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The Englishman’s Boy
By: Guy Vanderhaeghe

There are two plots in this historical novel told in alternating chapters. The first is set in 1873 as a posse searches for horse thieves. The search begins in Montana but crosses the border into Canada and “Whoop-Up Country” a notoriously lawless area near present-day Lethbridge, Alberta. One of the expedition members is the title character–a young drifter who joined the group following the death of his English employer. The search for the thieves–members of the Nakoda/Assiniboine Nation–ends in violence and tragedy.

The other plot takes place in 1923 as aspiring scriptwriter Harry Vincent is instructed to locate Shorty McAdoo, an ageing cowboy, to document his recollections of the raid but he is haunted by guilt and reluctant to talk about the event later known as the Cypress Hills Massacre.

Also available as:
Audiobook
eBook
Talking Book (restricted to Print Disabled patrons)

The Englishman’s Boy was also adapted as a CBC movie available on DVD.

Acknowledgements and Awards
Governor General’s Literary Award for English Language Fiction
1996: Saskatchewan Book Awards for Book of the Year and Fiction Book of the Year
1996: Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (Finalist)
1996: Giller Prize (Finalist)
1998: IMPAC Dublin Literary Award (Finalist)
2004: Canada Reads Winner

Book Reviews
Canadian Literature
Quill and Quire

About the Author
Guy Vanderhaeghe was born on April 5, 1951 in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan. Although there was no public library in Esterhazy until 1961, Vanderhaeghe was passionate about reading and writing from an early age. He was also enthusiastic about history and studied the subject at the University of Saskatchewan where he earned both a BA and MA. He also received a Bachelor of Education from the University of Regina. His first short story was published while he was in graduate school.