Fur and Gold

by Roderick L. Haig-Brown

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Roderick Langmere Haig-Brown (February 21, 1908 — October 9, 1976) was a Canadian writer and conservationist, who is acclaimed internationally for his writing on fly fishing.

Reviews

[Warren Wulff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Haig-Brown and I understand why he’s liked as a British Columbian author who often wrote general histories. He even has a book award named for him. And no doubt, he is an excellent author with the written word. His writing is a pleasure to read. For that I give him two stars.

However, this history of colonial BC from 1827 (James Douglas comes to BC) and 1858 (Governor Douglas proclaims BC a colony of the UK) is a complete hagiography. Douglas is essentially perfect, and any mistake is taken as a great lesson. First Nations are treated paternalistically, and not just by the characters but by Haig-Brown. Not much difference between the 1850s and 1960s there. The history itself is thin. There were some interesting tales, and the author does bring together some ideas about how the gold rush came about that I didn’t know.

Bottom line: it’s highly readable if kept in context and not used n place of reading serious history.

[Mrs · Rating 1 out of 5]

“The career of James Douglas set against the drama of the establishment of British Columbia.”
Canadian Pageant Series 3