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Hostages to Fortune: The United Empire Loyalists and the Making of Canada
Esteemed Canadian author Peter C. Newman recounts the dramatic journey of the United Empire Loyalists—their exodus from America, their resettlement in the wilds of British North America, and their defense of what would prove to be the social and moral foundation of Canada.
In 1776, tensions in the British colonies were reaching a fever pitch. The citizenry was divided between those who wished to establish a new republic and those who remained steadfast in their dedication to the British Empire. As the tensions inevitably boiled over into violence, fault lines were exposed as every person was forced to choose a side. Neighbours turned against each other. Families divided. Borders were redrawn.
The conflict was long and bloody, and no side emerged unscathed. But there is one story that is often overlooked in the American Revolutionary canon. When the smoke from the battles had settled, tens of thousands of individuals who had remained loyal to the crown in the conflict found themselves without a home to return to. Destitute, distraught, and ostracized—or downright terrorized—by their former citizens, these Loyalists turned to the only place they had left to north.
The open land of British North America presented the Loyalists with an opportunity to establish a new community distinct from the new American republic. But the journey to their new homes was far from easy. Beset by dangers at every turn—from starvation to natural disaster to armed conflict—the Loyalists migrated towards the promise of a new future. Their sacrifices set the groundwork for a country that would be completely unlike any other. Neither fully American nor truly British, the Loyalists established a worldview entirely of their own making, one that valued steady, peaceful, and pragmatic change over radical revolution. The Loyalists toiled tirelessly to make their dream a reality. And as the War of 1812 dawned, they proved they were willing to defend it with their very lives.
In Hostages to Fortune , Peter C. Newman recounts the expulsion and migration of these brave Loyalists. In his inimitable style, Newman shines a light on the people, places, and events that set the stage for modern Canada.
In 1776, tensions in the British colonies were reaching a fever pitch. The citizenry was divided between those who wished to establish a new republic and those who remained steadfast in their dedication to the British Empire. As the tensions inevitably boiled over into violence, fault lines were exposed as every person was forced to choose a side. Neighbours turned against each other. Families divided. Borders were redrawn.
The conflict was long and bloody, and no side emerged unscathed. But there is one story that is often overlooked in the American Revolutionary canon. When the smoke from the battles had settled, tens of thousands of individuals who had remained loyal to the crown in the conflict found themselves without a home to return to. Destitute, distraught, and ostracized—or downright terrorized—by their former citizens, these Loyalists turned to the only place they had left to north.
The open land of British North America presented the Loyalists with an opportunity to establish a new community distinct from the new American republic. But the journey to their new homes was far from easy. Beset by dangers at every turn—from starvation to natural disaster to armed conflict—the Loyalists migrated towards the promise of a new future. Their sacrifices set the groundwork for a country that would be completely unlike any other. Neither fully American nor truly British, the Loyalists established a worldview entirely of their own making, one that valued steady, peaceful, and pragmatic change over radical revolution. The Loyalists toiled tirelessly to make their dream a reality. And as the War of 1812 dawned, they proved they were willing to defend it with their very lives.
In Hostages to Fortune , Peter C. Newman recounts the expulsion and migration of these brave Loyalists. In his inimitable style, Newman shines a light on the people, places, and events that set the stage for modern Canada.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2016
5 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Peter C. Newman
56 books27 followersPeter Charles Newman (born Peta Karel Neuman), CC, journalist, author, newspaper and magazine editor (born 10 May 1929 in Vienna, Austria; died 7 September 2023 in Belleville, ON). Peter C. Newman was one of Canada’s most prominent journalists, biographers and non-fiction authors. After starting out with the Financial Post, he became editor-in-chief of both the Toronto Star and Maclean’s. His 35 books, which have collectively sold more than two million copies, helped make political reporting and business journalism more personalized and evocative. His no-holds-barred, insiders-tell-all accounts of Canada’s business and political elites earned him a reputation as Canada’s “most cussed and discussed” journalist. A recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees, Newman was elected to the Canadian News Hall of Fame in 1992. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1978 and a Companion in 1990.
