Albert Campbell District Blog

(TVO’s Allan Gregg interviewing David Hackett
Fischer, the author of Champlain’s Dream)

On June 28 and beyond, take a moment to remember explorer
Samuel
de Champlain (Born: circa 1570? at Brouage,
Saintonge, France; Died: December 25, 1635 at Québec, New France). Why remember
Champlain on June 28? For it was on June
28, 1609 that Champlain departed with a mixed party of
Frenchmen and aboriginal
people from the Algonkin, Huron, and Montagnais nations
to explore the territory of the Iroquois nation. Roughly one month later, on
July 29, 1609, Champlain’s party encountered the Iroquois at Ticonderoga (Crown
Point, N.Y.) with an ensuing battle occurring the following day. This action
marked Champlain’s first military foray in New France and environs. Champlain fired
his arquebus and killed two Iroquois chiefs, leading to
panic in the Iroquois ranks. Prior to this encounter, Champlain
followed the Iroquois (now Richelieu) River into a lake on July 14, 1609
which now bears the name Lake Champlain in upper New York State. In later
years, Champlain’s primary focus was the settlement of Québec (now Québec
City). Following its temporary capture by the Kirke brothers from England in
1629, Champlain returned to France but returned to the New World on May 22,
1633. As of his death on Christmas Day in 1635, 150 French-speaking individuals
resided in the colony at Québec.

Consider the
following titles for loan from Toronto Public Library collections:

Champlain:
the birth of French America / edited by Raymonde Litalien and
Denis Vaugeois; translated by Käthe Roth, 2004. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

This essay collection examined the origins and
development of L’Acadie, looked at problems associated with colonization,
showcased France during Champlain’s lifetime, and how Champlain has been
remembered in recent times. Enjoy the reproduction of 32 maps attributed to
Champlain as well as some of his drawings, documents and rare artifacts.

Champlain’s
dream / David Hackett Fischer, 2008. Book. Adult
Non-Fiction.

Historian Fischer strived to deliver a balanced,
realistic biography of Samuel de Champlain by focusing on early influences,
personal characteristics, and the reasons for the establishment of New France. Fischer
also tackled differences of opinion over Champlain’s birth date, the extent of
his exploration, his policy towards aboriginal people, and whether Champlain
was deserving of being referred to as the “Founder of Québec” and the “Father
of New France”. Watch Allan Gregg’s interview with the author above.

Also available in Audiobook
CD
and Talking
Book (Restricted to Print Disabled Patrons) formats.

God's
mercies: rivalry and betrayal in the age of discovery / Doug
Hunter, 2007. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

Compare and contrast two explorers of the late 1500s/early
1600s – Frenchman Samuel de Champlain and Englishman Henry Hudson. Both wished
to secure a northern route to the Orient. Hudson would see this turned against
him when mutineers put him, his sons, and loyal crewmembers in a small boat
during the summer of 1611, never to be seen or heard from again. Champlain
initiated an expedition up the Ottawa River in May 1613 after learning of the
survival of a young Englishman, the only survivor from a shipwreck. 

Samuel
de Champlain: father of New France / Francine Legaré and
Jonathan Kaplansky (translator), 2004. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

Champlain, a renowned cartographer and navigator,
focused on the New World in conjunction with reaching India with its different
spices and other riches. New France became Champlain’s primary focus and he
lobbied the mother country to protect and develop the colony. Arguably,
Champlain’s perseverance toward New France led to the Canada that is known
today.

Also available in eBook
format.  

Would you rather watch and listen (than read) about
Champlain? Then try the following documentary on DVD:

The
mystery of Champlain [Doc Zone] [DVD] / Ann-Marie MacDonald
et al., 2008. DVD. Documentary. Adult Non-Fiction.

This CBC Doc Zone documentary hosted by Ann-Marie
MacDonald attempted to fill in some of the blank spots in the life of Samuel de
Champlain.

Do you prefer reading fiction to non-fiction? Then
consider the following historical/21^st century fiction hybrid novel:

The
order of good cheer: a novel / Bill Gaston, 2008. Book.
Adult Fiction.

Author Bill Gaston demonstrated his adeptness at
carrying two storylines within one novel: During the fall of 1607, Samuel de
Champlain faced the challenges of keeping his Annapolis Royal (currently in
Nova Scotia) colony healthy by combating both scurvy and boredom amongst the
colonists. Champlain came up with a moveable feast, “an order of good cheer”,
whereby the men could enjoy good food, wine, and comradeship. Contrast the
historical plotline with one 400 years into the future where worker Andy
Winslow and his friends are immersed in an urban setting suffering from
encroaching economic and environmental disaster. What is the 2007 solution?
Read the book and find out.