Author: David W Christner Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 158
Book Description
Children of the Midnight Sun is a tale of a collision between the Inupiat people of Coastal Alaska, their belief in mythological spirit(s)-Inua and Inuta (plural)-in all things, and Yankee whalers. The story is loosely based on a historical event: the fate of 34 New Bedford whaling ships trapped in sea ice above Point Belcher, Alaska in the summer of 1871. Benjamin Chase, Master of the whale ship Concordia, on his final voyage is returning to the Bering Sea not only to harvest oil from bowhead whales but to reintroduce Uvlaaq, an Inupiat orphan he rescued from an ice flow four years earlier, to her native village. Now 16-years-old, Uvlaaq has been thoroughly "civilized" and fully integrated into Chase's Quaker family. Uvlaaq considers Mary Chase her white "mother" and their son, Owen, to be her brother, although her relationship with Owen is evolving in unexpected ways now that both have reached physical maturity. On this voyage, Owen is serving as cabin boy on Concordia, and Mary, as was often the case, is accompanying her husband, this time as much for fear of losing her Uvlaaq to her native people as for maintaining her rightful place beside her husband. In light of her changing relationship with Owen, Uvlaaq is troubled by her late father's promise of her hand in marriage to a young Inupiat hunter. Would Nutchuk still be expecting her to marry him if she resumed her previous life in her ancestral home? And if so, would he be a threat to Owen? Such personal problems however pale in comparison to what ice can do to the wooden hull of a whaling ship and all those embarked during the rare event of a double winter at the top of the world. Neither Chase's ship nor his crew is prepared to winter over in one of the earth's most unforgiving climates. But what's a sea captain to do-abandon ship or stay put and hope for the best?
Author: Ken Coates Publisher: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP ISBN: 0773572155 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 377
Book Description
While the Klondike Gold Rush is one of the most widely known events in Canadian history, particularly outside Canada, the rest of the Yukon's long and diverse history attracts little attention. Important developments such as Herschel Island whaling, pre-1900 fur trading, the post-World War II resource boom, a lengthy struggle for responsible government, and the emergence of Aboriginal political protest remain poorly understood. Placing well-known historical episodes within the broader sweep of the past, Land of the Midnight Sun gives particular emphasis to the role of First Nations people and the lengthy struggle of Yukoners to find their place within Confederation. This broader story incorporates the introduction of mammoth dredges that scoured the Klondike creeks, the impressive Elsa-Keno Hill silver mines, the impact of residential schools on Aboriginal children, the devastation caused by the sinking of the Princess Sophia, the Yukon's remarkable contributions to the national World War I effort, and the sweeping transformations associated with the American occupation during World War II. Completely revised with a new epilogue, the bestselling Land of the Midnight Sun was first published in 1988 and became the standard source for understanding the history of the Yukon. Ken Coates and William Morrison have published ten books together, including Strange Things Done: A History of Murder in the Yukon and the forthcoming Trailmarkers: A History of Landmark Aboriginal Rights Cases in Canada. Land of the Midnight Sun was their first collaboration.
Author: Ken S. Coates Publisher: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP ISBN: 0773552138 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 383
Book Description
While the Klondike Gold Rush is one of the most widely known events in Canadian history, particularly outside Canada, the rest of the Yukon’s long and diverse history attracts little attention. Important developments such as Herschel Island whaling, pre-1900 fur trading, the post-Second World War resource boom, a lengthy struggle for responsible government, and the emergence of Indigenous political protest remain poorly understood. Placing well-known historical episodes within the broader sweep of the past, Land of the Midnight Sun gives particular emphasis to the role of First Nations people and the lengthy struggle of Yukoners to find their place within Confederation. This broader story incorporates the introduction of mammoth dredges that scoured the Klondike creeks, the impressive Elsa-Keno Hill silver mines, the impact of residential schools on Aboriginal children, the devastation caused by the sinking of the Princess Sophia, the Yukon’s remarkable contributions to the national First World War effort, and the sweeping transformations associated with the American occupation during the Second World War. Land of the Midnight Sun has long been the standard source for understanding the history of the territory. This third edition includes a new preface to update readers on developments in the Yukon’s economy, culture, and politics, including Indigenous self-government.
Author: Sinead Moriarty Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1000262715 Category : Literary Criticism Languages : en Pages : 206
Book Description
For over a century British authors have been writing about the Antarctic for child readers, yet this body of literature has never been explored in detail. Antarctica in British Children’s Literature examines this field for the first time, identifying the dominant genres and recurrent themes and tropes while interrogating how this landscape has been constructed as a wilderness within British literature for children. The text is divided into two sections. Part I focuses on the stories of early-twentieth-century explorers such as Robert F. Scott and Ernest Shackleton. Antarctica in British Children’s Literature highlights the impact of children’s literature on the expedition writings of Robert Scott, including the influence of Scott’s close friend, author J.M. Barrie. The text also reveals the important role of children’s literature in the contemporary resurgence of interest in Scott’s long-term rival Ernest Shackleton. Part II focuses on fictional narratives set in the Antarctic, including early-twentieth-century whaling literature, adventure and fantasy texts, contemporary animal stories and environmental texts for children. Together these two sections provide an insight into how depictions of this unique continent have changed over the past century, reflecting transformations in attitudes towards wilderness and wild landscapes.