Early Life and Education
Originally named Peta Karel Neuman by his secularized Jewish parents, Peter C. Newman grew up in the Czech town of Breclav, where his father ran a large sugar beet refinery. As Newman wrote in 2018, “I lived the charmed life of a little rich boy in Moravia, Czechoslovakia — until age nine, that is, when the world as I knew it vanished.” Fleeing the Nazis, his family came to Canada as refugees in 1940.
Newman initially attended Hillfield School in Hamilton, Ontario, a prep school for the Royal Military College of Canada. But, envisaging a business career for his son, Newman's father, Oscar, enrolled him as a “war guest” boarder at Upper Canada College in 1944. There he met future members of the Canadian establishment whose lives he would later document.
After graduating, Newman joined the Canadian Navy Reserves. He was a reservist for decades and eventually reached the rank of captain. For many years, he was rarely seen in public without his signature black sailor cap.
Career Highlights
Once he mastered English, Newman began writing, first for the University of Toronto newspaper, then for the Financial Post in 1951. By 1953, he was Montreal editor of the Post. He held the position for three years before returning to Toronto to be assistant editor, then Ottawa columnist, at Maclean's magazine. In 1959, he published Flame of Power: Intimate Profiles of Canada's Greatest Businessmen. It profiles 11 of the first generation of Canada's business magnates. In 1963, Newman published his masterly and popular political chronicle of John Diefenbaker, Renegade in Power: The Diefenbaker Years (1963). According to the Writers’ Trust of Canada, the book “revolutionized Canadian political reporting with its controversial ‘insiders-tell-all’ approach.” Five years later, Newman published a similar but less successful study of Lester Pearson, The Distemper of Our Times (1968).
In 1969, Newman became editor-in-chief at the Toronto Star. During this period, he published some of his best journalism in Home Country: People, Places and Power Politics (1973). He then published popular studies on the lives of those who wielded financial power in the Canadian business establishment. These included his two-volume The Canadian Establishment (1975, 1981), The Bronfman Dynasty (1978; see also Bronfman Family), and The Establishment Man: A Portrait of Power (1982). A third book called Titans: How the New Canadian Establishment Seized Power was added to this series in 1998.
Newman was also editor of Maclean's from 1971 to 1982. He transformed the magazine from a monthly to a weekly news magazine — the first of its kind in Canada — with a Canadian slant on international and national events. In 1982, he resigned to work on a three-volume history of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Honours
Peter C. Newman received the Canadian Journalism Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Toronto Star's Excellence in Journalism award in 1998. He received a National Newspaper Award and in 1992 he was elected to the Canadia
Early Life and Education
Originally named Peta Karel Neuman by his secularized Jewish parents, Peter C. Newman grew up in the Czech town of Breclav, where his father ran a large sugar beet refinery. As Newman wrote in 2018, “I lived the charmed life of a little rich boy in Moravia, Czechoslovakia — until age nine, that is, when the world as I knew it vanished.” Fleeing the Nazis, his family came to Canada as refugees in 1940.
Newman initially attended Hillfield School in Hamilton, Ontario, a prep school for the Royal Military College of Canada. But, envisaging a business career for his son, Newman's father, Oscar, enrolled him as a “war guest” boarder at Upper Canada College in 1944. There he met future members of the Canadian establishment whose lives he would later document.
After graduating, Newman joined the Canadian Navy Reserves. He was a reservist for decades and eventually reached the rank of captain. For many years, he was rarely seen in public without his signature black sailor cap.
