reader would find the abrupt topic switches between chapters confusing. (For instance, it probably takes a pretty high level of geekery to go "yay, Jerry Potts!" as I did on that gentleman's first appearance in the narrative, instead of muttering impatiently till the last chapter over why several chapters of the book are about a half-Native man with no visible link to the Mounted Police.)

The authors also chose to use the language of the time in their narrative, for consistency with the primary sources - thus terms such as "squaw" appear, and "Indian" rather than "Native" or "First Nations" is used throughout.

That said... this is the definitive secondary source on the first year of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It includes copious quotations from many primary sources; the topics may seem to wander, but the writing itself is terse, narratively solid, and often funny or wryly apropos. Each man quoted is well-drawn and distinguished from the other characters - from Commander French, the founder of the Force, down to fifteen-year-old trumpeter Fred Bagley. An epilogue tells what happened to each one.

Recommended for those with a strong interest in the "frontier" period of North American history.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am enjoying the contrast between different people's diaries and letters. The gov't needs 150 good men to calm the Indians on the prairie. Farm kids thought they had hit the gravy train, and opulant kids thought they were dieing.

[The Master · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of the creation of the RCMP in the 1870s. Packed with restless natives, lawless whiskey runners, buffalo hunts and runaway horses, all testing the resolve (and the fabulously waxed moustachios) of a slowly deteriorating force marching 900 miles with dwindling provisions.

[Wil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lot of building up, with what seemed a hurried ending.