The Medieval period is a time of knights, lords, serfs, and kings. It often calls on images only reserved for Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Peter Ackroyd’s Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors tells this story (without any reference to Monty Python I mean). Through the history of Medieval England, Peter Ackroyd is able to present the facts on this era by blending the art of storytelling and historical presentation. Peter Ackroyd’s Foundation is a book that will both educate and entertain the reader.
Summary
Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors tells the story of England, covering a period from the time of early man and hunter-gatherer culture, the influence of Roman and Saxon cultures and the arrival of the Normans to the War of the Roses and the advent of Henry Tudor (Henry VII). Ackroyd covers the social and political development in this period with the argument that the history of England is “one of continual movement and of constant variation,”[1] that England was always changing and developing, not in a Whiggish way but that is a starting point and still echoes in contemporary times.
(I know it sounds Whiggish but it’s hard to avoid it when explaining the flow of history. It was also this or stopping to talk about Magna Carta, which has the same result. *sigh* Right, back to the summary.)
The book opens with the early history of England and the hunter-gatherer culture of regions like Cheddar Gorge and Devon and the Romanization of Britannia through both invasion and cultural exchange. Ackroyd then goes on to discuss the Saxon invasion, something created through migration and destruction of the indigenous population by bubonic plague, precursor to the 1300s. Once the Saxons are settled, the reader is given an overview of the new Anglo-Saxon society, such as the use of the Germanic word walh (Saxon for Celtic or Latin speaker) and its use in place names like Wales, Cornwall, Walsall, and Walthamstow.[2] Ackroyd even mentions certain cultural influences such as the cremation cemetery, where smaller villages like Sancton, Yorkshire, where such forms of burial lasted well into the nineteenth century.[3] Chapter 7 introduces the reader to William the Conqueror or William the Bastard (not William the Butcher, the Baker, or Candlestick Maker) and it is here we see the medieval world we know. Readers are introduced to the Feudal System, struggles for power between the king and his lords, pretenders for the throne, the King of France, and (in some cases) the Pope. At this point, Ackroyd takes the reader through events like the Peasants Revolt, the signing of Magna Carta, ultimately culminating at the War of the Roses and the intervention of Henry Tudor, marking the beginning of the Tudor dynasty.
The Writing
Foundation’s greatest strength is in the writing ability of its author, Peter Ackroyd. Throughout the book, Ackroyd has an ability to strike that balance between narrative and analysis. This is never an easy task for any historian. Even I find it hard to create a post that is both informative and entertaining (goodness knows you guys were probably bored to tears by my essay on the history of one-room school houses in Ontatio!). One of my favourite parts in Foundation is Ackroyd’s description of William I’s funeral:
When [William I’s] body was taken to the monetary of St. Stephen at Caen for burial body burst, exuding a foul stench that sent the mourners running from the building. It was, perhaps, a fitting end for one who was already swollen with greed and cruelty.[4]
This morbidly dark yet entertaining excerpt demonstrates Ackroyd’s ability as a writer. From the previous chapter, the reader is given a picture of the cruelty and averous nature of William I. (He was a greedy bastard.) Throughout his rule, William treated England as his cash cow; he confiscated land from English opponents and raised with heavy and sudden taxation, documenting all taxable items in what is known as the The Domesday Book. Ackroyd draws a poetic parallel between William I’s swelling wealth in life and his swollen carcass in death.
The Layout
In addition, the layout of Foundation allows for the reader to smoothly transition throughout each section of the book. Ackroyd arranges his thoughts intricately, each one leading into the next with a flawless stroke. One moment the you’ll be reading about the landing of William the Conqueror, his Norman army and their victory against King Harold’s Saxon forces, the net you’ll be reading about King John “Lackland” signing Magna Carta at Runnymede. The secret to Ackroyd’s brilliance is in how he alternates between the political and social developments in a neat and clear fashion. This alteration between these two historiographical topics allows for the reader to understand the context before Ackroyd begins on the next major topic.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Peter Ackroyd’s Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors is worth checking out. Ackroyd’s wit cuts through the shadows of the “Dark Ages” to provide an illustrated narrative that both entertains and informs readers. Therefore, I highly recommend readying Foundation by Peter Ackroyd to anyone who is interested in reading about Medieval England.
Sources:
Ackroyd, Peter. Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors. New York: Thomas Dunne Books. 2011.
Notes:
[1] Peter Ackroyd, Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors, (New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2011), 443.
This year, 2020, marks the 75th anniversary of the Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry. To commemorate this occasion, I would like to present a list of my ten all time favourite stories from the series. The choices on list are in no particular order and are based on my personal preferences. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy this track side adventure.
Thomas wonders where is special coach has gone.
“The Missing Coach” (Twin Engines, 1960)
After receiving numbers from the Fat Controller, Donald and Douglas (9 and 10 respectively) soon settle in as part of the North Western Railway. That until Douglas panics and misplaces a special coach for Thomas’ branch line. To avoid blame, Donald and Douglas trade tenders so Douglas can get away. While the angry passengers believe that the missing coach was not caused by Douglas as he had a faulty tender coupling, the Fat Controller was able to see through the twin’s plan.
I found this story quite interesting. The interactions between the characters is well developed; Donald and Douglas showing that they are not as easily pushed around by Gordon and Henry like tank engines. The strong story telling is coupled with the wonderful illustrations of John T. Kenney, whose work in the Railway Series show the Rev. W Awdry’s world as more than just characters in a children’s story, but a real and active railway.
“Tit for Tat” (Small Engines, 1967)
Bert has an unfortunate run in with the Thin and Fat Clergymen.
“Tit for Tat” is the story of the Rev. Awdry becoming a character in his own series. In this story, the Arlesdale Railway has two special visitors, two clergymen – one fat and the other thin – who are interested in seeing the railway and collect information for a book. Bert has the worst luck with these new visitors, who unintentionally splash water all over him when they drive by in their car. Bert tries to get back at the visitors by making water from some trees fall on them, only to end up soaking the Fat Clergyman and Bert’s driver and fireman.
This story has always stood out to me when I was young. It is the first appearance of the Thin and Fat Clergyman, who were really the Rev. W. Awdry and his friend the Rev. Teddy Boston, who would return in Duke the Lost Engine. The story is a great debut for Bert’s character as the gullible one compared to Rex’s know-all persona and Mike’s hot headedness.
“Cab Over Wheels” (Wilbert the Forest Engine, 1994)
An engine with no name, only a number.
When Wilbert the Forest Engine stays in the sheds with Thomas and Toby, the discussion of danger signs is brought up. Wilbert tells the two other engines about an engine he knew that worked at a steelworks who had no name, only a number – Sixteen. Each day, Sixteen would move trucks full of waste from the works to be dumped in a place called the tip. At the tip was a danger sign that tempted Sixteen to want to see what was beyond it. On day, Sixteen convinced the trucks to pull him beyond the sign. The next day as Sixteen pushed the waste trucks toward the tip; the trucks surge forward and pull Sixteen beyond the danger sign. While Sixteen’s driver goes with the foreman to report the incident and the fireman starts to return the engine back the safer rails, the ground crumbles beneath Sixteen causing him to roll down the slope and end up on his side in the yard.
“Train Stops Play” (Stepney the Bluebell Engine, 1963)
Stepney is rather suprised by the find in one of his trucks.
It was very hard to pick one story from Stepney the Bluebell Engine as each one is quite good for their own reasons. “Train Stops Play” is a tale or errors and cricket. When Stepney – a visiting engine from the Bluebell Railway in Sussex – laments about how much he misses pulling trucks, Percy offers to let Stepney take some of his to the harbour. On the return journey, Stepney stops at a signal by a cricket field where a game is in play. One of the batsmen hits the ball too hard, causing it to land in one of Stepney’s trucks. The players, realizing that it is their only ball for the game, run to their old car, Caroline, and chase after Stepney all the way up Thomas’ Branch line until they reach the train at the top station. In the end the cricketers get their ball back and Caroline gets a ride back to the field on a flat truck.
“Sir Handel Comes Home” (Great Little Engines, 1985)
Sir Handel’s eye covered after his accident.