Career Highlights
Once he mastered English, Newman began writing, first for the University of Toronto newspaper, then for the Financial Post in 1951. By 1953, he was Montreal editor of the Post. He held the position for three years before returning to Toronto to be assistant editor, then Ottawa columnist, at Maclean's magazine. In 1959, he published Flame of Power: Intimate Profiles of Canada's Greatest Businessmen. It profiles 11 of the first generation of Canada's business magnates. In 1963, Newman published his masterly and popular political chronicle of John Diefenbaker, Renegade in Power: The Diefenbaker Years (1963). According to the Writers’ Trust of Canada, the book “revolutionized Canadian political reporting with its controversial ‘insiders-tell-all’ approach.” Five years later, Newman published a similar but less successful study of Lester Pearson, The Distemper of Our Times (1968).
In 1969, Newman became editor-in-chief at the Toronto Star. During this period, he published some of his best journalism in Home Country: People, Places and Power Politics (1973). He then published popular studies on the lives of those who wielded financial power in the Canadian business establishment. These included his two-volume The Canadian Establishment (1975, 1981), The Bronfman Dynasty (1978; see also Bronfman Family), and The Establishment Man: A Portrait of Power (1982). A third book called Titans: How the New Canadian Establishment Seized Power was added to this series in 1998.
Newman was also editor of Maclean's from 1971 to 1982. He transformed the magazine from a monthly to a weekly news magazine — the first of its kind in Canada — with a Canadian slant on international and national events. In 1982, he resigned to work on a three-volume history of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Honours
Peter C. Newman received the Canadian Journalism Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Toronto Star's Excellence in Journalism award in 1998. He received a National Newspaper Award and in 1992 he was elected to the Canadia
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 6, 2020
Without the War of Independence, Canada would likely not have existed. It was the massive Loyalist influx from south of the border that saved the northern territory from being annexed by the Yanks. The newcomers, having formed a hardcore of settlers loyal to their adopted grubstakes, became the mothers and fathers- nurturers and role models- of the new nation. ( page 5 of my hardcover copy)
Peter C. Newman writes a richly researched historical novel that certainly captured my attention as he sweeps us from the first shots in Lexington all the way up to the War of 1812 and the Act of Union of 1840. It is the tale of the men and women that came to Nova Scotia and created the colony of New Brunswick as well as the reshaping of the landscape. I loved the inclusion of the listed resources, the colored photos and the attention to the regular families that found themselves, migrants, into a new colony. For the Canadian history buff, it's a fairly decent read!
Goodreads review published 06/04/20
Peter C. Newman writes a richly researched historical novel that certainly captured my attention as he sweeps us from the first shots in Lexington all the way up to the War of 1812 and the Act of Union of 1840. It is the tale of the men and women that came to Nova Scotia and created the colony of New Brunswick as well as the reshaping of the landscape. I loved the inclusion of the listed resources, the colored photos and the attention to the regular families that found themselves, migrants, into a new colony. For the Canadian history buff, it's a fairly decent read!
Goodreads review published 06/04/20
October 29, 2021
Was looking forward to a blind spot in my Canadian history understanding. While there was some interesting parts to this book, overall I found the book underwhelming.
February 10, 2024
I had been looking to read this book for sometime to gain some good background on the Loyalists, whom I like Newman thinks don’t get enough credit for their role in building Canada. I also have long thought too much of my own education in Canada was influenced by American influences, including some textbooks, and the perspective in particular on the War of 1812 is skewed.
Newman, who I remember as an old editor at Maclean’s a magazine always present in our house, provides a good Canadian narrative in this novel. His history is well presented and seemed to flow well most of the time.
He weaves his story around family members of two lines of the Jarvis family who maintained an allegiance to the British Crown during the American Revolution - focusing on what that cost them, including what they had established in colonial America — and eventually move North to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Upper Canada. There were sacrifices to set the groundwork for a new life and new nation. Then unexpectedly they were willing to defend what they’d built against invaders from the U.S.
It is a strong piece of work. I learned some things - including some I’ll avoid doing — if I ever get anywhere with writing my own family story and the history of Canada. It was difficult at time to keep the genealogy Newman was focusing on clear in my kind.
Newman, who I remember as an old editor at Maclean’s a magazine always present in our house, provides a good Canadian narrative in this novel. His history is well presented and seemed to flow well most of the time.
He weaves his story around family members of two lines of the Jarvis family who maintained an allegiance to the British Crown during the American Revolution - focusing on what that cost them, including what they had established in colonial America — and eventually move North to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Upper Canada. There were sacrifices to set the groundwork for a new life and new nation. Then unexpectedly they were willing to defend what they’d built against invaders from the U.S.
It is a strong piece of work. I learned some things - including some I’ll avoid doing — if I ever get anywhere with writing my own family story and the history of Canada. It was difficult at time to keep the genealogy Newman was focusing on clear in my kind.
March 18, 2017
3.5 rounded up to 4.
I found the most interesting sections of this book refers to the plight and the resolve of the "banished" Loyalists as they forged a life in a land described in one of Polly Jarvis' letters as "frozen climate and barren wilderness". At that time, it was perceived as a Land of Second Chances.
"Loyalism", as the author noted was complex and multi-faceted - political, intellectual, personal, emotional, spiritual, and even opportunistic. Some were motivated not by ideological principles or by love of the British way of life, but opted to leave the US for economic gains. The Patriots' definition of a loyalist was "a thing whose head is stretched in England and its body in America, and its neck ought to be stretched too." The Patriots were tired of Britain's rule and the frustrations/agony it created for citizens through a list of abominations such as The Stamp Act, the Navigation Act, the Currency Act, and incessant taxation and fees. What followed was a deep conflict - battles, plunder, confiscations, executions, and overall mayhem.
The result was forced banishment to those who supported Britain. For the loyalists, the Confiscation Act and the Citation Act allowed for land seizures and non-collection of debts owed by Patriots. They had to make tough choices. Some "pick up what they could pack overnight - leaving behind their homes, goods, memories, favourite shaving brushes - and escape into the night to occupy the vacant lot that would eventually become Canada."
Historians described the original Loyalists as law-abiding and God-fearing. Many like the Jarvis clan grew up with the credo - to fear God and honour the King. Early waves arrived in Halifax desperate for home and hearth. A book of negroes with the same detail as was listed for slave sales was created for "blacks" who were able to secure safe passage despite tough requirements to prove that they resided in British-occupied territory, were free slaves, or helped in the conflict etc. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Upper Canada (including Toronto or what was then referred to as York), Kingston, Prince Edward County, Bay of Quinte, and stretching to Lower Canada/Quebec saw a steady stream of migrants. The influx brought all kinds. Life was arduous. It was also an era of hangings and duellings and disease.
This new group of citizens was also growing uneasy due to lack of compensation from Britain bent on governing many miles and an ocean away. At times, the mother country saw them as another group of Yanks who should be tempered. Many appointments came from Britain to ensure law and order. Nepotism and an aristocratic pedigree guided many of these appointments. Undoubtedly, the brave souls who started out on what was inhospitable territory paved the way for the founding of Canada.
The book also provided much insights on notable names and locations:
The Jarvis family - split as some remained in Connecticut while others carved a whole new life in Canada. This family is a Canadian dynasty. They resided in areas which they named or is now familiar locations. Rosedale which today boasts pricey homes and rich Canadians was so called because of the abundance of wild roses growing there when a young Jarvis family decided to settle there. Adelaide and Sherbourne was home to William Jarvis and his wife, Hannah - both ambitious, and living above their means. In fact, the book dedicated an entire chapter titled The Eternal Jarvis Saga.
Simcoe - ambitious and yearning for a title. History portrays Simcoe as the father of Toronto. He kept close to him those who he knew and trusted. I found it interesting that he left for his children "rules for your conduct" a list of 19 tenets to be followed - religious, moral, and military.
William Osgoode was the first chief justice and head of the Law Department. Today his name is entrenched in a renowned law school in Toronto.
I recommend this book especially for new immigrants. I think it is important to understand the struggles of those who came before. Moreover, it is to learn about loyalty and patriotism and what it means to adopt a country, to fight for it, to love it, and to be proud of it.
I found the most interesting sections of this book refers to the plight and the resolve of the "banished" Loyalists as they forged a life in a land described in one of Polly Jarvis' letters as "frozen climate and barren wilderness". At that time, it was perceived as a Land of Second Chances.
"Loyalism", as the author noted was complex and multi-faceted - political, intellectual, personal, emotional, spiritual, and even opportunistic. Some were motivated not by ideological principles or by love of the British way of life, but opted to leave the US for economic gains. The Patriots' definition of a loyalist was "a thing whose head is stretched in England and its body in America, and its neck ought to be stretched too." The Patriots were tired of Britain's rule and the frustrations/agony it created for citizens through a list of abominations such as The Stamp Act, the Navigation Act, the Currency Act, and incessant taxation and fees. What followed was a deep conflict - battles, plunder, confiscations, executions, and overall mayhem.
The result was forced banishment to those who supported Britain. For the loyalists, the Confiscation Act and the Citation Act allowed for land seizures and non-collection of debts owed by Patriots. They had to make tough choices. Some "pick up what they could pack overnight - leaving behind their homes, goods, memories, favourite shaving brushes - and escape into the night to occupy the vacant lot that would eventually become Canada."
Historians described the original Loyalists as law-abiding and God-fearing. Many like the Jarvis clan grew up with the credo - to fear God and honour the King. Early waves arrived in Halifax desperate for home and hearth. A book of negroes with the same detail as was listed for slave sales was created for "blacks" who were able to secure safe passage despite tough requirements to prove that they resided in British-occupied territory, were free slaves, or helped in the conflict etc. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Upper Canada (including Toronto or what was then referred to as York), Kingston, Prince Edward County, Bay of Quinte, and stretching to Lower Canada/Quebec saw a steady stream of migrants. The influx brought all kinds. Life was arduous. It was also an era of hangings and duellings and disease.
This new group of citizens was also growing uneasy due to lack of compensation from Britain bent on governing many miles and an ocean away. At times, the mother country saw them as another group of Yanks who should be tempered. Many appointments came from Britain to ensure law and order. Nepotism and an aristocratic pedigree guided many of these appointments. Undoubtedly, the brave souls who started out on what was inhospitable territory paved the way for the founding of Canada.
The book also provided much insights on notable names and locations:
The Jarvis family - split as some remained in Connecticut while others carved a whole new life in Canada. This family is a Canadian dynasty. They resided in areas which they named or is now familiar locations. Rosedale which today boasts pricey homes and rich Canadians was so called because of the abundance of wild roses growing there when a young Jarvis family decided to settle there. Adelaide and Sherbourne was home to William Jarvis and his wife, Hannah - both ambitious, and living above their means. In fact, the book dedicated an entire chapter titled The Eternal Jarvis Saga.
Simcoe - ambitious and yearning for a title. History portrays Simcoe as the father of Toronto. He kept close to him those who he knew and trusted. I found it interesting that he left for his children "rules for your conduct" a list of 19 tenets to be followed - religious, moral, and military.
William Osgoode was the first chief justice and head of the Law Department. Today his name is entrenched in a renowned law school in Toronto.
I recommend this book especially for new immigrants. I think it is important to understand the struggles of those who came before. Moreover, it is to learn about loyalty and patriotism and what it means to adopt a country, to fight for it, to love it, and to be proud of it.
August 20, 2022
“They came because there was nowhere else to go. They came because they were being offered virgin soil, hungering for crops. They came to reclaim the marrow of their lives. They came to exercise their rage for life. They came to adopt a new home country so untried and unsung it didn’t even have a name but sight unseen, it had agreed to adopt them. They were offered heaven’s most precious gift: a second chance. Their exodus had created the backbone of a new northern nation, bigger and bolder than their dreams, that became their sanctuary. They called it Canada.”
