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The Great Lakes
Book by Berton, Pierre
222 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1996
About the author
Pierre Berton
179 books208 followersPierre Francis de Marigny Berton, CC, O.Ont. (July 12, 1920 – November 30, 2004) was a Canadian historian, writer, journalist and broadcaster.
From narrative histories and popular culture, to picture and coffee table books to anthologies, to stories for children to readable, historical works for youth, many of his books are now Canadian classics.
Born in 1920 and raised in the Yukon, Pierre Berton worked in Klondike mining camps during his university years. He spent four years in the army, rising from private to captain/instructor at the Royal Military College in Kingston. He spent his early newspaper career in Vancouver, where at 21 he was the youngest city editor on any Canadian daily. He wrote columns for and was editor of Maclean's magazine, appeared on CBC's public affairs program "Close-Up" and was a permanent fixture on "Front Page Challenge" for 39 years. He was a columnist and editor for the Toronto Star, and a writer and host of a series of CBC programs.
Pierre Berton has received over 30 literary awards including the Governor-General's Award for Creative Non-Fiction (three times), the Stephen Leacock Medal of Humour, and the Gabrielle Leger National Heritage Award. He received two Nellies for his work in broadcasting, two National Newspaper awards, and the National History Society's first award for "distinguished achievement in popularizing Canadian history." For his immense contribution to Canadian literature and history, he has been awarded more than a dozen honourary degrees, is a member of the Newsman's Hall of Fame and a Companion of the Order of Canada.
From narrative histories and popular culture, to picture and coffee table books to anthologies, to stories for children to readable, historical works for youth, many of his books are now Canadian classics.
Born in 1920 and raised in the Yukon, Pierre Berton worked in Klondike mining camps during his university years. He spent four years in the army, rising from private to captain/instructor at the Royal Military College in Kingston. He spent his early newspaper career in Vancouver, where at 21 he was the youngest city editor on any Canadian daily. He wrote columns for and was editor of Maclean's magazine, appeared on CBC's public affairs program "Close-Up" and was a permanent fixture on "Front Page Challenge" for 39 years. He was a columnist and editor for the Toronto Star, and a writer and host of a series of CBC programs.
Pierre Berton has received over 30 literary awards including the Governor-General's Award for Creative Non-Fiction (three times), the Stephen Leacock Medal of Humour, and the Gabrielle Leger National Heritage Award. He received two Nellies for his work in broadcasting, two National Newspaper awards, and the National History Society's first award for "distinguished achievement in popularizing Canadian history." For his immense contribution to Canadian literature and history, he has been awarded more than a dozen honourary degrees, is a member of the Newsman's Hall of Fame and a Companion of the Order of Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 12, 2021
I live between two of the Great Lakes – Lake Erie and Lake Huron and have visited Toronto several times in my life which is on Lake Ontario.
Pierre Berton is always an entertaining writer and this wonderfully illustrated book with plentiful photos is no exception.
He discusses the history (native people and the first European explorers), geology, the industrial uses of the Great Lakes, and tourism with the many provincial, state, and national parks that have sprung up since the beginning of the 20th century. One of enlightening chapters was on the huge, vast forests that originally surrounded all the Great Lakes prior to the arrival of the Europeans. These forests were decimated in the 19th century. Forests were seen as an impediment to civilization and were virtually wiped out to be replaced by farms and towns. Wood, much like petroleum today, was used for many purposes – housing, railroad ties, ship building, furniture and home heating.
Also, with the advent of canals connecting the Great Lakes – the shipping arriving from around the world disrupted the ecology of the Great Lakes. For example, sea lampreys wiped out many native species. The botanical and zoological ecosphere of the Great Lakes was severely altered during the 20th century.
There is a chapter on the many storms that have caused a loss of life on the Great Lakes and some vessels have simply vanished. These inland seas are not to be toyed with – more so in the month of November when the cold north winds encounter the still mild waters of the Lakes.
The evolution and development of the two largest cities on the Great Lakes – Chicago and Toronto are brought up.
For anyone residing near the Great Lakes this book is a splendid addition!
Pierre Berton is always an entertaining writer and this wonderfully illustrated book with plentiful photos is no exception.
He discusses the history (native people and the first European explorers), geology, the industrial uses of the Great Lakes, and tourism with the many provincial, state, and national parks that have sprung up since the beginning of the 20th century. One of enlightening chapters was on the huge, vast forests that originally surrounded all the Great Lakes prior to the arrival of the Europeans. These forests were decimated in the 19th century. Forests were seen as an impediment to civilization and were virtually wiped out to be replaced by farms and towns. Wood, much like petroleum today, was used for many purposes – housing, railroad ties, ship building, furniture and home heating.
Also, with the advent of canals connecting the Great Lakes – the shipping arriving from around the world disrupted the ecology of the Great Lakes. For example, sea lampreys wiped out many native species. The botanical and zoological ecosphere of the Great Lakes was severely altered during the 20th century.
There is a chapter on the many storms that have caused a loss of life on the Great Lakes and some vessels have simply vanished. These inland seas are not to be toyed with – more so in the month of November when the cold north winds encounter the still mild waters of the Lakes.
The evolution and development of the two largest cities on the Great Lakes – Chicago and Toronto are brought up.
For anyone residing near the Great Lakes this book is a splendid addition!
July 12, 2011
Berton's fluid writing style allows his enthusiasm and love for the Great Lakes region shine through in this brief historical overview. Paired with brilliant photography, the diversity of landscapes, species, and seasons inspire one to visit. While Berton's historical recounting seems technically correct, the retelling his colored by his obvious personal opinions about war, industry, and the environment. Because of his obvious bias, this can not be considered a true history in the academic sense, but is a lovely read that will pique your curiosity about this lesser known and little understood region of North America.
August 25, 2022
Most Great Lakes cities' waterfronts are wastelands of docks, grain elevators, factories. Uniquely, Chicago in 1836 preserved 20 miles of shoreline for the enjoyment of all--"probably the most stunning park system in the world." Some of it has since been sacrificed to real-estate interests.
The Great Lakes, Pierre Berton, p. 172.
The Great Lakes, Pierre Berton, p. 172.
January 30, 2022
I'll admit; I am an admirer of Pierre Berton, having read The Impossible Railway by Pierre Berton. Otherwise, I never would have fastened my eyes on what looks like, at first blush, a coffee table book. The photos are excellent. The verbiage in between is pure gold, pure Pierre Berton.
Pierre Berton, like another one of my favorite artists, the singer Gordon Lightfoot, is a great Canadian story teller. The written part of this book spans the entire historical range from the time when the glaciers left behind the five oversize puddles, the lakes, to the First Nations/American Indians dominance, to the British/American rivalry that manifested itself in the inconclusive but bloody War of 1812, to the knitting together of the lakes by man-made canals, to, finally, its present as a mixture of industry and parkland.
My finding of Pierre Berton was pure accident. I was looking up The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice—Crossing Antarctica Alone by Colin O'Brady to make a decision on reading it. The title of The Impossible Railway popped up in the search. Since Gordon Lightfoot's epic Canadian Railroad Trilogy was one of my favorites and the Antarctica book was on wait-list at the library, I took it out and loved it, and was hooked.
Serendipity has its role.
Pierre Berton, like another one of my favorite artists, the singer Gordon Lightfoot, is a great Canadian story teller. The written part of this book spans the entire historical range from the time when the glaciers left behind the five oversize puddles, the lakes, to the First Nations/American Indians dominance, to the British/American rivalry that manifested itself in the inconclusive but bloody War of 1812, to the knitting together of the lakes by man-made canals, to, finally, its present as a mixture of industry and parkland.
My finding of Pierre Berton was pure accident. I was looking up The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice—Crossing Antarctica Alone by Colin O'Brady to make a decision on reading it. The title of The Impossible Railway popped up in the search. Since Gordon Lightfoot's epic Canadian Railroad Trilogy was one of my favorites and the Antarctica book was on wait-list at the library, I took it out and loved it, and was hooked.
Serendipity has its role.
July 27, 2014
This was a good overview of the basic history and ecology of the 5 Great Lakes. I was also impressed with the photos in the book. This is the 3rd book that I have read from Pierre Berton, and it is true to his style of writing.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews