By Brian Martin. Toronto: ECW Press, 2022.
Great except for the epilogue being so unprofessional.
The only thing I ever learned about Canada and the period involving the American Civil War was the underground railroad and not much even about the black settlers it brought to Canada. I get the feeling most Canadians have forgotten even this and think Canada was not involved at all.
Brian Martin details all the ways in which Canada was involved in this mid-century epoch, from providing a refuge for escaped slaves to providing one for the founders of the first iteration of what is popularly known as the Klu Klux Klan. Like any good historian, Martin fills in the before and after bits as well.
This book is well-written and factual with a good dose of appropriately-used tongue-in-cheek humour to keep the reader from getting bored. The only drawback to a book unusual for nonfiction history these days is the epilogue which is full of the author's personal biases.
Nevertheless, if you can close the book after the last chapter or grit your teeth through the final pages, "From Underground Railroad" is a book you won't regret putting your nose in.
Purchase it here.
No comments:
Post a Comment