History Pre-confederation (to 1867)
The Farfarers
Before the Norse
- Publisher
- Doubleday Canada
- Initial publish date
- Apr 2002
- Category
- Pre-Confederation (to 1867), Social History, Historiography
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9780385659260
- Publish Date
- Apr 2002
- List Price
- $22.95
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Description
In this provocative bestseller, Farley Mowat challenges the conventional notion that the Vikings were the first Europeans to reach northern Canada. Mowat offers instead an unforgettable portrait of the Albans, a race originating from the island now known as Britain. Battered by repeated invasions from their aggressive neighbours—Celt, Roman and Norse—the Albans boarded seaworthy, skin-covered boats and fled west. Their search for safety, and for the massive walrus herds on which their survival depended, took them first to Iceland, then to Greenland, and, finally, to the land now known as Newfoundland and Labrador.
Skillfully weaving together clues gathered from forty years of research, Mowat presents a fascinating account of a forgotten history. The Farfarers affirms Mowat's status as one of Canada's most powerful chroniclers.
About the author
Farley Mowat was born in Belleville, Ontario, in 1921. He began writing upon his return from serving in World War II, and has since written 44 books. He spent much of his youth in Saskatoon, and has lived in Ontario, Cape Breton and Newfoundland, while travelling frequently to Canada's far north. Throughout, Mowat has remained a determined environmentalist, despairing at the ceaseless work of human cruelty. Yet his ability to capture the tragic comedy of human life on earth has made him a national treasure in Canada, and a beloved storyteller to readers around the world. His internationally celebrated books include People of the Deer, The Dog Who Wouldn't Be, Sea of Slaughter, and The Boat Who Wouldn't Float.
Editorial Reviews
"A spellbinding story . . . told by a master storyteller working at the top of his form. It is a saga that will enchant the reader." —The Globe and Mail
"Provocative . . . a master storyteller." —The New York Times
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