Woodsmen of the West
Encyclopedia
Woodsmen of the West is a novel by Martin Allerdale Grainger
, first published in 1908 by Edward Arnold
. In writing the novel, Grainger drew on his experiences as a logger
working in the coastal forests
of British Columbia
, Canada
.
Woodsmen of the West is one of the first examples of realism in western Canadian literature
. Grainger based his novel on his unsentimental account of life in the logging camps. This way of writing gave the story a rough edge that was unusual fare for Canadian readers. It is a "dramatic and loosely structured tale... at heart a love story." It also paints the picture of a logging operator both obsessed with the lumber trade and with his own power. The accuracy of detail in Grainger's work has led it to be called "one of the finest examples of local realism in Canadian writing."
Martin Allerdale Grainger
Martin Allerdale Grainger was a Canadian journalist, forester and author. In literary circles, he is best known for his 1908 novel Woodsmen of the West, a realist work about the logging industry...
, first published in 1908 by Edward Arnold
Edward Arnold (publisher)
Edward Arnold Publishers Ltd is a British publishing house with its head office in London. The firm has been publishing books for over 100 years. It is a member of the Hodder Education group. Edward Arnold publishes books and journals for students, academics and professionals.-Bibliography:*...
. In writing the novel, Grainger drew on his experiences as a logger
Lumberjack
A lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...
working in the coastal forests
Temperate rain forest
Temperate rainforests are coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive high rainfall.-Definition:For temperate rain forests of North America, Alaback's definition is widely recognized:-Global distribution:...
of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Woodsmen of the West is one of the first examples of realism in western Canadian literature
Canadian literature
Canadian literature is literature originating from Canada. Collectively it is often called CanLit. Some criticism of Canadian literature has focused on nationalistic and regional themes, although this is only a small portion of Canadian Literary criticism...
. Grainger based his novel on his unsentimental account of life in the logging camps. This way of writing gave the story a rough edge that was unusual fare for Canadian readers. It is a "dramatic and loosely structured tale... at heart a love story." It also paints the picture of a logging operator both obsessed with the lumber trade and with his own power. The accuracy of detail in Grainger's work has led it to be called "one of the finest examples of local realism in Canadian writing."