Against the Current: The Remarkable Life of Agnes Deans Cameron

by Cathy Converse

Agnes Deans Cameron was an extraordinary woman who was ahead by a century. Born in Victoria in 1863, not only was she the first female principal in the province, she also was very involved in equal rights advocacy, and worked tirelessly to achieve work equality and voting rights for women. She put western Canada on the map through her writing, which was published internationally including in The Saturday Evening Post . She was also a trailblazer in sports, becoming the first “Lady Centurion” in the West. A consummate trailblazer, in the summer of 1908, Cameron travelled 10,000 miles down the Mackenzie River and out into the Beaufort Sea―something no other European woman had done―in one short season. Cameron was named one of the top 150 most significant individuals in the history of the province of British Columbia, and this is the first book commemorating her life.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

Published July 3, 2018

About the author

Cathy Converse is a bestselling author with multiple books featured on the BC Bestseller List. With over forty years of writing experience, she has authored, co-authored, and co-edited seven books, in addition to writing numerous magazine cover stories, academic journal articles, and technical manuals. Her fourth book, Following the Curve of Time: The Legendary M. Wylie Blanchet, was a finalist for the 2009 BC Book Prizes' Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award. Her work Against the Current received an Honourable Mention for the Lieutenant Governor's Medal for Historical Writing.

A former chair of social sciences, Cathy was a faculty member in the Department of Sociology at Camosun College and helped establish the women’s studies curriculum and programs. She is also recognized in Canadian Who's Who for her contributions to historical biography.

Originally from the sunny shores of California and Hawai'i, Cathy has spent her adult life along British Columbia’s rugged coastline. A lover of the sea, she enjoys surfing, white-water kayaking, canoeing, and sailing, having explored the Pacific from Panama to Alaska.

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Until this book was made known to me, I'd never heard of Agnes Deans Cameron -- even though I'm an avid reader of books related to the history of British Columbia. I'm happy that author Cathy Converse made Cameron's story known; she was a truly remarkable individual as a public educator, as the first female high school teacher and high school principal in the province, an advocate of women's rights, and an all-around adventurer from Centurion cyclist and Arctic trekker in late nineteenth century Canada.

This book is well-researched, rich with detail and well-written in a professional yet lively style that makes Cameron come alive as an individual, not simply as an accomplished persona. The book also paints a portrait of Victoria during its early years -- the emerging public education system, significant city events such as the Point Ellice Bridge disaster, and of issues of race, class, and gender equity.

The Tragically Hip song "Ahead by a Century" strongly came to mind after reading this book; not only was Cameron forward-thinking in terms of her philosophy and approach to teaching, the battles she fought in the name of these beliefs were certainly prescient of battles fought many decades later in the provincial education system.

An excellent book for those who appreciate B.C. history and enjoy biographies about strong, intelligent individuals.

[Fern Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and this amazing woman's story, moreso as I got deeper into her life. She was a pioneer in so many ways, and managed to stay positive about the many challenges this brought her way. Even after she was wrongly pushed out of her chosen field of education, she thrived, becoming a journalist and an adventurer and a much-admired lecturer. I would have liked to meet her, or even better, to know her. How can be a BC resident for 30 years and never have heard of this fascinating woman?

[Kathleen McRae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did like this books contents although I found it a bit meandering at times.It is a woman's story and the struggle women like Agnes Cameron made to escape the complete control men had over women until present day It has been a massive struggle and continues to this very day

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read about a lady that I didn’t know before reading this book. Why didn’t we learn about her at school much as we learned of the famous men? Everyone should read about the life and works of Agnes Deans Cameron.

[Corben Laidler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't believe our city doesn't celebrate this lady more