About book Sisters In The Wilderness: The Lives Of Susanna Moodie And Catharine Parr Traill (2000)
SISTERS IN THE WILDERNESS: THE LIVES OF SUSANNA MOODIE AND CATHARINE PARR TRAILL(standalone)Written by Charlotte Gray2000, 400 PagesGenres: canadian, history, biographyIf you have attended a Canadian school you would have heard of Susanna Moodie, even if you don't remember now. You may not know much about Moodie but Roughing it in the Bush is probably a title you have at least heard of. I remember both book and author mentioned in a few of my History and English courses. It is supposed to be a Canadian classic so of course it is now on my tbr list. Other than what I have gleaned from the title I don't know when or where in Canada this book takes place. Then, recently on my library's "new" book list I saw that Charlotte Gray (also Canadian) had written a biography of Moodie and her sister, Catharine Parr Traill, so I figured this might be the best place to start. Roughing it in the Bush is a memoir, but how much of the author we get in the book can sometimes be iffy so I wanted to know a little something before delving in.This book, Sisters in the Wilderness:The Lives of Susanna Moodie and Catharine Parr Traill, was way better than I had thought it would be when I picked it up. I figured I would skim through the book, and just get the gist of the two women's life and then could read their memoirs. After the first chapter I was totally flying through the book. Gray's writing, in my opinion, reads like a novel. She is able to take facts and put them in a more entertaining format. My other books were put to the side as I devoured all I could from this historical biography. I didn't realize that Susanna Moodie was actually born and raised in Britain or that her family was so literary (4 out of her 5 sisters have written books, as well as one brother). Catharine Parr, older than Susanna was her confidant and at times her only relative in Canada.While Catharine Parr was the peacemaker of the family, Susanna was more of the prickly one. Catharine Parr was looking for stability while Susanna wanted love if she was giving up her literary life full-time. These two women would marry and move to Upper Canada - separately. Each would have their own experiences that differed so much from their British Country home. Childbirth was their first sort of major culture shock that affected them personally as women. They would go on to write memoirs of their life in "the bush" and how living in Canada differed from Britain. These sort of portrayals were important as many British folks were looking at opportunities somewhere out in one of the Colonies. Agnes Strickland, "spinster"and older sister of the pair was also a writer but wrote more about the elite and Monarchs that she hobnobbed with. Susanna had dedicated her book to Agnes, who was appalled to have her name associated with this "inappropriate" book. Agnes felt that Susanna described things that should never be talked about in front of company. Agnes would go so far as getting her brother Sam, who also lived in Canada, to write his own memoirs that contradicted the "roughness" of Susanna's book. Susanna would only write more books in her own style.I loved how Gray gave each sister their own personality and you got to know them versus just facts about them. The story from when they were young to their death was perfectly paced. She gave you enough information that was needed at each point of their lives. This made the book flow and not lag with too much detail or descriptions. I highly recommend this book to those that love history, biographies, women's studies, Canadian life, or those that love a good story like I do.k (My Novelesque Life)http://mynovelesquelife.blogspot.ca/2...
I've had this on my stack for over two years now. It was one of our veryfirst selections for CanLitReaders, and I had trouble getting hold of it.By the time the bookstore got it in, the discussion was over, and I justnever got around to reading it before now. This is a biography of twosisters who came to Canada from England in the early 19th century, settlingwith their husbands and families in the areas around what is now Toronto andPeterborough. Engrossing depiction of colonial struggles and thedifficulties of forging a home out of the Canadian wilderness. Left methinking a lot about my own grandparents who arrived here around 1915, andwhat their early lives must have been like. Both Moodie and Traill areauthors of some renown, and the book quotes heavily from their works. Asmuch as I enjoyed the story, I was left wishing that I had read the originalworks rather than this one.
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Quite a compelling read. I found it impossible not to be filled with admiration for these two sisters' (Catherine Parr Trail and Susanna Moodie) endurance and strength. The English sisters (most especially Agnes) appeared equally formidable but in entirely different ways-- rigid maintainers and enforcers of a class system rather than performers of endless physical endeavors. How these new Canadians ever found the time to write as prodigiously as they did is a mystery. Check out the lifespans and progeny of these females just to get a picture of their fortitude.The fascinating details of everyday living, politics, and social interactions give this book a real contextual basis and for this alone makes it a valuable experience. The fascinating sisters are icing on the cake.
—Jan
This is the tale of two sisters from my part of the world, Suffolk in England, Susanna Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill, who travelled to the remote Canadian backwoods and lived a backbreaking life there - yet both became famous authors by writing about their experiences. I found this a fascinating and very readable account, good to read alongside the sisters' own reminiscences. The whole family is very interesting, as several other siblings were also writers, including another sister, Agnes Strickland, who was a celebrated Victorian writer specialising in royal biographies.
—Judy
I really enjoyed this book. The early days of Canada, experienced by two sisters ill equipped for such an adventure, were brutal and beautiful at once. The sisters saw a Canada that none of us can even imagine: pristine forests, wild flora, a wildness & goodness that is long lost. It was extremely interesting to read their descriptions & thoughts of such places and comparing that with the image of cottage country area of Ontario today. The two sisters came to Canada with their two husbands in the early 1800s. The country was wild and unsettled, the land was uncleared and hard on "genteel" folks. These two husbands were not prepared or experienced enough to make the experience work for their families. Attempt after attempt failed and the families got poorer and poorer.The sisters worked hard on their writings. They kept their families together with hard work and gumption. They both had a lot of backbone. An interesting look at history, seen up close to two pioneering spirits of interest and spunk. .
—Petra
