to Anglophone readers in Europe. In broad terms, this volume emphasizes the interpretive val ue of exploration narratives from the perspective of literary output, rather than geographical knowledge, contributed by an ex pedition. 1homas James sailed to the sourh coast of Hudson Bay and the west coast of]ames Bay, a fairly limited expedition by standards of the time. His narrative stands our among so m any others because of the sheer quality of Jam es's prose. He knew how ro write in an engaging style that deftly communi cated the hazardous experiences of the crew as th ey sailed in high latitudes and spent the winter in a lirrle known land . His account even included two poems he wrote in the norrhern climes. Wayne Davi es, the author of this volume, is a geographer wirh a keen interes t in Welsh setrlement in Canada and AngloWelsh literature. He argues that th e most important co nrribution of James's vo lume was to ea rl y Canadian literarure and the nasce nt notion of a Canadian cultural idenri ty, regardless of the fact that the book was actually wrirren upon James's return to E ngl and . Other readers who view the centuri es-long search for the Norr hwesr Passage in more international terms may not be so inrerested in the many real and tenuous claims to Welsh heritage of north Arlanric explorers . The book is laid our in textboo k format and is replete with citations to firsthand accounts and academic analyses. Perh aps it is inrended for classes in the li terature of geography and exploration, but other readers should not be put off by its appearance. This book is an excellent read for audiences ran ging from academ ics to armchair explorers.
6
WATER
STREET
EASTPORT
MAINE
( 2 0 7 )
04631
853-2982
INFO@NOREASTERPRESS. COM
NOR'EASTER PRESS Bookbu ilders
AVAL ARCH I TECTURE MARIT I ME H I STO RY
•
BOATBUILD I •
G
•
YAC H T !
G
Tl-I E MAR I NE SC I ENCES
www. noreas terpress.co m
D AN IEL FINAMORE
Salem , Massachusetts
Lake Champlain's Sailing Canal Boats, An Illustrated journey From Burlington Bay to the Hudson River, by Arthu r B.
+
Cohn (Lake C hamplain Maritime Museum , Basin Harbor, VT, 2003, 187 pp, illus, biblio, index, ISB N 0-9641856-3-6; $24.95pb) A beautiful and effective blend of historical photographs, marine art, and compelling archaeological docum en ta ti on
SEA HISTORY 110, SPRING 2005
45