The Canoe: An Illustrated History

by Jim Poling Sr.

A beautifully illustrated history of one of North America's most enduring cultural symbols and recreational pastimes. There is hardly a river or lake in North America that was not first seen from the gunwale of a canoe. Centuries before the invention of the train and the motorboat, canoes were used for exploration, trade, war, and the hunt. Indians crafted canoes out of dugout logs, birch bark, and animal hides; French colonists employed courier canoes; and the Spanish explorers brought cane and woodcrafts with them to new lands. The canoe has brought together Native Americans and European colonists, promoted exploration, and changed the economy forever with the onset of the fur trade. Hundreds of years later, it continues to hold practical, ceremonial, and totemic significance for many North Americans. The An Illustrated History explores the role of this elegantly simple craft in history and modern culture. With accounts of historic canoe trips and infamous battles, detailed explanations of Native American canoe-building techniques, and more than 80 photographs, The Canoe is a must-read for paddlers and history buffs alike. A beautiful package. 45 color photographs.

Genres: History

144 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2001

About the author

Jim Poling Sr. is a career writer whose material has appeared in magazines such as Readers' Digest, Cottage Life magazine and newspapers around the world. He is the author of 10 books, including Lights in Dark Forests (short stories) and Waking Nanabijou: Uncovering a Secret Past, And Smoke Signals: The Native Takeback of the North American Tobacco Industry. His latest book is Bears in the Bird Feeders, a memoir of cottaging.

Reviews

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful coffee table sort of book, with some strong content.

[Rolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does what it says on the box. A bit dry for the casual reader, but as a canoe guy, I was into it.

[Dominic · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative and beautiful coffee table book that describes canoes in terms of their origins, construction materials and methods, economic, cultural, and military significance, and their assimilation into Anglo-American culture.