Wilderness Women; Canada's Forgotten History

by Jean Johnston

Women like Gudrid the Viking who was a key member of the expedition to Vinland. Or Marguerite de Roberval who showed Champlain it was possible to live off the land. Or Molly Brant who played the great game of high politics with the destiny of Canada as the stake. Or Marie-Anne Lagimodiere who roamed the prairies with the explorers and the Nor'westers. Or Martha Black who crossed the Chilkoot Pass in pursuit of gold and became Canada's second woman M.P. These women, and the others whose stories Jean Johnston tells here, are part of the hidden half of the Canadian saga. They are Canada's forgotten heroes.

Genres: History

242 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[Carolyn Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of eight short biographies of important women in Canada's history who traveled long distances and often bridged divides between different regions and cultures. The chapters are well researched and interesting and draw upon extensive research and primary sources. The writing style and conclusions are quite dated in a few places, however, and the author sometimes strains to draw comparisons between, for example, Gudrid from the early Viking expeditions and Louis Riel's grandmother in the early 19th century. An interesting read that highlights the achievements of both well known women in Canadian history and those who are not as well remembered today.

[Heather]

Johnston is a writer and journalist from Kitchener in the province of Ontario. Her research was conducted over the span of a decade and took her around the country. She started the project in 1962 and was aided over its duration by a Canada Council grant. Johnston's book is segmented into mini biographies of eight women who were viewed as influential in Canadian history. The separation of these biographies made the book easy to read and left the reader with something entirely new each chapter making it difficult to become bored with the subject.

Wilderness Women was much more than I expected it to be. The work was clearly well researched and yet it never read like a long list of facts. The lives of the women outlined in this work were extraordinary and really helped connect the reader with the time and place. These women deserve their hard earned place in history and this book made me proud to be a woman just by reading it.