Canoe Country: The Making of Canada

by Roy MacGregor

One of our favourite chroniclers of all things Canadian presents a rollicking, personal, photo-filled history of the relationship between a country and its canoes.
     From the earliest explorers on the Columbia River in BC or the Mattawa in Ontario to a doomed expedition of voyageurs up the Nile to rescue Khartoum; from the author's family roots deep in the Algonquin wilderness to modern families who have canoed across the country (kids and dogs included): Canoe Country is Roy MacGregor's celebration of the essential and enduring love affair Canadians have with our first and still favourite means of getting around. Famous paddlers have been so enchanted with the canoe that one swore God made Canada as the perfect country in which to paddle it. Drawing on MacGregor's own decades spent whenever possible with a paddle in his hand, this is a story of high adventure on white water and the sweetest peace in nature's quietest corners, from the author best able (and most eager) to tell it.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Canada, Sports, Nature, Outdoors

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 8, 2015

About the author

Roy MacGregor is a Canadian author of fiction and non-fiction.

Reviews

[Heep · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a reason that a book written by a relatively well-connected author has no positive reviews or endorsements on the cover - not from Kirkus Reviews, nor the Globe and Mail, nor the Guardian - not one. The book is not very good and does not deliver on its concept. The first chapter holds promise but then the book meanders. To the extent there is any thematic consistency beyond the canoe, it is name-dropping about the Canadian establishment. Almost 25 pages is given to Blair Fraser (a noted Canadian journalist in the 1960s), his death on a canoe trip and the search for a missing cross that had marked the site of his death. Frankly, I am a little sympathetic to the person who took it down as would many who subscribe to "leave no trace". Still more of the book recounts canoe trips taken by the author, which all have a "you really had to be there" quality to them. There are long segments of uncritical mythologizing of Pierre Trudeau. The narrative just isn't very interesting or revealing, and led me to skim large portions of the book. Ultimately, the story of the canoe gets lost. More than that, the book's aspiration was evidently to connect the canoe to Canada's history, and it didn't really achieve that goal. The stories about the author's family and upbringing in the area of Algonquin Park were a high point - told in a personal and down-to-earth way - and provide insight into uniquely Canadian lives.

[Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting stuff mixed in with some super lame dumb ass stuff. Still, I’ll gladly listen to old white guys talk about canoes all day long.

[F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like my canoeing, this book kept taking me to unexpected places. A fine mix of personal, historical and obscure. All connected by the canoe.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The chapters in this book can really each stand alone in telling their own story about Canada's obsession with the canoe. The story of the Nile Expedition was a chapter of Canada's history thay was new to me and I enjoyed very much. I have previously read Darcy Jenish's Epic Wanderer and enjoyed MacGregor's take on this gifted map maker.

At times I found the book jumped around and there were some places that it dragged on...personally I have no interest in the life of Pierre Trudeau and didn't feel it really added to the overall story. All in all this is a worthwhile read that will likely have you planning your next canoe trip by the time you put this book down.

[Alicia Schatteman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thorough and thoughtful book that is both rigorously researched and accessible. Loved it!

[Garth Mailman · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the writer whose grandparents were Algonquin Park rangers and lived on an island in the park this book is a personal labour of love. The book encompasses the history of canoe travel, its lore, philosophy, versatility. The men who explored Canada by canoe, the men who built them, the tourists who played in them. To think that dissatisfied with the freighter canoe in which he was traveling David Thompson paused and built two smaller canoes from scratch with nothing more than a hatchet and a blade. Birch bark and spruce pitch have given way to cedar strip, canvas, aluminum, Fiberglas, Royalex, and Kevlar.

[Anthony Meaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and well researched history of the canoe in the founding of modern Canada combined with some great personal stories from the author.

At one point he compares (or quotes someone who compares) the canoe in Canadian culture to the Covered Wagon in American. I disagree I think it would more appropriately be compared to the horse in American culture. Just like some of our Prime Ministers were avid canoeists so were several American President's (Teddy Roosevelt for example) accomplished horsemen.

You'll want to go on a canoe trip after reading this book. And that's never a bad thing.

[Jean-Francois Delorme · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was inspirational and almost poetic in its appreciation and description of the canoe and its place in Canadian history. Admittedly I didn’t expect much out of this but was almost moved to tears a few times as he described with such passion one of our great national treasures.

