Escape: In Search of the Natural Soul of Canada

by Roy MacGregor

We think of the cottage or cabin as a place where we can be our truest, most authentic selves. For those lucky enough to own one, just knowing it awaits can sustain the soul through the workday grind.

In Escape, Roy MacGregor explores the powerful hold the wilderness, and the thought of our place in it, has on our imaginations. He weaves together chapters of personal history, telling of his family’s deep connection to the lakes and forests of central Ontario, and chapters that detail the evolution of the idea of wilderness in Canada and the history of “Cottage Country.” He shows that the Canadian wilderness meant freedom for many early settlers escaping privation and oppression in Europe. It meant a chance to create a paradise on earth to some early Utopians, and it meant a chance to profit from the desperate or gullible, such as at Cannington Manor in Saskatchewan and Brother Twelve’s City of Refuge on Vancouver Island.

In more recent times, the wilderness and the cottage have represented an escape from a technologically driven and hectic civilization – although too often we take the trappings of our urban lives with us to the detriment of our intended refuge. In cottage country, MacGregor suggests, we may be loving our wilderness to death.

This is a thoughtful, evocative, and often moving book about an essential part of the Canadian psyche by one of our best-loved writers.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2002

About the author

Roy MacGregor is a Canadian author of fiction and non-fiction.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was in charge of the book club this month in the position I'm filling in at the library, so this was a book that I felt obligated to read - definitely not my preferred genre! In fact, it was hard to really get into it, partly because of that reason, and partly because I've been busy. So I was thankful yesterday for an ice day (work closed!) so I could sit and power through all but the 30 pages I had already read. (And then it turned out that I was only one of two who had actually read the whole thing, so all my stressing was for naught.)

This was... okay. Again, not my usual choice for reading, so it was kind of hard for me to get into. I did really enjoy the chapters that were more personal stories: about looking for the lost lake, about wintering at the cottage. Those chapters made me want to go to a cottage, swim in a lake, even go for a hike. (I am not an outdoors person. I hate bugs, I hate the sun, I like my bed and my electronics. But still, Roy MacGregor really paints the cottage as a utopia.) But on the other hand, the "escape" chapters, all about history of cottaging and whatnot, bored me to tears. I skimmed most of those chapters, because that was definitely not what I was interested in reading.

[Alex Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most interesting part of the copy of this book that I bought isn't anything contained within the actual text, but rather an email that was laid-in and written from the author to the cover designer, talking about how happy he was with the experience.

Don't believe me? See it for yourself:

http://imgur.com/5m3abzL
http://imgur.com/bNRkk6p
http://imgur.com/FFwnWGW

As for the material itself, I have to agree with the assessment of other reviewers. MacGregor has done some great work in the past with historical subjects, but that's a bit of a letdown here. Really dry stuff. It's far more engaging to read his memories of the cottage. That's what I related with, being someone who's been up north multiple times and loves the cottage.

Worth a read if you find it on sale.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

MacGregor loves Canada's wilderness (or more specifically Algonquin Park) and shares his passion with his readers. Then on the other hand there are a lot of other Canadian nature writers that he doesn't enjoy very much and is prepared to share his bias against other authors who took the time to write about exploring our vast interior (eg. Northrop Frye, Frederick Philip Grove, Susanna Moodie and Catharine Parr Traill). His many year hunt for Ermine Lake is a good read.

[Barb.hutchinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rare Roy MacG fail with this rambling book about lovely Algonquin Park (the only reason I gave 2 stars). A book all told from a male perspective about boys and men (largely) escaping to the wild but then mocking others who weren’t as capable out in the woods. That was appalling in itself but some of the retold stories verged on racist tripe. Unforgivable and this is a nope for me.

[Donna Wellard · Rating 3 out of 5]

enjoyed the personal memories of the authors time at his cottage and in the wilderness, far more than the historic chapters. in parts it was very lovely and makes you yearn for a family cottage of your own. something you can acquire and know that it will be passed on from generation to generation to enjoy. what a wonderful thing that would be.

[Dennis Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roy is always a great read!