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Derry: Airedale of the Frontier
- GenresDogs
258 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1928
11 people want to read
About the author
Hubert Evans
34 books1 followerHubert Evans became a reporter in 1910 and, after service overseas in WWI, was a fisheries officer in northern BC. In 1925 he decided to write full-time and in 1927 began supporting his family by writing articles, short stories, serials, radio plays and books for juveniles. His first novel, The New Front Line (1927), was about a returned veteran. Mist on the River (1954), described cultural conflicts in an Indian village.
While in his 80s he wrote 3 books of poetry and published a new novel, O Time in Your Flight (1979), about a boy in Ontario in 1899. Evans’s writing career spanned 7 decades; Margaret Laurence called him the elder of the tribe. In 1984 he received an honorary degree from Simon Fraser University.
While in his 80s he wrote 3 books of poetry and published a new novel, O Time in Your Flight (1979), about a boy in Ontario in 1899. Evans’s writing career spanned 7 decades; Margaret Laurence called him the elder of the tribe. In 1984 he received an honorary degree from Simon Fraser University.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 14, 2022
Apr 14, 830am ~~ Review asap.
1145am ~~ This 1928 title by Canadian author Hubert Evans was his second novel. I found my delicate old copy many years ago in a used book sale, but this is only the second time I have read it. I didn't remember a thing about the story: as I've said before while reviewing these dog books of mine, 30 or more years between readings creates a brand new book for you! lol
The dog star of our story is an Airedale Terrier, shipped by train to Ed Sibley, who lives in the Pacific Northwest region of Canada (even though the author uses place names that are actually in Ontario. I was curious and checked!). We are not told exactly why Ed specifically wanted an Airedale, but we do learn that at the time of our story the dogs were mostly unknown in the area and definitely unproven. Ed was a mechanic during the summer but in winter he ran a trapline and also hunted, so he was hoping to have a loyal, hardworking, and trustworthy trail companion.
But Ed also had ideas about training. He did not want a dog to obey him through fear the way so many other dogs in the area obeyed their masters. Ed wanted a friend. He wanted a dog who would gladly work for him and with him through love. Will young Derry be that dog? What will the old-timers who hang around the garage think of Ed's training ideas? Will Derry make them eat their words or will he turn out to be too independent to be the dog of Ed's dreams?
I loved this book. Derry shines in all his terrier glory, and it seemed obvious that the author knew Airedales extremely well. He caught their joy for life, their intelligence, their terrier pride and stubbornness, much the same way the Albert Payson Terhune captured the spirit of Collies in his many books about that breed.
But this book is not just about the dog. The author provides an education on many aspects of the forest world, all through Derry's adventures with Ed and sometimes on his own. I especially enjoyed the first fishing expedition. Derry was fascinated, and so was I!
I had not known of this author before I got this book and the last time I read it I was not able to do any research about the man. But this time I did, and I have ordered his 1979 autobiographical novel O Time in Your Flight, and I will be keeping my eyes open for other titles.
Meanwhile, I miss Derry already. I thought he was a great dog, no matter what all those old-timers may have said!
1145am ~~ This 1928 title by Canadian author Hubert Evans was his second novel. I found my delicate old copy many years ago in a used book sale, but this is only the second time I have read it. I didn't remember a thing about the story: as I've said before while reviewing these dog books of mine, 30 or more years between readings creates a brand new book for you! lol
The dog star of our story is an Airedale Terrier, shipped by train to Ed Sibley, who lives in the Pacific Northwest region of Canada (even though the author uses place names that are actually in Ontario. I was curious and checked!). We are not told exactly why Ed specifically wanted an Airedale, but we do learn that at the time of our story the dogs were mostly unknown in the area and definitely unproven. Ed was a mechanic during the summer but in winter he ran a trapline and also hunted, so he was hoping to have a loyal, hardworking, and trustworthy trail companion.
But Ed also had ideas about training. He did not want a dog to obey him through fear the way so many other dogs in the area obeyed their masters. Ed wanted a friend. He wanted a dog who would gladly work for him and with him through love. Will young Derry be that dog? What will the old-timers who hang around the garage think of Ed's training ideas? Will Derry make them eat their words or will he turn out to be too independent to be the dog of Ed's dreams?
I loved this book. Derry shines in all his terrier glory, and it seemed obvious that the author knew Airedales extremely well. He caught their joy for life, their intelligence, their terrier pride and stubbornness, much the same way the Albert Payson Terhune captured the spirit of Collies in his many books about that breed.
But this book is not just about the dog. The author provides an education on many aspects of the forest world, all through Derry's adventures with Ed and sometimes on his own. I especially enjoyed the first fishing expedition. Derry was fascinated, and so was I!
I had not known of this author before I got this book and the last time I read it I was not able to do any research about the man. But this time I did, and I have ordered his 1979 autobiographical novel O Time in Your Flight, and I will be keeping my eyes open for other titles.
Meanwhile, I miss Derry already. I thought he was a great dog, no matter what all those old-timers may have said!
