YET ANOTHER GOOD REVIEW!

A history student’s dream is to be able to morph into time gone by.  The very best we can do in this regard is to read a well-written book that conveys the information we need in a way that puts us directly into the time and place. Julie H. Ferguson’s book, James Douglas, Father of British Columbia is one of these books.  While written for the young adult, I would recommend this book to readers of any age.  It brings us to a time illuminated to the present, as we re-enact the struggle, strength and courage of the early settlers in British Columbia.  In reading it, I found myself wanting to know more.  I empathized with the people and the hard life of our pioneers as they tried to upstage the order of things and bring European life to our shores.

James Douglas was a man of strength and character.  Of humble beginnings and mixed race, he was on a challenging uphill road from the very beginning.  The trip from Quebec to British Columbia was filled with challenges and hazards, all of which the young James Douglas embraced.  From the beginning,   it was recognized that he was a hard worker who was determined to succeed, first with the North West Company and then with the Hudson’s Bay Company.

The reality of life for the women accompanying these early adventurers was hard to imagine.  They quite literally “kept the home fires burning” while the men went about their work – negotiating First Nations settlements, exploring areas for new settlement, bringing business to the new colonies.  Much sorrow was endured.  Many babies were lost to disease and malnutrition and older children, too, succumbed to various maladies.  Neither mothers nor fathers were spared as they tried to carve out new lives for themselves in a new country.

James Douglas eventually became Governor of British Columbia.  It was a perilous road and he became a hardened traveller.  He managed to stave off wars and to formulate a kind of peace with the native peoples in his jurisdiction.  However, he was a hard man whose ego dominated during the last years of his life.

Ms. Ferguson’s book is enhanced by her use of letters from James Douglas outlining and explaining events.  Although most of these letters are fictional representations of real documents, they add immediacy and excitement to the story.

This “James Douglas” book would be an asset in the classroom of any teacher of Canadian history.  Its relevance goes far beyond British Columbia.  Its portrayal of the hard life of the early settlers across this country alone makes it a valuable read.  And – the book itself, complete with photographs - is compelling.

I would recommend “James Douglas” as a book to be read at home by parent and child.  The fun of comparing and contrasting life with all its changes from 1803, through the 19th and 20th centuries, to the present would provide vibrant discussion.  More understanding of First Nations’ concerns would ensue, too, as results of agreements between Douglas and the native inhabitants of our great land were examined.

James Douglas, Father of British Columbia by Julie H. Ferguson – a must for Canadian schools and
homes!

Sharon L. Stainton, B.Ed (English & History)
Teacher, Writer, Visual Artist

Images: North West Co. coat of arms - Wikipedia
             James Douglas - Photos by Pharos (Julie H. Ferguson) 2009