Settling the Canadian - American West - Book Report/Review Example

?Comparative Book Review Introduction Human civilisation has progressed since ages and the procedure of its progression has neither been easy nor it has occurred at a very fast pace. Development of human civilisation has taken place over a considerable period of time and this slow procedure of development has witnessed many crest and fall. It has seen great wars and annexations. At one hand, it is the witness of the establishment of the vast empires and nations and on the other hand, it has witnessed the ruins and the perils of great empires as well. Immigration plays a crucial role in the development of great cities of the world. Any great settlement across the globe is guided by cross-cultural transactions that take place through immigrations at different times. Canadian settlement has these imprints of immigration to its deep end and this has taken place over years. The Canadian culture affects the socio-demography and socio-economic paradigm of United States to a great extent. One of the greatest heterogeneous cultures prevails in this area of the United States which bears a distinctive socio-cultural and socio-economic demography. The result of immigration plays definitely very crucial role in the development and settlement of Canadian – American colony and culture. The books, “Settling the Canadian-American West, 1890-1915” by John W. Bennet and Seena B. Kohl and “Religions Apart: The Four Societies of Canada and United States” by Edward Grabb and James Curtis throw an effective light on the trajectory pertaining to the settlement in Canada. But there is a gross difference in presentation content and perspective which do not overlap for these two books and markedly present a distinctive dimension to the history of Canadian settlement and its relationship with nearest territorial neighbour United States and how these two regions are markedly different even after sharing world’s longest undefended border. Thesis Statement This essay intends to find out the difference in perspective captivated in the books, “Settling the Canadian-American West, 1890-1915” and “Regions Apart” which gives a different dimension to the history of Canadian settlement complimenting the comparative review of the books. The Comparison The books, “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915” and “Regions Apart” are different on their focus, perspective and background studies even though both the books deal with the same topic which is revolving around Canadian settlement. The book, “Settling the Canadian – American West, 1890-1915” presents an insightful study of the northern Great Plains and the most vivid and picturesque description of Montana-Dakota-Saskatchewan and Alberta regions. The book is an anthropological history and it focuses on the homesteading and the organisation based on communities in the Canadian - American West. On the other hand, the subject matter related with the settlement of Canada mentioned in the book “Regions Apart” is very much different from the book, “Settling the Canadian - American West”. The book, “Regions Apart” focuses on the socio-cultural and socio-political aspects of the two countries, Canada and United states. The book can be itself termed as the comparative study of the social and cultural composition and back ground of these two countries. This enlightened document not only focuses on the differences of the culture or political scenario of these two countries, the book also focuses on the way, the regions of these two nations differ within each country as well. The basic difference of the books “Regions Apart” and “Settling the Canadian - American West” lies on the basic fact that the book, “Regions Apart” tries to trace the subtle and intricate differences present in the socio-cultural and socio-economic demography of United States and Canada. Whereas, the book, “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915” tries to trace the identical phenomena pertaining to the culture and political scenario of these two nations sharing adjacent lands and boundaries. These territories are almost assumed as virtually identical in the book, “Settling the Canadian – American West, 1890-1915”. It becomes very evident that contextually the books “Regions Apart” and “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915” differ to a great extent from each other. Therefore the perceptions that both the books captivate are equally different. In the book, “Regions Apart” the historical growth of two nations, Canada and America is being traced. The authors of this enlightening book, Edwards Grabb and James Curtis provide respective visions on this historical development of these two nations. Their contention is thought-provoking and extremely insightful. They provide an argument which centres round the fact that the original American colonies and English Canada were almost identical societies and the differences that evolved as a nation is culminated from the rupture that the American Revolution yielded along with the divisions within each country internally. The differences evolved between English Canadian and French Canadian on one hand and the North American and the South American on the other. These differences set apart two nations on different paths hence dividing them forever. “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915” is divided into fourteen chapters and almost traces the trajectory of a great development that ponders upon the reminiscence of locale and approaches to the way the Canadian settlement and the environment gets co-related in the Canadian-American West. The study of country men and women and the political aftermath finds detailed exploration in this book. Along with that there are visions of the contemporaries captivated in the book that enriches the perception and widens the vision of the readers regarding the development of the great Canadian settlement. On the other hand the book, “Regions Apart” ponders upon the differences of ethnicity and socio-cultural demography that identifies distinctively the people from the regions of Canada and United States despite of sharing same geographical terrain and sharing so close contours. Breaking away from the identical ethnicity of US and Canada, the book “Regions Apart” navigates through the help of the latest polling data in Canada to launch a clear analysis that easily cures many of its readers form myriad cherished myths related with the land which are actually not true. The authors of the book, “Regions Apart” Edward Grabb and James Curtis hinge upon the history and historiography of North America to navigate to the roots of the present-day myths regarding Canada which speaks about its liberalism and collectivism whereas desperately puts America on the conservative and