Another Christopher Awdry story and story within a story. To coincide with the Talyllyn Railway in Wales decorating their engine Sir Haydn as the Railway Series’ Sir Handel, Christopher Awdry wrote Great Little Engines to explain Sir Handel’s visit. This story is based on an incident that occurred to the Sir Haydn during its time as Sir Handel. After returning from Wales, Sir Handel shares with the other engines his experiences on the Talyllyn Railway including when the Royal Family came to visit and the getting to pull a wedding train. One incident that Sir Handle tells the engines about is when he was taking a train to Nant Gwernol. A long the line, a tree branch hit him in the face. His crew bandage Sir Handel’s eye and put a patch over it for protection, despite Sir Handel being fine.
“Escape” (Enterprising Engines, 1968)
Douglas and his crew prepare to rescue Oliver, Isabel and Toad.
A classic and favourite among older fans of Thomas and Friends, “Escape” is one of the darker stories in the Railway Series. When Douglas arrives at the Other Railway (British Rail) to with the midnight goods, he happens upon Oliver the Great Western Engine, his coach Isabel, and a guard’s van named Toad. Douglas and his crew quickly add Oliver and company to his train and take them to the Northwestern Railway, which is where Oliver is trying to reach. Along the way, Oliver shares his harrowing journey across Britain, even hiding in an abandoned quarry to avoid being caught.
“Flying Kipper” (Henry the Green Engine, 1956)
Henry speeds off with the Flying Kipper.
“Flying Kipper” is another classic among fans and is arguably one of the great watershed moments in the series. After having success using Welsh coal, Henry is given the job of pulling the fish train known as the Flying Kipper. Henry’s run goes well until he reaches a set of signals that are incorrectly set to clear due to snow forcing it down and ice jamming the switches to a siding where a goods train is waiting for the Flying Kipper to pass. All these factors result in Henry crashing and derailing. When Breakdown Crew come to clear the damage, the Fat Controller arrives to inform Henry that he will be sent to Crewe for his repairs and will have a new shape and a larger firebox, giving Henry the iconic appearance that fans know and love.
“Super Rescue” (Enterprising Engines, 1968)
Henry to the rescue.
Oh, look! Another Henry story! It’s almost as if he’s one of my favourite characters or something. I mean, it’s also another story from Enterprising Engines, but we’ll just gloss over that…
To help with the extra work, the Fat Controller is forces to bring in two diesels – Dl99 and D7101 – from the Other Railway. D7101 is fairly respectful to the other engines, but D199 is not and proceeds to call the engines out of date and unreliable. One day, Henry is returning home when he sees D199 has broken down and morning for his fitter while an angry signalman scolds D199, calling him Spamcan because of how useless he’s being. Henry agrees to pull D199 and his train to the next station and does well, until they come across D7101 who has failed as well. Henry manages to move both diesels to the station successfully, earning himself the title of enterprising for his efforts.
“Cross-Patch” (Very Old Engines, 1965)
Mr. Mack has not time for your sass, Skarloey.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Skarloey Railway in the Railway Series and Skarloey is arguably my favourite character. The book Very Old Engines is built around the centenary of the oldest engines of the Skarloey Railway, Skarloey and Rheneas. “Crosspatch” is the first story of the book and is narrated by Skarloey while being polished by Nancy as he tells her about his first days on the Skarloey Railway in 1865. Skarloey had a very trying time when he first arrives to the Island of Sodor. From an uncomfortable boat ride to being awkwardly lifted from the boat on to a truck for transport, Skarloey finds his new home on the Skarloey Railway to be rather terrible. The following day, the manager Mr. Mack and some workmen arrive to get Skarloey ready for work. Upon learning that he will not be able to pull coaches and must pull trucks, Skarloey becomes sulky and refuses to steam properly. Mr. Mack, frustrated by Skarloey’s lack of cooperation, decides that the little engine will be left to sit in the siding under a tarpaulin until he is willing to behave.
“The Deputation” (Twin Engines, 1960)
“What is a desperation?”
Seeing as I started this list with a story from Twin Engines, let’s finish this off with another. To try and impress the Fat Controller, Donald and Douglas volunteer to clear snow from lines during the winter season. One day, the twins happen upon a large drift that proves difficult to clear, only to discover that it is Henry and his train. Once back at the sheds, Henry and the other engines agree that it isn’t fair that only one of the twins should stay and not both. Percy, upon the recommendation of Edward, suggests bringing a deputation to the Fat Controller explaining their concern. What follows is one of my favourite lines of dialogue in the Railway Series where the engines keep muddling up the word deputation with other similar sounding ones. Upon agreement, Percy is sent to speak with the Fat Controller and act as the engines deputation. Later, the Fat Controller thanks the engines for mentioning their concern but that it is his railway and he must make the decision. In the end, Donald and Douglas both get to stay while also getting new coats of paint and name plates (in the books they are painted blue).
Sources
Awdry, Christopher. Sodor: Reading Between the Lines. Spalding: Sodor Enterprises. 2005.
—. Great Little Engines. London: Egmont UK Ltd. 2007.
—. Wilbert the Forest Engine. London: William Heinmann Ltd. 1995.
Awdry, Rev. W. Enterprising Engines. London: Egmont UK Ltd. 2002.
—. Henry the Green Engine. Leicester: Edmund Ward. 1951.
—. Small Engines. London: Egmont UK Ltd. 2002.
—. Stepney the Bluebell Engine. London: Kate and Ward Limited. 1971.
—. Twin Engines. Leicester: Edmund Ward (Publishers) Ltd. 1960.
C. S. Lewis’ series, The Chronicles of Narnia, has been adapted into numerous other forms of media since their publication in the nineteen fifties. In 2005, Lewis’ first book to be published in the series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was adapted into a feature-length film by Walt Disney Studios and Walden Media. This film takes an interesting interpretation of the plot in Lewis’ book and, like many others, makes some alterations from the original work. These changes either help to provide context to the plot or to add more action to the film.
First, some new scenes have been added or altered from the story when The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was adapted into its 2005 film version. In the opening scene of the film, the audience sees an air-raid over the city of London, England (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). The main characters, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, are shown to be running to a shelter in the back garden with their mother (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). After this scene, the audience sees the children being taken by train to the house of the Professor (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). These scenes are different from what is seen the beginning of the book. Lewis only dedicates a few lines in explaining the children’s circumstances, stating that the children “were sent away from London during the air-raids” (3) and that “[t]hey were sent to live with an old Professor who lived in the heart of the country” (3). In adding scenes to the film that add more detail to Lewis’ description, the adaption creates a better understanding of why the four children had to leave London. A child reading Lewis’ book in 2013 would not be able to understand the effect of the Blitz on London like a child reading it in 1953, who would be growing up in the aftermath of the Second World War and the London Bombings. Thus, in providing context to the opening of the film, the audience is able to better understand the circumstances that the protagonists are in at the beginning of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Cover of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe circa 1950.
Also, the scenes with the professor differ in some ways between the film and the book. In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the Professor is able to speak Peter and Susan on an even level when they come to see him about Lucy, though telling them to consider that their sister could be telling the truth (Lewis, 47-48). In the film adaption, the Professor comes across as more of a concerned guardian, but quickly becomes more welcoming when he learns that Lucy had discovered a way to Narnia through the wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). This is just one of the few references to the other Narnia book The Magician’s Nephew, which tells of how the Professor traveled to Narnia when he was a boy. The best example of this is seen at the end of the film when Lucy tries to go back to Narnia, only to see the Professor in the room, disappointed that the wardrobe no longer works (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). These suggestions of the Professor having been to Narnia before are not mentioned in the book because the The Magician’s Nephew was not published until several years after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
In addition, the scene where Aslan is sacrificed on the Stone Table is slightly different from the book. In this situation, it is the book that has more detail than the film. Though the film does have some elements from the book such as Aslan being tied down, having his mane cut off, and being dragged up to the Stone Table (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). Despite the book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe sharing these parts, Lewis goes into more detail and is more humiliating in his description. After Aslan is muzzled and bound, the White Witch’s minions surround the lion and begin “kicking him, hitting him, spitting on him, jeering at him” (Lewis 154). The reason Lewis puts Aslan through all this suffering and humiliation before being killed by the White Witch is because Aslan is a representation of Jesus Christ from the Bible, who, before being crucified, was put through much suffering and humiliation. Disney probably did not play down this scene in the movie for religious reason though. This scene in the film is frightening already and thus only adapted enough parts from the book as necessary.
Film poster for Disney’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2005 .
