Canadians: A Portrait of a Country and Its People

by Roy MacGregor

Book Overview

Who are we? In Canadians, one of Canada's most intelligent and beloved writers maps our national psyche in a wonderful and ambitious work. Canadians is an entertaining portrait of this country and its... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0143053086
• ISBN13: 9780143053088
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Penguin Books Canada
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

A Tremendous Contribution to the Search

I began this book at a cottage on Lake Winnipeg and finished it in Stittsville, Ontario and look forward to reading it again. It aptly, accurately and honestly captures the contradictions that are Canadians. At the end of this great read, I could not help but agree with Andrew H. Malcolm quoted within when he stated, "The search (for the Canadian identity) had become the identity..." We seem to be our own worst enemies - we accept and often encourage a comical stereotype, self deprecate to the point of eroding credibility, punish success of the few, and suffer from a painful inferiority complex. However, as challenging as this seems, the book is entirely optimistic and celebratory of what makes us Canadians. I was moved and enlightened by the richness of the writing which seemlessly moves from history to personal accounts to geographic descriptions and back again. It is a tremendous contribution to the search for the Canadian identity. And proves that though we Canadians may seem to spend 90% of our time talking about the weather, hockey and healthcare, we are actually more interested in ideas and self-examination for our own betterment. Thanks Roy from a Winnipeg boy who too has removed bloodsuckers, portaged canoes, swatted mosquitoes, shovelled roofs, and often rubbed Timothy Eaton's bronze toe for good luck.