The Night We Stole the Mountie's Car

by Max Braithwaite

Max Braithwaite has the unique capacity to be both tender and caustic – both nostalgic and uncompromisingly honest. He is also one of Canada’s few original humorists. All these qualities are present in his latest bittersweet recollections of life on the Prairies during the early Thirties. It was a time of depression and drought; but for Max, a young schoolteacher, it was also a time for courtship and marriage, for those hilarious episodes in Wannego, Saskatchewan, which did much to belie the grimness of the era. There was Max’s disastrous umpiring of a Ladies’ Softball game; his writing and directing of a play that generated more drama off-stage than on; the awful problem of the wasps at the outhouse, and much, much, more. The Night We Stole the Mountie’s Car follows Never Sleep Three in a Bed and Why Shoot the Teacher? and completes the story of Max’s early years. It is also Braithwaite at his vintage best – lusty, thought-provoking, and consistently amusing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Canada, Biography, Humor, Memoir

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

1911-1994

Reviews

[Jovana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny and friendly read. A good one for people who want to read about daily life during the Great Depression on the Canadian prairie (or a similar setting), yet it skips most of the least palatable parts of that lifestyle.

However, being written by someone born in 1911, this book does not deliver on the socially progressive front. Braithwaite has positive things to say about European immigrants but is insensitive about homosexuality and rape--2 topics I would rather see handled with care.

But, ultimately, my rating is 4* because that's what I rate books when I would read other books of the kind. And, that, I would do.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me laughing out loud yet it had some very poignant moments as well. What an insight into the rural Canadian life during the Depression era. I am a big fan of the Canadian series Wind at My Back that was inspired by this book and found that, like the television show, the book can be described as the Canadian equivalent of The Waltons, but funnier. I highly recommend it.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a series of short stories from Braithwaite's early adult life in rural Saskatchewan. It depicts life in small-town Saskatchewan in the mid 1930’s during the depression. He and his wife are newlyweds and living in very poor accommodations, with no money to spare. He teaches in a 4-room school, has an outhouse out back, no running water, and is struggling to sell stories to magazines by writing in the evenings.
The book is amusing and poignant. It is an accurate depiction of life in a small town. In fact, I grew upon a farm outside a town of 350 people in the 1960’s and my life was very similar to that described here despite the passage of 30 years. I started school in a 4-room school, though by the late 60’s we had a second school built for Grade 6+. This book brought back many memories.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last book in Max Braithwaite's biographical trilogy takes place in a small rural town in Saskatchewan. Amusing episodes take us from when he moves to this town as vice-principal of a four-room school house until he decides between becoming a principal or a writer full-time. This is the best of the three books, verified by winning the Stephen Leacock Award. Decidedly non-fiction in its telling of the things they got up to in Depression-era Saskatchewan. Both interesting and funny.

[Joan Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my third time reading this memoir .It reminds me of my days in Peace River Alt. Delightful!

[Suzanne V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nostalgic, witty, and surprisingly heavy in parts

[Darlene Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In our NMM reading group - we finished Don't Shoot the Teacher a couple weeks ago. Eileen Bone had kindly loaned me her set of 3 books of MB's -- easier than borrowing from the library with limited time - but I thought they were getting tired of MB - so decided to switch to Little House on the Prairie - then go back to Max after we've had a little break. THEN I forgot to go to the library to borrow Little House - so we read the first chapter of "Mountie" on Sept 29. I DID get Little House now tho - so we'll leave Max for awhile and come back to him. I find Max so enjoyable - I'd read them forever - but if my oldies are getting disenchanted - I'll wait. I want them to enjoy them as much as I do.
Went back to Max - Night we Stole the Mountie's Car - after Little House. At NMM - my "oldies" change -- some pass on -- some new ones come -- this group enjoyed this last book of Max's.

[Scott Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 1972 Stephen Leacock Award winning autobiography tells stories from Braithwaite's early adult life in rural Saskatchewan. For fans of Canadian television, it is a bit like Corner Gas circa 1935. As the local school teacher and aspiring writer, Braithwaite has a blast living up to and down to the expectations of his neighbours, colleagues, and wife and even himself. Very fun and very typical of rural Canada.

[Jane Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious!

[rabbitprincess]

With a title like that, how could I resist?

[Blaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's autobiography about life in rural Saskatchewan during the Depression era. Well done and it should be easy to bring a smile to your face.