This book is an account of one man's introduction to modern Canada. It is a memoir, a primer on social change, and a portrayal of the nuances that make Canada its own place in the North American landscape.
It is about Canadian identity-especially as contrasted with the neighbor to the south. It tells of the continuing drama of Canada's first people and their relationship with the dominant settler society.
The author sees his life as part of the weave in the Canadian fabric-similar to the voyageurs whose ventures opened the country to a new people-and he follows the thread of it for over forty years of discovery.