individualistic plane. The book is also capable of exploring the fact that all the myths pertaining to the drift set between the political views of Canada and United Sates lay in the contemporary reality. On the other hand the book, “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890- 1915” is an effective research work that examines the developments of the settlement on both the sides of the border at equal length. Unlike the “Regions Apart”, the book “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915” involves biographical material and the incorporation of this personal touch into the book has actually made a distinctive mark on the volume presenting a comparative study of two regions. These personal stories also build compelling stories pertaining to the procedure of development at individual and communal plane in the region. These stories enable the readers to perceive the way of adaptation that operated in the region. The book, “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915” celebrates the theme of “planned, political, technological and economic venture” on both the sides of the border (Watters, W. “Canadian West: Turner Redivivus?”). To make it more comprehensive, the edition includes a compact photographic portfolio and an explicit bibliography which not only complement the entire edition but add effective value and contribution to the field of research and scholarly work. Another point which sets a marked difference in the comparative study of “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915” and “Regions Apart” is the fact that the book “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915” is captivated within a particular time line of Canadian history. The book focuses on the events that took place in the Canadian settlement primarily from 1890 to 1915. But the book, “Regions Apart” celebrates the entire time in which the settlement in the North American region and Canada evolved, developed and the two nations dissipated socially, politically and culturally. The book even explores some of the latent and contemporary political and social issues of Canada which lead to different myths regarding the nation and its political ideals and views. The most distinctive feature of the book, “Regions Apart” is the argument which divides the North America into four distinctive halves based on the socio-cultural demography of the region. This fact is not only a unique feature of the book, but also very exciting and opens a new dimension, an innovative vista in the domain of historical research and studies. But this fact never diminishes the value of the book, “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915” in the domain of comprehending Canadian history. This book has a very different approach towards the history of Canada. The book presents a vivid panorama of the hard endeavour the early settlers whether a family, an individual farmer or women had to undergo to adapt and make a settlement in this area. The book also does not undermine the supreme importance of individual settlers who helped the settlement of great town, counties, states and provinces and achieved all these either from individual or communal effort. This aspect of the book launches it beyond normal plane of understanding and appreciating Canadian history in particular and world history in general. The book “Regions Apart” on the other side, encapsulates the present political and social scenario of the United States and Canada and includes it comprehensively into the understanding of their past. This is one of the greatest facets of the book which can be hardly found in any other historical document. Present situation of any political scenario is assessed as a culmination or aftermath of its past events. But “Regions Apart” shows tremendous insight to include the present political scenario not only to draw a mundane conclusion of the thesis presented in the book, but it leaves that intrigue lineage to delve into the future and start a different definitive legacy of Canadian historical studies. The book “Regions Apart” divide the entire province of Northern America into four neat divisions which no other sociological document can even think of framing or incorporating. Authors Edward Grabb and James Curtis divide the province of Northern America into four halves namely the English Canada, the Northern US, Quebec and the Southern US. And next they argue that the province of the Northern US and Canada are very much similar. This similarity can be traced in their almost identical beliefs and values. Only extreme leftist sentiment and value of Quebec and staunch rightist value of Southern America deviates and establishes a different identical regime. This kind of exciting fact is not yielded by any other research document other than the enlightening version of “Regions Apart”. Another important facet of the book, “Settling in the Canadian - American West” which places this book a step ahead at an advantageous realm when compared to “Regions Apart” is its interactive narrative technique. At the same time, narration of the close incidents and personal reminiscence makes the context more relative. As regards to the anatomy of the books, “Settling the Canadian - American West” has more organised anatomy than the “Regions Apart”. At the same time the book, “Settling the Canadian - American West” is more illustrative and it maintains a more compact photographic profile than the “Regions Apart”. Conclusion The books, “Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915” and “Regions Apart” have many differences. The books differ in context, perception, vision, style and way of their presentation. Yet both the books help in developing a clear and in-depth insight regarding the history of Canada and its formation as a nation. Both the books open up the vision of the readers pertaining to the relation and points of similarity or dissimilarity of Canada with North America. Both the books are equally important in comprehending the history of Canada and historical studies. Despite having major differences, these books complement each other at a level where the comparative study only enables the readers to understand the myths and wrong beliefs related with the relation and socio-cultural faction of Canada with North America. A very divergent thesis rendered from different authors of two different books give a complete and coherent vision regarding the issue. Reference Watters, Wes. “Canadian West: Turner Redivivus?” June 1996. World CAT. November 22, 2011. Bibliography Bennett, John W. & Kohl, Seena B. Settling the Canadian - American West, 1890-1915: Pioneer Adaptation and Community Building. University of Nebraska Pres, 1995. Grabb, E. & Curtis, J. Regions Apart: The Four Societies of Canada and the United States. Oxford University Press, USA, 2004. Read More