There is no single story line but a collection of stories, anecdotes, history lessons, biographical and personal experiences, the point may be to make you dream and appreciate the great gift we have in the humble canoe…

Best quote: “God could have designed the canoe first and then set about to conceive a land in which it could flourish”

[Matt Cote · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about Canada, and how the canoe made the country long before there was even the CONCEPT of Canada, but also how the modern pleasure-craft really is a way to dig into our "Canadian-ness" and truly understand the soul of this country. I took a long time to read this book since it does raise some difficult questions (not everyone enjoys canoe-trips, and that is more than okay, and this is something that I need to get used to, even though I long for more of them in my life). I'm glad I got through it, though it makes me feel like I need more canoeing in my life . . . though that might have been the author's intent . . .

[Jeff Bjorgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book, learned a lot about some early Canadian stories when it came to canoeing, particularly in Algonquin park, and found a bit of myself in the chapters about David Thompson and the Columbia river. Enjoyed reading about the characters who the author canoed with, as well as about the behind the scene stories of famous Canadians and their canoeing hobbies. Of particular interest were the stories about the friendship between Pierre Trudeau and Bill Mason.

If you love canoeing, you will love this book. It's worth a few re-reads.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written with feeling & gusto, this book places the canoe as central to Canadian history, exploration, development, and finally recreation. There are many anecdotes & characters from his personal life, friends, and professional acquaintances which appeared in his earlier books, but I didn't find it too objectionable, though I suppose it was the lazy way out in writing what I thought was a new book.

[Bryan Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. MacGregor has put into words, Canadians' marvelous love affair with the canoe, one of the seven wonders of Canada. Such a good read, it really draws you in, you don't want to put it down! From Grey Owl, Bill Mason and Pierre Trudeau and many others, Mr. MacGregor relates Canadian thoughts on this oldest form of river transportation. The Canoe not only opened up Canada, it did and still does, define Canada!
A great read, I highly recommend.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great! It inspired me to add canoe tripping, exploring Canada's wilderness, and visiting the Peterborough canoe museum to my bucket list.
I learned much about how the canoe has been central to Canada's founding and development. It has been both an important symbol to Canadians and a vehicle for the men and women who first explored and mapped the country. A very good read!

[Peter Stranberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing more likely to inspire me to do something than reading story after story about its romance — I’ve discovered canoeing is no exception thanks to Roy MacGregor’s book Canoe Country: The Making of Canada. His writing evokes nostalgia for the canoeists of the past and their tripping adventures while also inspiring canoeists of the future to take up a paddle of their own!

[Mack Quintal · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a good book, except for the insufferable love affair the author has with Pierre Elliot Trudeau’s canoeing. I’d rather hear about Radisson, Alexander Mackenzie or really any unnamed voyageur rather than a Prime Minister who did his best effort to subjugate the western half of this country like a conquering tyrant of old.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The visuals and the imagery throughout are fantastic. Every Canadian needs to park themselves in a canoe and just exist. It was an easy read and an enjoyable read. I re-gifted this book, I just had to share it!

[Hypatia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was entertaining, but not particularly exciting or gripping. Most of the time as I was reading it, part of my brain was busy thinking about when I could possibly go canoeing, and how to go about introducing my son to the past time.

[Phil Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

MacGregor’s passion for the canoe is very evident in this one. The book took you across Canada and through time with a multitude of stops in the great outdoors. Unfortunately, the book lacked flow and rythme to keep a non-die hard canoeist fully engaged.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very readable book with so many interesting facts. I'm not a canoeist but that didn't matter. I will read it again but this time with a map of Canada to hand to trace the various journeys.

[Audrey Coulthard-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! A good read for every Canadian.
Really enjoyed the writers way of scripting this book.

[Brittany Ellis Blanchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book because it gives such a rich Canadian history of the canoe as a symbol of our country. It was a really spiritual read for me because I paddle and it gives me peace. Great read.

[Jim Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on canoe lore and backcounty canoeing- I think we may buy for our permanent and re-read shelf

[Paul E Jarris · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love Canoeing read this

I found myself reading and then googling topics, places, rivers, etc. it brought back so many memories of Voyages in Canada. My soul responded.

[Donnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Some history, some geography. A quick read

[Lisa Rosenow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good and easy read

[Huguette Larochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

i like it that is my second book from Roy MacGregor

[Ben Street · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right up for a paddle now

[Nathan Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read that very much draws attention to an unsung hero of Canadian History...the Canoe. I have always enjoyed canoeing and camping, however I never fully appreciated the impact that the "simple" canoe has had on the development of Canada!

[Dennis Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Roy's writing; I read four of his books now. This is a great book about the transportation mode that made this country: America had horses, we had canoes. I read Roy in the Globe and Mail, even if it is about the Ottawa Senators (longtime Leaf fan here).