Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have never been a history buff. Indeed, most historical reading has caused me to fall fast asleep! However, this little book by Cris Peterson left me with a desire to know more about the fur trade and even an urge to plan my next vacation to include a location like Grand Portage or the Northwest Company Fur Post near Pine City, Minnesota. Peterson brings the historical figures of the fur trade to life. I vaguely remember reading in my history classes about the big names like Samuel de Champlain, Alexander Henry, Alexander Mackenzie, and George Nelson but this little book provides the explanations and the motivation behind these men. I especially enjoyed the discussion throughout the text on the influence of Native Americans on the fur trade. I believe this discussion may have been lacking from my own history education many years ago. It is important to note that in incorporating the Native American way of life made possible the fur traders' life in the north. This occurred at a time when many of these European traders would not have been able to survive such harsh environmental conditions without the skills borrowed from the Native American.
Peterson has included appropriate images on nearly every page to complement her rich text. I believe the images make this book more readable, especially for the young reader. I do wish some of the images were in color or printed in a larger format, but I am sure that would have made this little book a bit too large for the young reader and probably a lot more expensive as well. I especially appreciate the maps included throughout the text and the maps printed on the inside covers of the book for continued reference while reading. This is very helpful to allow comprehension of the vast tracts of lands
One suggestion for improvement on future historical texts that may be written by this author is to have a summary, perhaps in the form of a timeline at the end of each chapter. This may help keep the reader more on task and understand the particular time range covered in each chapter. The book is set in chronological order, but some of the chapters cover a very short timeline whereas other chapters cover longer time periods. There is a time line at the end of the text, and this is helpful, but I think summarizing the content of each chapter at the end would be helpful. In this way, the reader could review what has just been read and place each of the events in chronological context.
This is a book that I will keep handy for teaching some of the history behind the fur trade in my future. Also, it is a book that I will consult when I get the opportunity to visit some of the important historic sites mentioned throughout. A book that can motivate a person to take a greater interest in learning more about the topic is well-written and well worth the reader's time and effort. This book does this very well.
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