I <3 Books

1961

Hugh MacLennan is one of my favourite writers, and I've always liked rivers, a pretty good match. Years ago, MacLennan was given an assignment by MacLean's to tour the major rivers of Canada. This book is essentially a collected and expanded copy of the series of articles he wrote as a result. There is one chapter on each river. The book is full bits and references that would have been familiar to readers forty years ago - songs, famous people, events - making it a nice authentic trip back to another time. His descriptions of the rivers' history, both geographical and human, is MacLennan at his best as a writer. The historical research is rich and accurate. The geographical explainations are fascinating. He talks equally about the human foolishness and ambition that seems to accompany any major river in the wilderness, and I loved all the time he spent on the Ottawa. Two Sollitudes opens with a description of the St. Lawrence river so beautiful that I use it as an example of what good description should be when I'm reading other books. It rivals Hugo's description of Mme. Thernardier for it's brilliance. In Seven Rivers of Canada MacLennan is no less brilliant in his description of Canada's other major rivers. It is a great success. It seems as though, because of Two Solitudes MacLennan was known as the guy who can write moving passages about rivers, and was thus given the assignment. It's tough to duplicate past genius, but, as said, a great sucess. I love canoeing, and love canoeing rivers so much more than lakes for the sense of progress, and of discovery around the next corner. This book makes me want to visit these rivers, to canoe them. If ever I'm in the neighbourhood of any of them, this book will be in my pocket.