“The Great American Dream was the tale of ‘the huddled masses’ landing in New York Harbor and a chorus of fairies springing unbidden from a bush garden, singing about the milk and honey that would characterize their landfall. The Loyalists had the misfortune of realizing that dream backwards.” Pg. 93
“When the visiting French artist Marc Lescarbot first glimpsed Nova Scotia’s magnificent Annapolis Basin, he was overwhelmed, and described it as ‘the most beautiful earthly habitation God has ever made.’” Pg. 115
“The events in North America between 1812 and 1815 were not forgotten in Britain for they have never been know there.” Pg. 184
At the time of War of 1812 broke out there were 8,000,000 Americans Vs 500,000 Canadians
Thomas Jefferson on invading Canada: “the acquisition of Canada will be a mere matter of marching and will give us experience for the attack of Halifax next and the final expulsion of England from the American continent.” Pg. 186
Henry Clay, a senator from Kentucky, when he told congress: “The conquest of Canada is in your power. I trust they I shall not be deemed presumptuous when I stated that I verily believe that the militia of Kentucky are alone competent to place Montreal and Upper Canada at your feet.” Pg. 186
During the Battle of Detroit an outnumbered Canadian contingent of the British Army and Native Allies suffered no casualties except for 2 wounded soldiers Pg 187
“The final count was that the invading 35,000 Americans were beaten by 5,000 British red coats, and most crucially, a people’s army led by the utterly fearless General Isaac Brock.” Pg. 200
“Canada flourished as the result of an invasion being repelled. Out of it, shaped by an emerging nationalism and tempered by rebellion, grew that special form of state paternalism that makes the Canadian way of life significantly different from the individualistic Americans’. Thus, in a psychological as well as political sense, we are Canadians and not Americans because of a foolish war that scarcely anyone wanted or needed, but which, once launched, none knew how to stop.” Pg. 201
“The Great American Dream was the tale of ‘the huddled masses’ landing in New York Harbor and a chorus of fairies springing unbidden from a bush garden, singing about the milk and honey that would characterize their landfall. The Loyalists had the misfortune of realizing that dream backwards.” Pg. 93
“When the visiting French artist Marc Lescarbot first glimpsed Nova Scotia’s magnificent Annapolis Basin, he was overwhelmed, and described it as ‘the most beautiful earthly habitation God has ever made.’” Pg. 115
“The events in North America between 1812 and 1815 were not forgotten in Britain for they have never been know there.” Pg. 184
At the time of War of 1812 broke out there were 8,000,000 Americans Vs 500,000 Canadians
Thomas Jefferson on invading Canada: “the acquisition of Canada will be a mere matter of marching and will give us experience for the attack of Halifax next and the final expulsion of England from the American continent.” Pg. 186
Henry Clay, a senator from Kentucky, when he told congress: “The conquest of Canada is in your power. I trust they I shall not be deemed presumptuous when I stated that I verily believe that the militia of Kentucky are alone competent to place Montreal and Upper Canada at your feet.” Pg. 186
During the Battle of Detroit an outnumbered Canadian contingent of the British Army and Native Allies suffered no casualties except for 2 wounded soldiers Pg 187
“The final count was that the invading 35,000 Americans were beaten by 5,000 British red coats, and most crucially, a people’s army led by the utterly fearless General Isaac Brock.” Pg. 200
“Canada flourished as the result of an invasion being repelled. Out of it, shaped by an emerging nationalism and tempered by rebellion, grew that special form of state paternalism that makes the Canadian way of life significantly different from the individualistic Americans’. Thus, in a psychological as well as political sense, we are Canadians and not Americans because of a foolish war that scarcely anyone wanted or needed, but which, once launched, none knew how to stop.” Pg. 201
January 8, 2025
There are very few books written about United Empire Loyalists -- the Americans who rejected the rebels' stance and destruction to remain under British rule. In school we were taught that the United Empire Loyalists decided to move to Canada to remain part of the British Empire, but after reading the journals and plight of my ancestors I realized that this group of people were forced out. They were physically attacked, tarred and feathered, scalped, had their property burned or confiscated. Some left on ships for the West Indies. Most left travelling overland to Canada. Many walking with only what they could carry. The story starts with the other side of the American Revolution and follows the challenges, struggles and successes of the refugees starting a new life in Canada. If it wasn't for this migration of people and rejection of the American Revolution, Canada might not have existed. Although at times Canadian struggled with their identity and what they wanted to become, they all agreed they were not Americans. My only complaint about the book was the construct follows one family, the Jarvis'. I would like to have read a more expansive account of the many families who made the trek and created Canada and defended the country against the American attack in 1812.
