My favourite booth at the annual Children's Hospital Book Market is probably the one with Canadiana. I almost always find copies of books from The New Canadian Library.

First published in 1925, Settlers of the Marsh is set on the Manitoba frontier and according to the back of the book is "a work of realism in the tradition of Thomas Hardy" which makes it even more appealing to me.

First published in 1925 this selection from the New Canadian Library was condemned by critics and churches. It’s a realistic and grim portrayal of the life faced by immigrants on the Manitoba frontier, and a story of lost innocence. Niels Lindstedt is a recently arrived young Swede who homesteads near the marshes. Hardworking, he prospers and dreams of the wife and family he hopes will share the fruits of his labour. He is naïve and sexually innocent. He has his eye on Ellen Amundsen, but the widow Vogel has her eye on him, and although he attempts to avoid her, he is vulnerable when Ellen states that she will never marry. Ellen witnessed the brutal life that her mother led, and promised not to subject herself to such a life. Tragedy follows, although the novel ends with a faint promise for the future.

One of the books in the box that mrgaskell dropped off that mrsgaskell had registered. As I haven't read this Canadian classic I was delighted to find it. I was even more delighted to see mrsgaskell's review of it.

I consider myself fairly well-read in Canadian literature so how could it have taken me so long to discover this classic that is set right in Manitoba? The New Canadian Library was launched by McClelland and Stewart in 1958 to provide reasonably priced paperbacks of Canadian classics. Over the years I have read quite a few, around 30, but since there were 158 published between 1958 and 1978 I have a lot to go. Obviously I have to try to read more from their collection.

Niels Linstedt came to Manitoba from Sweden with nothing to his name. But he was young and strong and could work for hours. The book opens with he and Lars Nelson making their way through a fierce snowstorm on foot trying to find the place where they were going to dig a well. Dwellings were few and far between and the road was more a trail. If you ever want to get a taste of the hardships the pioneers faced the first chapter of this book is a good place to start.

Over the years by dint of his hard work Niels managed to prove a homestead (which means breaking 30 acres of land), build a house, acquire horses and cattle and generally prosper. The whole time he was doing this he was dreaming of marrying Ellen Amundsen, daughter of the household that he and Nelson first went to. Ellen had seen her mother's health suffer from getting pregnant while there was no hope for the children to thrive and had seen her miscarry time and again. She decided she never wanted to get married so when Niels finally asked her she refused him and asked him instead to be like a brother to her. Heartsick by her refusal Niels was easy prey for the Widow Vogel who had been eyeing Niels since his arrival in the district. After she seduced him he asked her to marry him and she accepted. Soon Niels was to regret his decision and tragedy ensues.

The descriptions of the marsh and the woods enhance the theme of loneliness that pervades this book. Days and weeks go by when people see no-one except for those that live with them. And yet neighbours help one another if they can. Niels looks after a young boy and his aging neighbour, helps Ellen with her haying, picks up things in town for others. These people remember and assist him when he needs it. That's a good message to take from this book.

I received this book and 2 calendars from my friend gypsysmom . A lovely thoughtful gift.

I'm looking forward to reading it as I love books like this

I finally got around journaling this book. I took it to Mexico with me and thoroughly enjoyed it Circumstances prevented me from journaling it right away so my memory is somewhat scant. I was stuck by the harshness and loneliness of prairie life . I'm always impressed by story by and about early settlers. Reading the previous entries they well describe this book
Thanks again Gypsysmom for sending this Canadian treasure

inside with the plants

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