Finally, there is a difference in how both the film and the book portray the battle scene and journey to the White Witch’s home to free those who had been statues. In the book, Lewis concentrates on the rescue, giving a detailed account of how Aslan freed the Witch’s captives from being stone statues. Lewis only gives a brief account of the battle, mentioning how Peter and his forces were outnumbered by the White Witch’s forces and how Aslan defeated the Witch (Lewis 175-177). The movie concentrates more on the battle than the rescue. In this instance, the audience sees that from the beginning of the battle, the White Witch’s forces out number Peter (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). Much like in the book, Peter is victorious over the White Witch when Aslan, Susan, and Lucy arrive with an army of the Witch’s former prisoners (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). The best argument to why Disney chose to concentrate on the fight would most likely be because the most action can be placed into the scene. Little action happens in the rescue at the White Witch’s house, except for Aslan freeing the captives; this could easily be given less focus as the battle serves more of climax.
In conclusion, the additions and alterations from book to film in the case of C. S. Lewis’ The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe are done to either provide context or to create more action in the film. Some of these scenes, such as the opening, allow for the audience to better understand the circumstances that the children have come into. This said, some sections, like Aslan’s sacrifice at the stone table lack some detail that the book provides. Through looking at an adaption of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, one can see a unique approach to Lewis’ work that has both strong and weak points to how the book was adapted.
Works Cited
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Dir. Andrew Adamson. Perf. William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes. Buena Vista Pictures, 2006. DVD.
“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe“. Wikipedia.
Arthur R. M. Lower’s book Great Britain’s Woodyard: British North America and the Timber Trade, 1763-1867 takes the reader on a journey to a time before Confederation, the Constitution and Free Trade. It is a time of colonization and British dominance on the world stage, Canada is only a series of individual colonies that provides the empire an important commodity: wood. In Great Britain’s Woodyard, Lower effectively presents the role of timber in the British Empire during the nineteenth century, how the timber trade in British North America influenced the culture of Canada and how these two aspects relate to of Harold A. Innis and W.A. Mackintosh’s Staple Thesis. In examining these aspects of Great Britain’s Woodyard Arthur Lower presents a compelling study of the timber trade in British North America.
Great Britain’s Woodyard by Arthur R. M. Lower
Lower divides Great Britain’s Woodyard: British North America and the Timber Trade, 1763-1867 into two parts. The first part looks at the history of the timber industry in British North America. Here, Lower begins with British trade with Baltic States of Eastern Europe such as Germany, Russia, and Sweden for their lumber and how Napoleon took control of the Baltic States; it caused Britain to turn to its North American colonies as they were unable to continue trade with Eastern Europe due to Napoleon’s mercantilist policies. Lower then goes on to look at the development of the timber trade in British North America and its role in British politics in the nineteenth century. In part two, Lower examines the timber trade’s inner workings in the colonies. In this section the reader is given the different parts of the trade and historical examples of these parts in order to elaborate on their role. While presenting these two sections, Lower argues that the British metropolis exploited the colonies and saw British North America as “its own private woodyard,”[1] allowing them to take as much lumber as they wished.
Lower uses Innis and Mackintosh’s Staples Thesis in his study of the British North American timber trade. The Staples Thesis argues that
…the export of natural resources, or staples, from Canada to more advanced economies has a pervasive impact on the economy as well as on the social and political systems. Furthermore, different staples (fur, fish, timber, grain, oil, etc.) have differing impacts on rates of settlement, federal-provincial conflicts, etc.[2]
This statement means the trading of natural resources, in this case lumber, between Canada and more advanced states, in Lower’s book, Britain, can have effects on the social, political, social, and environmental systems of Canada. Lower was born in Barrie, Ontario in 1889,[3] a community that had forestry as one of its earliest industries.[4] Lower strongly viewed the deforesting of Canada to be devastating, stating in the preface of Great Britain’s Woodyard “[t]he result has been that everywhere huge tracts have been deforested and turned into desert,”[5] an image that he would have seen while living in the region. The Staple Thesis is found in Great Britain’s Woodyard in Lower’s chapter on the early part of the lumber trade; here he gives the account of Philemon Wright.
Wright traveled from Massachusetts in 1797 and surveyed the Grand River, the original name of the Ottawa River, reaching as far as the Chaudière Falls (the location of the Canadian capital of Ottawa).[6] Two year later, after receiving land grants, he developed on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, adding a mill in 1801; this settlement would later develop into the city of Hull, Quebec. [7] Lower’s example of Philemon Wright shows the application of the Staples Thesis because of how the industry led to the creation of settlements based around the timber trade. Some of these settlements would then go on to expand and attract other people, who were either migrating to Canada or looking for work.
In telling the history of British North America’s timber industry, it is important to understand the role it played in the world that was the British Empire. Lower successfully presents this by showing the elevation of the timber industry in British North America from the turn of the nineteenth century to the time of Canadian Confederation. At the start of the nineteenth century, the British only used the North American colonies’ lumber to make masts for the Royal Navy and to serve as a backup source in times for crisis; the region containing this supply of wood for this purpose was expanded after the British defeated the French in the Seven Years war.[8] After Napoleon took over Europe in the early part of the nineteenth century, Britain had no other option but to rely on the North American colonies for their wood supplies. Through the administrations of Robert Peel and other British Prime Ministers, Lower shows British North America to be growing in importance in its role as a colony of the British Empire by how it influenced the delegation of tariffs on timber imports from the Baltic region and the North American colonies. This case can be connected to the Staple’s Thesis by fact that Britain was forced in to a wood crisis by Napoleon’s Continental System. In order to get out of this crisis, Britain was forced to turn to its colonies in North America for wood, allowing British North America to have a role in legislation concerning the trading of lumber.
In addition, Lower shows how the lumber industry influenced Canadian culture. The Staples Thesis’ argument of trade affecting Canada at a social level can be seen here, the growing employment of shantymen and raftsment created their own unique culture, which in turn developed into an aspect of Canadian culture. In his chapter on the shantyman and raftsman, Lower begins with discussing the folklore of the lumber trade. He explains that within the shantymen and raftsmen added to Canadian culture a “primitive life and art, the counterparts of which have been the base of so much of older countries.”[9] This statement means the lumber folklore gave Canada a base to develop its own culture, this base that Lower states to be similar to the basic aspects of older states and cultures. An example that Lower gives of lumber culture comes in the form of the folktale Chasse-galerie:, the story of lumbermen selling their souls to the devil so they may be able to cross vast distances to visit their loved ones for special occasions, such as New Year, within one night and be back to work by morning.[10]
In conclusion, Arthur R. M. Lower successfully presents a compelling narrative in his book Great Britain’s Wood yard: British North America and the Timber Trade by using Innis and Mackintosh’s Staple’s Thesis in his study of the British North American timber trade. In studying the example of the role of lumber in the British Empire, it can be seen that the North American colonies played a significant role in the empire by providing it with much needed lumber for the navy and in construction. By examining the role of the lumbermen and their own inner culture, the base of a Canadian culture can be seen developing. Therefore, in using the Staples Thesis, Lower is able to develop an insightful study of the British North American timber trade.
[1] Arthur R. M. Lower, Great Britain’s Woodyard: British North America and the Timber Trade, 1763-1867, (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1973), 49.
The Last Spike hammered in by Sir Donald Smith in Craigellachie, B. C., 1885.
“A prairie farmer arrives home to discover his crops flattened by hail, his barn on fire, and his wife running away with the hired hand. He looks up to Heaven, and shouts; ‘Goddamn the CPR!’”[1] This anecdote demonstrates the relevance of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to the Canadian West. A connection goes back to the time of the National Policy from the 1878 Conservative government under Sir John A. Macdonald. The railway was able to overcome obstacles in establishing the line in British Columbia, such as discontent landowners in Port Moody. The Canadian Pacific even helped to improve the economy of the west in places such as the city of Winnipeg and Winnipeg beach. The Canadian Pacific Railway played a significant role in the assertion of Canada’s sovereignty in the western provinces through the National Policy, developing its line in British Columbia and providing improvements to the western economy.