April 25, 2020
This book was interesting at times, such as how loyalists were treated before coming to Canada, but I feel it was missing some bigger-picture context, particularly loyalist settlements in Quebec. The book is almost more about the Jarvis family (descendants of the author) than the loyalists in Canada at large.
Towards the end, it's almost as if Newman tries to argue that the loyalist heritage is the best part of Canada, which sounds a bit self-congratulatory considering that it turns out that he is related to the Jarvis family. It almost reads as a bit smug. I haven't read Newman before, and I know he is a recognized author, but I thought it was actually not that well written and required better editing.
It would have been an interesting book if it was more deliberately focused on the Jarvis family history as a personal case study and then broadened to make larger connections to past events in society and their consequences.
Towards the end, it's almost as if Newman tries to argue that the loyalist heritage is the best part of Canada, which sounds a bit self-congratulatory considering that it turns out that he is related to the Jarvis family. It almost reads as a bit smug. I haven't read Newman before, and I know he is a recognized author, but I thought it was actually not that well written and required better editing.
It would have been an interesting book if it was more deliberately focused on the Jarvis family history as a personal case study and then broadened to make larger connections to past events in society and their consequences.
November 30, 2016
Newman has done a bit more than just regurgitate the facts surrounding the story of the United Empire Loyalists. He has researched details of families who endured hatred and persecution during the American Revolution and documented their hardships during their sometimes multiple relocations. There are elements of this book that have a clear literary feel to it making the facts of history come alive.
http://tinyurl.com/zbam68s
http://tinyurl.com/zbam68s
June 8, 2022
Rarely do I go researching for materials for my own historical fiction writing and end up reading the whole book. That is what happened with this one. Newman's writing is to the point yet personable with even the odd author exclamation thrown in. He makes the history come alive. I was pleased to take lots of time to get through this and looked forward every day to see what nuggets of information I might find and I found lots. I have 10 pages of notes. Thanks, Peter C. Newman!
August 26, 2025
Unsure of whether it wants to be a biography of a single Loyalist family (the Jarvis's) or a meandering story of the American Revolution and subsequent story of Canada, Newman rambles between themes and ideas without ever really elucidating a great thesis. An interesting primer on the idea of Loyalism in the American Revolution and the birth of Canada, it is not the most coherent story of it.
May 4, 2017
Quick overview of the United Empire Loyalists from their start in the American Revolution through the War of 1812 #canada150
October 13, 2017
Very informative on the role the loyalist played in an independent Canada.
May 4, 2019
This book could be called: United Empire Loyalists: A Jarvis Family Saga. Well written in the normal breezy Newman style, it brings the Loyalist history to life. A nice informative read.
April 3, 2023
Was curious of early canadian history. This book was a great introduction through the eyes of family who lived through it.
October 17, 2023
An incredible volume that provides priceless and well-documented insights to the trials and successes of those who fled persecution to bring Canada into being.
May 1, 2017
easy to read, good bibliography
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October 16, 2017i'm a descendant of Loyalists. Great book for matching the family lore with an historical recounting.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews