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mtngrl 
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2013, 1:50 pm |
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I recently saw Finding Farley, recommended by rangersven. I really enjoy it. It shows Karsten Heuer (of Being Caribou), his wife, kid and dog, paddling, driving, riding a train and sailing across Canada from Canmore to Farley Mowat’s home on Canada’s eastern shore. They followed the areas where some of his books are based. Amazing that they did with their kid (maybe 3 years old?) and their dog. I was surprised to learn of the controversy about Mowat’s writings, but I, too, would recommend this. Thanks for the suggestion, rangersven!
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“He who knows the most, he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man” -- from Nature, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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wwwest
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Posted on: Feb. 20 2013, 6:44 pm |
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What is the controversy regarding Mowat's writing?
Other than being a thorn in the butt of Canadian government and Canadian native haters I thought he was revered in the north country??
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rangersven
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Posted on: Feb. 21 2013, 6:57 am |
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Some say it is fiction...
Glad you liked it, MG...
Happy Trails,
RS
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"Backpacker.com's Original Provocateur"
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big_load
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Posted on: Feb. 21 2013, 12:53 pm |
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(big_load @ Feb. 21 2013, 12:36 pm)
QUOTE
(wwwest @ Feb. 20 2013, 6:44 pm)
QUOTE What is the controversy regarding Mowat's writing?
Other than being a thorn in the butt of Canadian government and Canadian native haters I thought he was revered in the north country?? He has admittedly published significant falsehoods or at least withheld critical information. Some people suspect more than what he has admitted. I need to go back and check, but I believe it was in "No Man's River" where he disclosed some of the uglier facts about the child sexual abuse that drove the real story in some of his earlier works. He completely omitted it that earlier writing despite knowing how central it was to those events and despite having direct personal awareness of it.
The new revelations might be in "Walking on the Land". I'll check when I get home tonight.
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mtngrl
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Posted on: Feb. 21 2013, 4:32 pm |
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In Finding Farley, if I remember correctly, there was something about how he portrayed the natives, and turns out they were never starving, or something like that .........heck, maybe nothing like that. In the film they showed a Canadian magazine that had a story about Mowat's falsings.
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“He who knows the most, he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man” -- from Nature, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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rangersven
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Posted on: Feb. 22 2013, 5:04 am |
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For your viewing pleasure...!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsJ3w7hUfLs
Happy Trails,
RS
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"Backpacker.com's Original Provocateur"
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canadianrockiesgirl
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Posted on: Feb. 22 2013, 10:59 pm |
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What I learned in a Canadian North history class just last semester was that People of the Deer in particular, was highly fabricated and written with little to no supporting evidence. The House of Commons went so far as to call him a liar (though that is coming from politicians...). He did later did claim that any corroborating evidence for his writing of the book was 'withheld' by the government, the Mounties and missionaries aka it was a conspiracy... 
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big_load
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Posted on: Feb. 22 2013, 11:38 pm |
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It's also worth noting that the attitude of the Canadian government toward aboriginal peoples was far different at the time "People of the Deer" was written (1952) than it is now. It's not surprising that they would come after anyone who advocated so strongly for a change in direction.
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mtngrl
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Posted on: Feb. 27 2013, 2:26 pm |
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I'm going to get people of the deer (hopefully the library has it), and read the introduction. Thanks big_load.
I have not read any of Mowat's books, I've only watched Never Cry Wolf and Finding Farley. I'll get 'round to reading them at some point. All this controversy does make me wonder at the interest in, or admiration of, that the Karsten's had for him, and it shows in the move Finding Farley his disappointment, or confusion, at this controversy. I don't think they had heard anything about it.
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“He who knows the most, he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man” -- from Nature, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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mtngrl
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Posted on: Feb. 27 2013, 2:27 pm |
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Duh, make that the Heuers.
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“He who knows the most, he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man” -- from Nature, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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big_load
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Posted on: Feb. 27 2013, 7:50 pm |
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(mtngrl @ Feb. 27 2013, 2:26 pm)
QUOTE I'll get 'round to reading them at some point. All this controversy does make me wonder at the interest in, or admiration of, that the Karsten's had for him, and it shows in the move Finding Farley his disappointment, or confusion, at this controversy. I don't think they had heard anything about it.
Controversy aside, he's an excellent writer. Even if some things need to be taken with a grain of salt, he's definitely worth reading. I have most of his books. If you want something depressing and pretty unquestionably true, try "Sea of Slaughter", about the impact of man on ocean-dwelling species.
Craig Childs is sort of in the same boat, although the places where he stretches the truth could be more benign. Edward Abbey is another guy whose popularity hasn't suffer much for his use of artistic license.
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wwwest
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Posted on: Feb. 27 2013, 10:39 pm |
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Aha, so it was the native haters who did not want Mowat to get credit for his revelations about the treatment of natives and the effect of calculated government policies.
Not surprised, but still disapointed. I have read most of his books, and find them insightful, cogent and highly humanistic. Just the kind of thing I like.
Going to order Walking on the Land tomorrow.
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mtngrl
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Posted on: Mar. 04 2013, 4:21 pm |
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Thanks for the info b -l, I have Walking the Land from the library and read the intro, and it does do a bit of explaining. Now, after reading the intro, I plan on reading the whole book. Looks interesting.
Ah, so many books, such a slow reader!
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“He who knows the most, he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man” -- from Nature, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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mtngrl
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Posted on: Mar. 14 2013, 12:38 pm |
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I just finished Walking the Land. I found it a good book, and Mowat's writing flows smoothly. Wonder why the caribou (deer) just sort of disappeared? Sad story. I will read more of his books, but I don't think any that have to do with mistreatment of the Inuit. So sad.
Thanks for the suggestion big_l.
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“He who knows the most, he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man” -- from Nature, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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mtngrl
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Posted on: Mar. 18 2013, 10:20 am |
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No, no, not into depressing. After seeing what little Finding Farley had to say about that, I knew then I was not going to read anything about that. But, thanks for the heads up on that.
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“He who knows the most, he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man” -- from Nature, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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