A Matter of Policy
Sir John A. Macdonald
The Canadian Pacific was a major part within the National Policy of the conservative government of Sir John A. Macdonald. At the time of the policy’s creation, Canada was in political and economic distress. Populations were decreasing as people traveled to the newly opened west of the United States and weak economic conditions due to a mix of government debt from infrastructure projects and a weakening connection with the British market.[2] Additionally, Canada was also facing an “expansionist American government [that] threatened to absorb the entire western half of the continent.”[3]
In the election of 1878, Sir John A. Macdonald argued that the only cure for these issues would be his Conservative Party’s new National Policy;[4] a policy that contained the use of higher tariffs to protect Canada’s manufacturing industries from any possible competition from the United States and to insure funds for the Canadian government’s expansion projects.[5] These tariffs also served to encourage the movement of agricultural goods to the central Canadian markets.[6]
Alexander Mackenzie
The policy also mentioned the installation of a rail line to the west, allowing for what was considered “a convenient and rapid transportation system” for the time.[7] The rail line would also ensure trade across the country for the sake of both economic and political benefits by encouraging growth in the Canadian manufacturing industry.[8] Construction of the Pacific Railway had been going on before the 1878 election but without proper funds, construction moved slowly as money trickled in from the 17.5 per cent tariff rates put in place by the Liberal government under Alexander Mackenzie.[9] The lack of further funds meant that the line could not be completed and Canada risked losing British Columbia,[10] a serious issue because Macdonald had promised a railway to connect the British colony with the rest of Canada when it joined the Confederation, despite the colony only asking for a wagon road.[11]
On September 17, 1878, the Conservative Party, led by Macdonald, won the election and were able implement the National Policy.[12] Leonard Tilley, the appointed finance minister, took on the responsibility of implementing the new tariffs.[13] In the first budget, he replaced the former Liberal tariff structure with new duties ranging from twenty to forty per cent and wide-ranging fees on imports from the United States.[14] With the new tariffs in place the construction of the railway could continue.
The Moody Problem with Coal Bay
Map of Rupert’s Land, granted to the Canadian government from the Hudson’s Bay Company.
On February 15 1881, the contract between the Canadian government and the Canadian Pacific Railway was given royal assent.[15] The territory of Rupert’s Land acquired from the Hudson’s Bay Company –through political pressure and dealing from behind the scenes – would be granted to anyone wanting to invest in western development and railways.[16] On August 4, 1883, William Van Horne, the general manager of the Canadian Pacific, arrived in British Columbia to inspect the site of the new terminus at Port Moody.[17] Port Moody was a little village located on a narrow bank at the head of Burrard Inlet.[18] Pierre Berton describes Port Moody at the time of Van Horne’s arrival to be “basking in the glow of optimism brought on by the unquenchable belief that it was to become the greatest metropolis on the Pacific coast.”[19]
William Van Horne
Upon inspecting the Burrard Inlet, Van Horne found that the site would not be appropriate, as there was not enough room for a city in the area.[20] The rail line would require “four hundred acres of level ground”,[21] which did was not available unless they reclaimed it from the tidal flats, which would cost approximately between two and four million dollars.[22] Despite this hiccup, Van Horn found a solution to this issue when he travelled out by boat to the mouth of the inlet; he realized that there was more space in the area of Coal Harbour and English Bay.[23] Van Horne would only need to persuade the provincial government to subsidize the continuation of the line and build the terminus at Coal Harbour.[24]
As an agreement between the Canadian Pacific and the British Columbian government for six thousand two hundred seventy-five acres was being formed, Van Horne appointed Montague William Tyrwhitt-Drake to serve as the company’s local operative as he was considered reliable in his profession but also for his political connections.[25] With Drake at the helm in British Columbia, Van Horne intended to shield the Canadian Pacific from any opposition in the provincial government.[26] Despite the preparation, Van Horne was unable to protect the company from the harshest threat to railway construction, the angered property owners of Port Moody.
These property owners sent petitions to the dominion government warning that seven hundred inhabitants and investors would be “utterly ruined” if the terminus was placed in Coal Harbour.[27] Drake failed to alter a clause that stated that the extension would be part of the original portion of the Canadian Pacific.[28] The original charter of 1881, known as the Canadian Pacific Railway Act, only recognized the planned construction of the Port Moody terminus and did not follow the general railway statute, the Consolidated Railway Act of 1879, which proclaimed that no railway can have the right to extend its line beyond the terminus mentioned in its special act.[29] Rather than amending the Canadian Pacific Railway Act to allow the extension, Drake decided to defend the extension by claiming that it was a branch.[30]
In August, the opponents to the railway applied for an interlocutory injunction, an order only amended through further court proceedings.[31] In the trial of Edmonds et al. versus the Canadian Pacific Railway, the judge, Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie, ruled that the company did not have the right to purchase land or build any of its desired works.[32] Drake tried to get an appeal from the Divisional Courts, but found himself unsuccessful in being granted an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.[33]
J. J. C. Abbot
While the judicial proceedings were occurring, Van Horne searched for an alternative to the issue. Rather than negotiating with the landowners, Van Horne had plans develop a bypass to cross the waterfront, a distance of six kilometers.[34] He planned to have a series of wooden trestle bridges built along the inlet to reach the terminus.[35] In order to work around Begbie ruling that the Canadian Pacific had no power to “expropriate land for the extension”,[36] J. J. C. Abbot, the railway’s General Counsel planned to make an application to the Dominion Government “in the name of some individual asking for a lease”.[37] This strategy was nearly successful but failed due to two issues. Van Horne undermined the whole endeavor by hinting to newspapers that the plans had been sent to the Department of Railways. Additionally, the trestles would collapse as soon as the teredos (shipworms) ate away at the wooden piers that they were to rest on.[38]
Over the course of the legal battle that occurred during the summer and fall of 1886, Drake was steadfast to his argument of ignoring the extension stated in the British Columbian agreement.[39] Drake claimed that the extension was only a branch line, which the Canadian Pacific was allowed to lay.[40] He only acknowledged that Port Moody was mentioned in the Canadian Pacific Railway Act, but argued that it was “not formally designed”.[41] Drake’s opponents argued that “Section 17 of the [Canadian Pacific Railway] Act required the application of the [Consolidated] Railway Act, including its restriction on extension from the terminus”.[42] To ensure that the company could get an appeal, Abbot arranged to have Charles Major, a landowner who supported the Canadian Pacific, file a suit against the company.[43] The judge ruled, like in the previous trials, that the railway had violated the Consolidated Railway Act of 1879.[44] With this result the Canadian Pacific was able to appeal the matter to the Supreme Court in Ottawa.[45]
In Ottawa, Abbot appointed Christopher Robinson to act as senior council of the case. Robinson argued Drake’s construction of the acts while Senator Thomas R. McInnes, a supporter of the Port Moody terminus, argued that the Canadian Pacific was ignoring the decision of the British Columbian courts by making their appeal.[46] The court ruled in favour of the Canadian Pacific, and in a vote of five to one overturned the decisions of the British Columbia courts.[47] To avoid being taken to the Judicial Court of the Privy Council in Britain, the railway secured an act from the dominion (federal) government that gave them “explicit legislative authority for the extension”.[48]
This land is my land, resold a double the price
Winnipeg, Manitoba, circa 1880
The Canadian Pacific Railway provided economic improvements to the west. During the time of the railway’s construction in the west, the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba experienced an economic boom, the principal cause of which being speculation. Van Horne had sent an advertisement to Winnipeg newspapers, warning the public against “buying lots at prospective station along the line until he had officially announced their locations”.[49] This was over shadowed by advertisements from the papers, promoting real-estate near the unofficial sites.
In June of 1881, the boom began with an opening sale in Brandon, Manitoba, with the value of its lots had tripling by January 1882.[50] Soon Winnipeg was hit with the excitement of the boom. Winnipeg had only a population of sixteen thousand people and only three hundred real-estate dealers, within a year its population doubled and its assessment tripled.[51]
The use of buying on margin gave individuals the ability to purchase large lots of land with limited amounts of money, The Hudson’s Bay Company for example, required only a fifth of the total cost as down payment.[52] As these properties changed hands, the down payment began to increase in price and soon those wanting to buy property had to turn to less valuable land, thus causing the surge of buying on margin to begin again in another part of Winnipeg.
