The Explorers Club makes my day!
Quite a thrill, let me tell you, to hear from The Explorers Club, Canadian branch, that I have been awarded the 2025 Stefansson Medal. In this month’s newsletter, you can read about it: “This prestigious award recognizes outstanding contributions to the cause of exploration and field sciences in Canada and internationally.” I’m also excited to…
Read MoreConsidering Poilievre? Please read this book!
So here we all are, another day in the political and biographical trenches, another spectacular tour-de-force from Mark Bourrie. Last week it was Jean de Brebeuf, the week before that, Pierre Radisson. In between, the man delivered media mogul George McCullagh. You can see why some of us are getting fed up with this guy.…
Read MoreA brilliant review turns up in The Hill Times
After opening as above, Dornan writes on: McGoogan is a splendid storyteller, the author of 16 previous books on subjects ranging from the Highland clearances to the history of Arctic exploration. What these books have in common is that they tell stories about strength of character in the face of hardship and hopelessness. This is…
Read MoreHello? Who says It Can’t Happen Here?
In this three-minute video, Ken says we’ve arrived in 1934, Donald Trump leading the way. Shoutout to Nikki Wesley, who did a superb job for YourTV Halton.
Read MoreFirst Nations War Hero Tommy Prince
To mark Remembrance Day, I offer a chapter from Shadows of Tyranny: Defending Democracy in an Age of Dictatorship. It celebrates First Nations war hero Tommy Prince, shown here (left) with his brother, Morris. In January 1944, as part of Operation Shingle, Canadians led an amphibious landing near the port at Anzio, located on the west…
Read MoreCelebration of Life: Sheena Fraser McGoogan
We held a Celebration of Life for Sheena Fraser McGoogan at the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto. The date: October 5, 2024. To watch it, click here.
Read MoreAn Open Letter from Occupied France
Is that the sound of History rhyming? (As published in the Toronto Star on Aug. 28. 2024) Greetings, Canadians of 2024. I write from Paris, France, in September of 1942. We have been living under Nazi occupation for two years and let me tell you, we are not enjoying it. Last July, the Nazi authorities…
Read MoreB.C. Review hails Shadows of Tyranny
Shadows of Tyranny: Defending Democracy in an Age of Dictatorship, by Ken McGoogan (Douglas & McIntyre) [Editor’s Note: Although it could be argued the B.C.-related content of this book is thin, the outcome of the November election in the United States will affect the province. Perhaps Ron Verzuh’s reflective review might soothe nerves in advance of…
Read MoreNew York Times treats Franklin debate
Researchers Find Cannibalized Victim of 19th-Century Arctic Voyage A new study offers clues to a 179-year-old mystery that killed more than 100 explorers on the Franklin expedition in the Canadian Arctic. By Alexander Nazaryan // The New York Times / Oct. 4 Into the frozen fray they went, the explorer Sir John Franklin and his…
Read MoreTwain points way into Shadows of Tyranny
The headline in The Cipher Brief shows the usual bit of attitude. “Oh, Canada. The Yanks Are Not Likely to Invade.” But the review itself, while flawed, is thorough and impressive. It comes courtesy of Bill Rapp, who holds a Ph.D. in European History and served more than 35 years as a CIA analyst, diplomat,…
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