New France: The Last Phase, 1744-1760

by George F.G. Stanley

The fifth book in the celebrated Canadian History series covers the last phase of struggle between the English and the French for control of North America.

Genres: Canada

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

George Francis Gilman Stanley was a historian, author, soldier, teacher, public servant, and designer of the current Canadian flag.

Reviews

[Ronald Kelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic work of Canadian history. What I like about the old school Canadian historians is that they knew how to tell a story. The book is impeccably researched and sourced, informative and entertaining. Covering the last decade and a half of New France, leading up to the fall of Quebec in 1759 and the capitulation of New France the following year, the book concentrates on the military campaigns and diplomatic efforts of the period. While there is a chapter on social conditions in New France, there is very little on the commercial or agricultural state of the colony. This is arguably a weakness, particularly compared to the earlier books in the series. This weakness is not surprising considering that George Stanley was primarily a political historian and that he was asked to write this volume under less than desirable circumstances (It seems that he was asked to write the book with a very tight deadline at the last minute when a previous agreement had fallen through, more time may have resulted in a more comprehensive account). All told, however, the weakness is a slight one. The book was written more than 50 years ago and is, naturally, getting quite dated in terms of sources and conclusions. However, all students of Canadian history should read this volume and the rest of the series. If anything, it shows that it is possibly to write engaging works of history that are narrative, interesting and scholarly.