Newcomers were astonished by how people would buy the lots at auction one day and sell the land the following day at an increase of ten per cent.[53] An increase in population from people from outside the city to buy land led to a “floating population” during the winter of 1881 and 1882,[54] which resulted in new hotels being opened on a daily basis. However, by early summer of 1882, the real-estate boom collapsed,[55] leaving a total value of the buildings being 1,710,850 dollars and the population of Winnipeg around twenty-five thousand.[56]
Canadian Pacific Railway travel poster
By the turn of the century, the railway had taken an interest in the tourist trade and had opened such markets in Banff, Victoria and Quebec City for both North American and European travellers.[57] The use of local railway development opened opportunities to create regional excursion points that would be accessible to “middle-class patrons”.[58] A motivation for this project was the drive to beat out the Canadian Pacific’s rival the Canadian Northern, which had partially completed its line to Delta Beach on the southern shore of Lake Manitoba.[59] Since 1899, the Canadian Pacific had had interests in the southern shore of Lake Winnipeg and had found success in sending excursionists to the beach through the use of its Selkirk branch line and the City of Selkirk steamer.[60]
In 1901, the Canadian Pacific Railway announced their plans to build a line connecting Winnipeg city with Winnipeg Beach.[61] The Canadian Pacific had intended the resort to be aimed at upper and middle class residents of Winnipeg.[62] The railway expected to run only one train daily with eventually adding excursion and picnic trains in addition to building cottages, a dance pavilion and a hotel.[63] The railway’s chance to add a hotel came in 1908, when Edward Windebank was developing a hotel for the beach known as the Empress Hotel.[64] Windebank had fallen short on funds during the hotels construction and offered to mortgage the hotel to the railway if they advanced the money to him so he could complete the project.[65] The railway’s plan for only one train per day and dancing on weekends were greatly changed to regular evening excursions and by 1906, thirteen trains a day on busy holiday weekends.[66] In 1920, up to fifteen thousand people traveled by train to Winnipeg Beach for the July first weekend with nightly dances held in the pavilion.[67]
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Canadian Pacific was significant in the development of Canada establishing itself in the west. The need for a railway in MacDonald’s National Policy led to the development of a market between the west and central Canada. The Canadian Pacific had to overcome discontent from landowners in Port Moody and the difficulty of the courts in British Columbia, who ruled against the railway in its plan to build its terminus in Coal Harbour. The railway was able to stimulate economic growth in the city of Winnipeg and through tourism at Winnipeg Beach. Therefore, the Canadian Pacific was able to assist Canada’s journey in establishing its sovereignty in the west.
Bibliography
Argyle, Ray. Turning Points: The Campaigns that Changed Canada 2004 and Before. Toronto: White Knight Publications. 2004.
Barbour, Dale. “Winnipeg Beach by Moonlight.” Manitoba History no. 63 (Spring2010 2010): 2-13. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed February 27, 2012).
Bell, Charles N. “The Great Winnipeg Boom.” Manitoba History no. 53 (October 2006): 32-37. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed February 27, 2012).
Berton, Pierre. The Last Spike: The Great Railway, 1881-1885. Toronto: Anchor Canada. 1971.
Leonard, Frank. “‘Diplomatic forces of the new railroad’: Transcontinental terminus entry at Vancouver and Seattle.” Journal Of Transport History 28, no. 1 (March 2007): 21-58. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed February 29, 2012).
—. “So Much Bumph” CPR Terminus Travails at Vancouver, 1884-89.” BC Studies no. 166 (Summer2010 2010): 7-38.Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed February 29, 2012).
Lotz, Jim. Canadian Pacific. London: Bison Books Limited. 1985.
Rollings-Magnusson, Sandra. “Necessary for Survival: Woman and Children’s Labour on Prairie Homesteads, 1871-1911”. In Nation and Society: Readings in Post-Confederation Canadian History, 2nd ed., edited by Margret Conrad and Alvin Finke, 114-130. Toronto: Pearson Canada Inc. 2004.
[1] Jim Lotz, Canadian Pacific, (London: Bison Books Limited, 1985). 6
[25] Frank Leonard, “‘Diplomatic forces of the new railroad’: Transcontinental terminus entry at Vancouver and Seattle”, Journal Of Transport History 28, no. 1 (March 2007): 21-58, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed February 29, 2012), 25
[52] Charles N Bell, “The Great Winnipeg Boom”, Manitoba History no. 53 (October 2006): 32-37, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed February 27, 2012), 33
Creativity is a strange beast. For some it is hard to come up up with the simplest ideas for some while others while for others these ideas can come easily. Because of this, there is there is a myth that those who are creative are born with that ability. In his book, Let the Elephants Run: Unlock Your Creativity and Change Everything, singer and song writer David Usher takes a look at this myth and explores one can tap into their hidden creativity whether it comes naturally or not. This blog is going to see if this book has a memorable message or if it would be better for elephants to forget.
Let the Elephants Run: Unlock Your Creativity and Change Everything is Usher’s first venture in writing (well, in nonfictional prose). He opens Let the Elephants Run with the example of his own childhood; how Usher can remember that his love of creating things stemmed from his childhood and that many of us start out like this as well.1 This love for creativity dwindles as life goes on and “layer upon layer of life begins to separate us from our child’s mind.”2 Throughout Let the Elephants Run, Usher argues that curiosity and passion is still accessible, that creativity is not something inherent (or blessed by a fairy godmother) but something learn-able.3 To Usher, all it takes is to “take the time, make the commitment, and learn how.”4
One of the things that works in Let the Elephants Run is Usher’s writing ability, particularly in his use of examples when discussing his points. An example of this is seen when Usher discusses a concept that he calls “Pink Elephant Thinking”, to allow your imagination to run on its own and utilize what ideas what it has to offer.5Usher elaborates on this concept with how he uses the Pulse Sensor Open Source Heart-Rate Sensor to use an audience member’s heart-rate to set up the beat for his shows. (See what I did there?) The process started with Usher wanting to take his and his band’s usual method of them setting the tone and timbre of their shows and turn it around so that the audience could “power the band.”6 Because Usher wanted to make this happen, he searched the web until he found a Kickstarter for the Pulse Sensor Open Source Heart-Rate Sensor. The next step was programming the sensor, this was answered by Robert Brooks, who also had an interest in this endeavour.7 The lesson from this example is the benefits of Pink Elephant Thinking, if Usher hadn’t acted on the curiosity, he would have lost out on something that has proven beneficial to his concerts.
Usher also uses a unique design in his book. Rather than using a regular layout where the reader would merely read on how to be creative, Usher has Let the Elephants Run, Usher formats his book to to make the reader more active in their creativity. Throughout the book, Usher presents his audience with different activities or actions ranging from just writing ideas down, forming an idea web (having a central concept that branches off to different topics), or examining your own abilities to determine if you are introverted or extroverted to allow readers to practice and hone their creative abilities. In the first activity, Usher explains that he wants his readers to write and take notes in the book because “learning to be creative is itself a creative act.”8 In this way, Usher wants to make his audience active in their learning experience because in doing so when reading Let the Elephants Run it lays a foundation in developing a person’s creativity.
In closing, Let the Elephants Run: Unlock Your Creativity and Change Everything is the perfect book for someone wanting to improve their creativity or just wanting to tap into their unknown talent. Usher proves himself skilful in prose as he is in music. The best part is how Usher gives his book a unique edge by making his readers more active in their education with different activities to build a base in becoming creative. Much like the book title suggests, let the elephants run and let those creative juices flow!
Adulthood is a voyage fraught with highs that make you believe that you could touch the sun and lows that drag you lower than you ever thought possible. The very challenges become very much like trying to herd cats, somehow finding a way to become nearly impossible to overcome. To tackle this conundrum, Sarah Andersen returns with an all new collection of comics titled Herding Cats, continuing with her theme of adjusting to the world with the ever anxious and ever loved character Sarah. Readers continue to laugh, cry, cry while laughing, and relate to Andersen’s entertaining comics in this latest anthology.
Herding Cats is the continuation of Andersen’s character, Sarah. In this new volume we see Sarah face life with the same level of excitement and anxiety as she counts the days to Hallowe’en, meeting deadlines, and that delayed pain that hits after stubbing your baby toe. Along with these entertaining comics, Andersen shares with her readers how she was able to accomplish her success via the world of the internet and how to navigate this brave new world where everyone has a megaphone and will proclaim their opinions and discern from the constructive and delusional.
One of the things that works in Andersen’s advantage is this continued theme of adjusting. Her first anthology Adulthood is a Myth looks at adjusting to the new work of adulthood and the idea of what defines adulthood; A Big Mushy Happy Lump can be seen as adjusting to limitations life puts on you and coming to acceptance with those limits. Herding Cats continues this trend with the theme of adjusting and accepting the uncontrollable situations and problems life throws your way. One example of this can be seen in her comic “Taking Care Of…”; here we see in the first three panels showing Sarah being loving to her pets, friends, and boyfriend but when we see Sarah taking care of herself, we see Sarah throwing a copy of herself in to a trash can (5). This is an easy thing we all do, we put people before ourselves and end up leaving our personal needs to the side or being harder on ourselves when things go wrong. Because we are busy putting others first, we end up leaving our own needs behind.
In addition, Andersen’s comics continue their relatability between the reader and Sarah. In the comic “Me + Me: A Great Time!”, we see Sarah finding enjoyment in talking to herself, having a fashion show with herself, and dancing with herself (78). The relatability is seen in how the comic shows the joy one can get with solitude or alone time. Being around does have its benefits and I’m sure there are benefits to social interaction and there are probably stacks of articles by leading scientists and psychologists that back those… But let’s be honest sometimes it’s better have alone time and play on the phone (shut up about how the very fabric of society is being ripped apart by people being on their phones!) and not everyone actually benefits from being about people, like introverts where the opposite can be true in some cases.
Another example is in the comic “Comfort Zone”, here Andersen opens with the line “life begins at the end of your comfort zone” and shows Sarah, wrapped in a blanket, stepping out of a small circle with the word “progress” appearing overhead after the first step (80). Life has always been a we are born with nothing and life promises us nothing, so we therefore have to reach out and work for what we want. Because of life’s difficulty, we tend to stick with what’s comfortable or good enough and easy and forget what we want. Stepping out of out of our comfort zone is never the easy choice but is necessary. Sometimes what is acceptable isn’t healthy like an unhealthy relationship, poor health choices, living somewhere that isn’t safe. Because of that the comfort zone isn’t necessarily the best place. That isn’t to say you should always be running out of the comfort zone, sometimes little steps make better progress and are more realistic some instances.
In conclusion, Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen is a book worth reading. The book’s themes and comics are still as relatable as it’s predecessors and are just as enjoyable as ever. Therefore, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Herding Cats at your nearest book store.
Books are an important part of a society’s culture as they capture the contemporary views of those living there. Much like the rest of the world, Canada offers a literary tradition of its own. For those of you who have never seen one of my blog posts (surprise, surprise) I am a major bibliophile. This post is going to present a list of books that I feel are worth checking out from the annals of Canada’s library.
Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town – Stephen Leacock (1912)
Stephen Leacock 1869-1944
To start off, I give you Canada’s answer to Mark Twain: Stephen Leacock. This professor of Political Science at McGillUniversity developed a reputation for his humorous stories like “My Financial Career” and anthologies like Literary Lapses and Nonsense Novels. One book that has held a special place in Canadian hearts is Leacock’s book Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, a collection of stories based off of Leacock’s observations of the prominent people in the Canadian town of Orillia. In fact, it is said that there are people in Orillia who hate Leacock for making fun of their ancestors and equally families who are livid that he didn’t make fun of theirs!
Sunshine Sketches follows the lives of the prominent townspeople in the fictional North Ontario town of Mariposa. These tales vary from love between a young bank teller and the town judge’s daughter, the eventful sinking of a riverboat, and the whirlwind that was the election of 1911. The major protagonist in this book is Josh Smith, a hotel and bar owner who rises from struggling to stay in business after locking the judge out of the bar to become a candidate in the town election. These entire stories orbit around a central theme of the innocent past, this is heavily supported by the use of an unreliable narrator and the closing line of the last story, “L’Envoi. The Train to Mariposa: “…as we listen, the cry grows fainter and fainter in our ears and we are sitting here again in the leather chairs of the Mausoleum Club, talking of the little Town in the Sunshine we once knew” (Leacock, 336).
Home From the Vinyl Café – Stuart McLean (1998)
Stuart McLean 1948-2017 (Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail)
Where Leacock is the Canadian answer to Mark Twain, Stuart McLean is Canada’s contemporary of Leacock. McLean, who sadly passed in 2017 from skin cancer, had made a career out of casual story telling, the kind of storytelling that feels more like a conversation with a close friend (including the odd tangent now-and-then) rather than a long, drawn out story. Many older CBC Radio listeners would remember McLean from his appearances on Peter Gzowski’s program Morningside, providing stories of real discoveries from flower auctions and crane climbing to trailer parks for former barbershop singers. While being able to reveal beauty in the everyday, McLean was also renowned for his reporting of serious events, most notably the Jonestown Massacre. It is very hard to narrow down one book by Stuart McLean as each one is special for their own reasons, but the book that I am going to put on the list as a place holder would be his second volume in his Vinyl Café books Home From the Vinyl Café.
Home from the Vinyl Café is an anthology about the life of a roadie turned record store owner named Dave, his wife Morley, and their two children Stephanie and Sam. These stories, much like the rest of the series, orbit around the normal and abnormal, with such escapades like when Dave decides to stick his tongue to a pole on the roof of his house or the time Dave and Morley went to Holland to skate, back when they were just married. The main reason I chose this book especially is it opens with what is considered to be the most famous story by McLean, “Dave Cooks the Turkey”. If you have not read it yet, I highly recommend picking up the book or finding an audio file of McLean reading the story (an easy find on Spotify and iTunes).
“The Hockey Sweater” – Roch Carrier (1979)
For anyone who grew up in Canada, the story “The Hockey Sweater” is more than a children’s story, but a Canadian institution. Carrier’s story is a tale of childhood innocence and the love of Canada’s greatest pastime, hockey. When a young boy’s Montreal Canadiens sweater is worn out from use, his mother writes to Eaton’s for a new one only to receive a sweater of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The end result is adorably humorous and the story’s timelessness has made it a tale that is even used in reading comprehension classes in school.
Another Carrier work but morbidly different from “The Hockey Sweater”. Where “The Hockey Sweater” portrays rural life as innocent and build around a strong sense of Christian virtue, Le Guerre? shows a world of bluntness and ignorance, where a funeral is seen as a party, father’s beat their children for sharing the same level of twisted blasphemy, and a man will chop his own hand off just to get out of being conscripted (the novel actually opens with this!). The entire book is a commentary on the culture of Quebec during what is call Le Grand Noircire, a time when the Quebec government under the leadership of Maurice Duplessi emphasized the importance of the farm and placed social programs in the hands of the Roman Catholic Church.
The novel Le Guarre? Yes, Sir! is the story of a single night when the body of a local man is brought back from the horrors of the Second World War, cultures clash between the villagers and the English soldiers who bring the body home. At the same time, readers see the utter hypocrisy and chaos in the course of on night in the Quebec village. As Carrier’s novel unfolds, we witness a clash of cultures as the French farmers despise the English for their cold, unfeeling appearance during the funeral; while the English despise the French for their rural life and what they think of as cowardice for not fighting in the war.
Pierre Berton 1920-2004
The National Dream – Pierre Berton (1970)
Pierre Berton was and is an accompished Canadian writer. Through out his writing carreer, Berton has chronicled Canada’s history from the War of 1812 while covering events like the exploration of the Klondike, the Battle of Vimy Ridge and others. For those who’ve never read Berton’s work, his historical works celebrate the Canadian Spirit and the country’s progress from colonial holding to statehood (something that if not done properly could border on Whiggish).
In Canadian history, the iron horse and two lines of steel rails was the major force in Canada’s early years. Canadian writer Pierre Berton’s book, The National Dream, paints an eloquent picture of early Canada, where only five provinces made up the dominion and the fear of American expansion into the new North West Territory and a promise made to British Columbia made the goal of building a transcontinental railway ever more urgent. Here Sir John A. Macdonald plays the role of a political phoenix, falling from grace with the Pacific Scandal and eventually rising from the ashes to lead Canada on in establishing the transcontinental line that would become known as the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Anne of Green Gables – L. M. Montgomery (1908)
L. M. Montgomery 1874-1942
L. M. Montgomery, a provincial and national treasure for Canada and Prince Edward Island. Writer of works like Emily of New Moon and (most of all) her books about an imaginative young girl named Anne and her life on Green Gables Farm. Her works are so popular and influential that in Japan, young girls are taught English with an East Coast accent so they can mimic that of Montgomery’s greatest character Anne Shirley.
Anne of Green Gables is the first novel in Montgomery’s series. Anne arrives from an orphanage into the home of the Marila and Matthew Cuthbert, two siblings wanting a boy to help with the work of running Green Gables Farm. While Mathew and Marila were expecting a boy, Anne proves to be more than what they needed and equally a handful with escapades like breaking a slate over Gilbert Blythe’s head for calling her carrots or nearly drowning in an old boat while recreating a scene from a Tennyson poem with her friends. Reader’s of Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables fall in love with Anne’s innocence and feisty attitude, traits that have made Anne and the many books that chronicle her adventures long lasting works of Canadian literature.
On March 30th, 2017, I travelled to Toronto for an adventure of exploration. This trip was topped off with a chance to see Sarah Andersen at Indigo at Bay and Bloor. It was a great experience and Andersen was awesome to meet. The whole event was because on March 7th, Andersen published her second book.
Yes, Sarah Andersen is back at is again with her newest book Big Mushy Happy Lump, the second book in her Sarah’s Scribbles series. Andersen continues showing us the relatability of her character, Sarah, and even experiments with mixing media to make her character as enjoyable as ever. So, grab your pumpkin spiced [insert thing here], jump into bed, enjoy your pizza, and binge Netflix.
Wait! Hold the Netflix! Read the review, then Netflix, in that order.
Big Mushy Happy Lump continues the exploits of Sarah, a nervous childish twenty-something trying to make her way through the great big world of adulthood. Much like Adulthood is a Myth we see Sarah’s long struggle with Uterus and Brain, relationships, and other personal struggles with the outside world. At the same time, Big Mushy Lump celebrates the small joys in life like books, boyfriend’s sweaters, and learning to like cats. Sarah sees it all as she drifts through life and takes us with her as he meets each moment.
The greatest strength in Big Mushy Happy Lump is the relatability the reader has with Andersen’s character Sarah. My favourite part of this book is in a long form comic Andersen writes about anxiety in “I don’t Know How to be a Person”. In this story, Andersen talks about the difficulty of anxiety and the trouble over thinking can cause in one’s life:
…At times I can be like a robot suffering a severe malfunction. My brain glitches. […] These glitches are so, so painful. And, thanks to my good ole buddy Overthinking, the glitches continue to haunt me long after they’ve happened.
(Andersen, 76-77)
I found this part relatable as someone who deals with anxiety and depression. When things go wrong, it gets stuck in my head and sometimes will work me up into stammering while in my head I am convinced something is or will go wrong.
In addition, Andersen takes a change from her usual comic format by including three long form stories that include comics. These stories continue the themes that carry throughout Andersen’s comics by talking about anxiety, learning that it’s okay to like things that everyone else likes, and the importance of a boyfriend’s sweater. These stories balance prose and comics well with the included comics by having the comics elaborate with Andersen’s prose sections.
In conclusion, Andersen’s Big Mushy Happy Lump is a book with reading. While continuing to provide comics that have been popular among her readers, Andersen also gives her audience a new format that is still in the spirit of the rest of the book but also different enough to make it memorable. If you are a fan of Andersen’s work, Big Mushy Happy Lump is a book that you will enjoy.
Growing up in Canada was a unique experience. As a kid I can remember being bombarded with US programmes like Friends,Saved By the Bell, and anything from Disney and shows from Britain like Noddy,Thomas the Tank Engine, Are You Being Served?, Yes, Minister, and Keeping Up Appearances. While these classic programs will continue to have a place in my heart, there is something to be said for the wonderful programming from Canada. Today, I want to talk about the variety of Canadian shows that have graced Canadian TV.
The Friendly Giant (1958-1985)
Look up. Look wa—-ay up! For 30 years, Canadian children were welcome into the castle of the Friendly Giant on CBC. It was the show that started the weekday block of children’s programming later known as CBCKids. Each episode opened with the draw bridge of the castle opening and the Friendly Giant (played by Robert Homme) placing little model chairs for his guests. “One little chair for one of you, and a bigger chair for two more to curl up in, and for someone who likes to rock, a rocking chair in the middle.” The Giant would then be greeted by Rusty the Rooster and Jerome the Giraffe (puppeteer by Rod Coneybeare). The three would talk for a little bit before the Giant would tell a story. The episode would end with the Friendly Giant playing on his recorder and puting the model chairs while saying goodbye. “It’s late. This little chair will be waiting for one of you, and a rocking chair for another who likes to rock, and a big armchair for two more to curl up in when you come again to our castle. I’ll close the big front doors and pull up the drawbridge after you’re gone. Goodbye. Goodbye.”
The Littlest Hobo (1963-1985)
Canada’s answer to Lassie, The Littlest Hobo followed the adventures of a stray German Shepherd as it travels from town to town befriending and helping people, often played by well known actors in a guest appearance. These guests included John Ireland, Abe Vigoda, Vic Morrow, and Leslie Nielsen; even a young Mike Myers made an appearance in one of his first acting roles! All the dogs featured in both the original 1963-1965 and revived 1979-1985 run were trained by Charles (Chuck) P. Eisenmann who became famous for his unique training regime for his dogs, who were credited under the moniker “London”.
Misterogers (1963-1966)
Before I start talking about Mr. Dressup, I have to talk about Mr. Rogers- uh, I mean Misterogers. When Fred Rogers (yes, that Fred Rogers) began what would become his 40-plus-year career in children’s programming, he moved to Toronto, Ontario, in 1961 to produce Misterogers, a early version of what would become Mr. Rogers’ Neighbourhood. It had a very similar set up to Mr. Rogers’ Neighbourhood; there was a trolley that would take viewers to the Neighbourhood of Make Believe where viewers would be met by characters like X the Owl, King Friday XIII, and Daniel Tiger, while Rogers would sing songs and send off with Tomorrow, a song that appeared in the earlier seasons of Mr. Rogers Neighbourhood before eventually being replaced by It’s such a Good Feeling in 1972. Interesting enough, the first episodes of Mister Rogers’ Neighbourhood featured the recorded segments of the Neighbourhood of Make-Believe from the CBC’s Misterogers!
Mr. Dressup (1967-1996)
When Fred Rogers arrived to Canada, he brought with him, Ernie Coombes, a friend and colleague who had worked with Rogers on NBC’s The Children’s Corner as an assistant puppeteer. Coombes remained in Canada after Rogers returned to the United States and began to appear on the CBC children’s show Butternut Square as the character he would become most famous for, Mr. Dressup. When Butternut Square was cancelled in 1964 Coombes and Daniel McCarthy (producer of Butternut Square) developed Mr. Dressup as a replacement.
Mr. Dressup featured Coombes as the titular Mr. Dressup with his puppet friends Casey and Finnegan (puppeteered by Judith Lawrence) making drawings, making crafts, or telling a story before putting on costumes from the Tickle Trunk, a red trunk with flowers painted on it that would provide any costume needed the the episode. Later in the series, new characters were introduced after Judith Lawrence retired. While Casy and Finnegan were said to have gone off to Kindergarten, Mr. Dressup was visited by Chester the Crow (Karen Valleau), Truffles (Nina Keogh), Granny (Jani Lauzon), Annie (Ruth Danziger), Alex (Jim Parker), and Lorenzo the Raccoon (Bob Dermer).
Royal Canadian Air Farce (1970-Present)
There are two important factors in any proper functioning society: (1) leaders must be elected by the public and (2) be held in continual contempt by the public. Founded in 1970 in Montreal, Quebec, by John Morgan, Martin Bronstein, Patrick Conlon, Gay Claitman, and Roger Abbott, the group began under the name The Jest Society, a play on then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s goal of making Canada a “Just Society”. By the time the troupe made their first appearance on CBC Radio, several changes had been made. First, the line up at the time had changed, while Morgan, Abbott, and Bronstien remained, Claitman and Conlon were replaced with Don Ferguson, Luba Goy, and Dave Broadfoot.
