Canada: An Illustrated History

by Derek Hayes, Naomi Pauls (copyeditor)

From the early days of exploration and settlement through the building of a nation to Canada’s contribution to the two world wars, this illustrated history of Canada conveys the drama and scope of the nation’s past. Through accessible commentary and a wealth of images, readers discover well-known and lesser-known facets of Canadian history, including the story of Canada’s first newspaper, the Halifax Gazette ; the many railways (besides the Canadian Pacific) that connected people and places; the Canadian bridge that collapsed not once, but twice; and horrific disasters like the Halifax Explosion. He also illuminates the people—the famous, the infamous, and the less well known—from fur traders to politicians, air aces to refugee slaves.


From famous images of the country to unknown views of everyday life, here is a visual experience every Canadian can enjoy. More than 440 illustrations accompany the text, including 200 photographs, 50-plus paintings and drawings (many by Canadian artists) and 35 historic maps, as well as posters, stamps, cartoons, stained glass and tapestries.

Genres: Canada, History, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Nina]

I fell in love with Canada!

[Bugra Birgili]

This is not a tedious book for learning about the general history that shaped the Canada we know today. As a temporary resident in Canada, this book made it easy for me to delve into Canadian history without feeling overwhelmed by excessive detail. It's filled with numerous illustrations and photographs, which greatly enhance the reading experience. However, I did find myself wishing for a Canadian geographic map to help me better visualize the locations of some of the historical events, especially those that took place in the 17th and 18th centuries.

[Tom]

A book that every American should read (don't worry, there are a lot of pictures), to find out how and why our neighbor to the north has created, as the author says, "a multicultural, kinder, more tolerant America."

[Katra]

It's shocking how little I know about our neighbor to the north.

[Kaitlin]

This was a very thorough look at Canadian history, though I think it could have used more length to be able to go more in depth about certain topics. However, I did pick up a lot of new knowledge! I'm feeling a lot more solid in my knowledge of Canadian history now.

[Colin Freebury]

Highly recommended for anyone interested in an understanding of Canadian history, current dynamics and possible futures.