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From: Scott N McLeod
Date: 08 Apr 2006
Time: 11:21:38
It's too bad some rotten people have to wreck things for us but let's talk about better things - here's a book well worth the price for an excellent read that comes off a lot like TLN. The book is called True North written by Elliott Merrick and is published by Heron Dance Press the ISBN number is 0-9755649-9-4, it is soft cover and retails for 19.00 U.S or 24.00 Canadian. Elliott grows weary of city life and "selling your soul to the highest bidder". He goes to wildest Labrador and the Vanderbecks I'm sure would nod with approval at the tales of trapping - life in canoe's and make shift log cabins. I'm reading this one slow like someone would slowly sip a favourite drink. One word jumped out at me - babiche which we find on page 204 of TLN. In True North it is spelled babische and a reference is made to it for it's use to hold a sled together, you'll find the word on page 86 of True North.Isn't it odd that a native word is used so far away from Northern Ontario - all the way to Northern Labrador Very readable, very down to earth as you find out how trappers clean their long-johns and the benefits of smoking a pipe out in the wild. Told with great affection but not hiding the hardships either. Elliott met his wife here and she was from down under and not used to snow and cold but here she is out in the bush and paddling a canoe like a pro and shooting small game with a .22 for meals.Postage is a little high for this book but WELL worth the price for a story like this. Haven't even finished it yet but had to tell the group it is well worth it for summer reading or for that matter any time reading. Happy Trails Scott - thanks Russ for the update on the wolf story, glad it happened