While Royal Canadian Air Farce found success on radio, it also made appearances on television throughout the 1980s before eventually receiving its own TV series on the CBC. Over the course Air Farce‘s time on radio and tv in the 1980s, the show went though further changes when Bronstein left the series in 1974 to return to journalism and Broadfoot retired in 1989 but continued to make guest appearances until his death in 2016. While the show no longer appears regularly on TV, Royal Canadian Air Farce continues yearly on the CBC for New Years. The current troup line up includes Don Ferguson, Luba Goy, Jessica Holmes, Creig Lauzon, Darryl Hinds, Aisha Alfa, Emma Hunter, Isabel Kanaan, Chris Wilson, and Lisa Gilroy.
The Polka Dot Door (1971-1993)
An adaption by TVO of the BBC children’s show Play School, The Polka Dot Door was geared to educate and foster creativity with the television audience. Two hosts would explore a different motif for each day. Some of the activities on each included the stuffed toys Humpy (a modified version of the BBC stuffed toy in Play School), Dumpty, Bear, Marigold. What made the show unique from its British counterpart was Polkaroo, a polka-dotted kangaroo who would appear played by the male host and perform activities with the female host.
SCTV (1976-1984)
The show that launched the careers of Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Joe Flarity, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, Martin Short, and the late John Candy. Each episode viewers watched the antics of a low budget TV station in the fictional town of Melonville. What made the show so memorable was the different characters like Johnny Larue, Guy Caballero, Ed Grimley, Edith Prickley, and Dave and Doug Mackenzie. While the original run ended in 1984, show has continued to be an institution, with reruns of the show still being featured on TV.
Degrassi Franchise (1979-Present)
Degrassi is more than a show, it’s a Canadian institution! In almost 40 years of it being on TV, there have been 5 individual series with a total 621 episodes! Telling the story of the lives of teens living in the Riverside District of Toronto (the show’s name coming from De Grassi Street in the district), the series began as four short after-school specials on CBC titled The Kids of Degrassi Street many of the actors of these specials went on to appear in the Degrassi Junior High in 1987 and Degrassi High in 1989. In 2001 the franchise received a revival by Stephen Stohn with Degrassi: The Next Generation, airing on CTV, Family, MuchMusic and MTV. This series has been considered to be the most successful series with its own cult following by teens and adults alike as the show dealt with topics like suicide, censorship, self-harm, rape, drinking, and more. Currently the newest incarnation produced by Netflix and Epitome, titled Degrassi: Next Class, continues where Next Generation left off with new and familiar faces walking De Grassi Street and facing the challenges life will throw their way.
The Kids in the Hall (1988-1995)
An off the wall programme from the CBC and produced by SNL creator Lorne Micheals, Kids in the Hall was a sketch comedy show staring Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McMulloch, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson. Each episode featured wacky characters like the Chicken Lady, Buddy Cole, and the Scissor Sisters. While the initial series ended in 1995, the troupe never really broke up, producing a film called Brain Candy in 1996 and an eight part miniseries titled Death Comes to Town in 2010.
Anne of Green Gables (1985)
Based on the famous novel by L. M. Montgomery, this two-part series followed the life of a orange-haired orphan Anne (played by Megan Follows) with an explosive imagination as she comes to the quite town of Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, to live with the elderly siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert (played by Richard Farnsworth and Colleen Dewhurst respectively), who were expecting a boy from the orphange. Through the highs and lows of living in the small island town, including infamously breaking a slate over Gilbert Blythe’s (Jonathan Crombie) head, Anne quickly proves her worth for Matthew and Marilla at Green Gables Farm. The success of the miniseries spurned two sequels, Anne of Avonlea (based on the novel of the same name), Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story and Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning; the latter two being original stories with no connection to the novels by Montgomery.
Road to Avonlea (1990-1996)
After the success of Anne of Green Gables, the CBC produced a companion series titled Road to Avonlea, a show loosely based on a number of books by L. Montgomery, namely The Story Girl, The Golden Road – which featured characters Sarah Stanley, Felicity, Felix, and Cecily – and especially The Chronicles of Avonlea and Futher Chronicles of Avonlea. The series told the story of Sarah Stanley (Sarah Polley), who sent to Avonlea by her father to live with her two aunts, Hetty and Olivia King (played by Jackie Burroughs and Mag Ruffman respectively). Characters from the Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea reprised return for the series, namely Marilla Cuthbert (Colleen Dewhurst), Rachel Lynde (Patricia Hamilton), Davy Keith (Kyle Labine), and Dora Keith (Ashley Muscroft and Lindsay Murrell).
The Red Green Show (1991-2006)
A parody of home improvment and outdoors shows, The Red Green Show was a strange beast as it crossed sketch comedy with elements of sitcoms. Staring Steve Smith as the titled Red Green and Patrick McKenna as his bumbling nerdy nephew Harold, television audiences would learn each week of the antics of the members of Possum Lodge Red Green teach unique projects in “Handyman Corner” (usually involving the handyman secret weapon: Duct tape!). The series also included other segments like “Adventure with Bill”, featuring different slapstick sketches with Red Green and Bill (Rick Green). The series also included characters like Dalton Humphrey (Bob Bainborough) of Humphry’s Everything Store, career criminal Mike Hamar (Wayne Robson), entrepreneur of sewage sucking Winston Rothschild III (Jeff Lumby), tall tale teller and ferryman Hap Shaughnessy (Gordon Pinsent), eccentric forest ranger Ranger Gord (Peter Keleghan), and the deafened explosives expert Edgar K. B. Monstrose (Graham Greene). The success of the programme led to a movie titled Duct Tape Forever.
Theodore Tugboat (1993-2001)
Theodore is a tug boat. He has black haul, a yellow body and a tall funnel… wait… doesn’t this sound like Thomas and Friends? Well, it should. Surprisingly this show did have several producers from the British series including Robert Cardona, producer of Thomas and Friends and Tugs. Each episode of Theodore Tugboat opened with Denny Doherty of The Mamas & the Papas fame as the Harbourmaster, who would set the theme of each episode before narrating that episode. Characters that lived in the great Great Big Harbour (based off of Halifax) include Theodore, Hank, George, Emily, Forduck, and the Fat Controller-esc Dispatcher.
Redwall (1999-2002)
Based on the Redwall novels by Brian Jacques, this Canadian produced (see the connection?) series told the story of the mice of Redwall Abby as they defend their home from Cluny the Scourge and his Rat Army. The series mainly follows Matthias, a young mouse who dreams of becoming a heroic warrior like the abby’s founder Martin. Mathias set out on a quest to find the lost sward of Martin the Warrior and save Redwall Abby from the clutches of Clunny. The success of the series spurned two more seasons, the second following the events of the novel Mattimeo and the third based from the prequel novel Martin the Warrior.
Corner Gas (2004-2009)
Created and starting comedian Brent Butt, Corner Gas tells the antics of the people of Dog River, Saskatchewan. Plots often show cased the interactions between Brent LeRoy (Brent Butt) his business neighbour Lacey Burrows (Gabriell Miller) with the residents of Dog River, whether it be Bent snarky employee Wanda (Nancy Robinson), his curmudgeon father Oscar, his loving but no nonsense mother Emma (Janet Wright) or the local police officers – and entire plice force – Karen and Davis (Tara Spencer and Lorne Cardinal respectively). The series had a successful run with six seasons and a movie. Over the course of the series’ run, numerous Canadian guest stars have appeared including Kevin McDonald, Mike Wilmont, Colin Mochrie, Ben Mulroney, and then-prime minister Stephen Harper.
Murdoch Mysteries (2008-Present)
Inspired from the novels by Maureen Jennings, Murdoch Mysteries follows the escapades of Roman Catholic detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) – I only mention it as it does serve as a plot device throughout the series in Protestant Toronto – as he uses unconventional methods to solve cases in turn of the century Toronto. Set in Post-Confederation Canada (particularly the late 1890s), the series touches upon events in Canadian history like the Boar War and introduces well known people from the people from the period like Nikola Tesla, Jack London, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Henry Ford, a young and just as brash Sir Winston Churchill, and then-Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier. The show originally started on Citytv but now continues on the CBC.
Kim’s Convenience (2016-Present)
Based on the Toronto Theature Critics award winning play of the same name by Ins Choi, Kim’s Convenience tells the story of the Kims, a Korean family who run a convenience store in Toronto’s Moss Park neighbourhood. The series focuses on the relationship between the Janet (Andrea Bang), Appa (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), Umma (Jean Yoon), and their estranged son Jung (Simu Liu) as they show the highs and lows of family and life in Toronto.
Stuff By Joey 