December 22, 2022
I love the old books. This one is copyright 1927 and my copy includes an inscription to ‘Christine 1952, from Dad and Mother. It is one of the Grosset and Dunlap 'Famous Dog Stories' books. You can guess from the part of the title that has ‘of the frontier,’ which turns out to be the Canadian frontier, what adventures you might find the book. I think Derry gets to tangle with almost every dangerous mammal in North America.
That fact that this old book has an Airedale as the canine hero is different from others of this type. His master hoped to make a companion of him but the young dog has disobedience and wildness in him.
Another thing that is different in this book, as the summary in the jacket says is:
'And there is much more than merely a good story in this book. For in its pages you will find a great deal of information about how to manage a dog, how to correct his faults, and how to train him in good manners and usefulness.'
Ed, Derry’s owner at one point says:
“I want my pup to have a good time. This business of keeping a dog chained up and only letting him loose when he works for you, then chaining him again until you need him next time- that don’t strike me as shootin’ square. A dog like Derry, that’s just rarin’ to go - why keeping him locked up would either break his spirit or make him run away.”
There really isn’t that much info on how to manage a dog in the book other than to not leave him chained up and not to beat obedience into him. But there is some good bits to talk about on that topic:
To have in this high-spirited terrier a partner on those distant trails - not to make him into a docile slave- this was what he longed for. What if the Airedale did sometimes transgress in trifling matters? Wasn’t it better to keep his joyousness of spirit, his gay recklessness, then risk killing it only to gain a sullen, unloving obedience?
I think the author had read Call of the Wild (published in 1903) and was influenced by that. In the book Derry feels it; ‘To hunt, to roam the untrodden places, it was for this he longed; deep within him a new restlessness was stirring and would not be denied.’ But this book does not match up to Call of the Wild. Still a good book, but while there is good drama and adventures, wondering if the dog will wander off doesn’t pack quite the same punch. But with some good melodramatic words you can make it sound good:
'All his contacts with man became for Derry things which had never been real as the call of his wild past took possession of him. The unknown telepathy of the wilderness, the spirit of the changing seasons which had entered his blood the previous night, drew him madly on. He forgot Neal, forgot his master, forgot everything except that he was free and on the trail of an unknown foe.'
One part I particularly liked was where Ed had to rescue Derry. That part, and the parts where Derry has to save the day, I thought were handled in believable and enjoyable ways.
The book does have some hunting, fishing, and trapping in it, so if that is a trigger to you, then maybe chose a different book. Kleenex is not needed at the end of the book. Overall a fun book I would recommend but giving it 4 stars in comparison to Call of the Wild.
That fact that this old book has an Airedale as the canine hero is different from others of this type. His master hoped to make a companion of him but the young dog has disobedience and wildness in him.
Another thing that is different in this book, as the summary in the jacket says is:
'And there is much more than merely a good story in this book. For in its pages you will find a great deal of information about how to manage a dog, how to correct his faults, and how to train him in good manners and usefulness.'
Ed, Derry’s owner at one point says:
“I want my pup to have a good time. This business of keeping a dog chained up and only letting him loose when he works for you, then chaining him again until you need him next time- that don’t strike me as shootin’ square. A dog like Derry, that’s just rarin’ to go - why keeping him locked up would either break his spirit or make him run away.”
There really isn’t that much info on how to manage a dog in the book other than to not leave him chained up and not to beat obedience into him. But there is some good bits to talk about on that topic:
To have in this high-spirited terrier a partner on those distant trails - not to make him into a docile slave- this was what he longed for. What if the Airedale did sometimes transgress in trifling matters? Wasn’t it better to keep his joyousness of spirit, his gay recklessness, then risk killing it only to gain a sullen, unloving obedience?
I think the author had read Call of the Wild (published in 1903) and was influenced by that. In the book Derry feels it; ‘To hunt, to roam the untrodden places, it was for this he longed; deep within him a new restlessness was stirring and would not be denied.’ But this book does not match up to Call of the Wild. Still a good book, but while there is good drama and adventures, wondering if the dog will wander off doesn’t pack quite the same punch. But with some good melodramatic words you can make it sound good:
'All his contacts with man became for Derry things which had never been real as the call of his wild past took possession of him. The unknown telepathy of the wilderness, the spirit of the changing seasons which had entered his blood the previous night, drew him madly on. He forgot Neal, forgot his master, forgot everything except that he was free and on the trail of an unknown foe.'
One part I particularly liked was where Ed had to rescue Derry. That part, and the parts where Derry has to save the day, I thought were handled in believable and enjoyable ways.
The book does have some hunting, fishing, and trapping in it, so if that is a trigger to you, then maybe chose a different book. Kleenex is not needed at the end of the book. Overall a fun book I would recommend but giving it 4 stars in comparison to Call of the Wild.
August 9, 2024
I loved this story. It had suspense, tests of loyalty, humor....but I felt cheated at the very end. So I got to the next book right away because I wanted that reunion after Derry had been missing for over a month, only to find the author had by passed that part! ah well , life is full of disappointments. But this was a joy to read
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews