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I'm still working on Alias Grace, but this one's up soon. Anyone else reading or planning to read The Man from Glengarry in November?

I had been thinking I might like to give this one a go, but was mentally trying to justify purchasing this book along with all of my other intended purchases (related to the Canada Reads and other awards' lists) and thought better of it. But, then I found it on Project Gutenberg. Yahoo! I like free. So, I'll be reading along courtesy of Project Gutenberg.

I've got my copy now, and plan to start it in a few days.

Although I'm not planning to start this until I'm done Alias Grace, I did read the preface last night. The talk about God and faith makes me a tad apprehensive. I'm worried this will end up being a heavy-handed moralistic tale or an excuse to preach to the reader. Which might be interesting from an historical point of view, might make reading it a bit of a chore.

I found the first few pages to be a tough read, but I'm hopeful it gets more narrative and less phonetic dialogue.

Ah. I peeked at the beginning there--not only dialect (in this case a mix of Scottish English, Yankee, and Québecois accents), but some Gaelic thrown in for good measure. Hopefully, even if the dialogue continues like that through the book, you'll get used to it?

I'm pleased to say that not only has this novel become easier, but I have been pulled in by its rural, turn of the century charm!

Good to hear.

I started on this one finally. Decided not to hold up for Alias Grace, so I'm now reading both at once. I had been a little worried about doing that since they both take place at about the same time, but now I'm pretty sure I won't get them confused.

Though my own family isn't from the Ottawa valley, that's where I grew up (some of the time anyway), so this history of the "Papists" (French Canadians & Irish) mixing with and rivals with the Protestants (Scots and English) on the river (or on the canal) is familiar territory. Should be rather fun to explore if it doesn't get too preachy.

Wonder if that Gaelic lumberjack song is up on the net somewhere?

Just a question... I'm not currently reading this, don't have a copy, but I do have Glengarry School Days. Does anyone know if this is a sequel to The Man from Glengarry and if I need to read it first?

Mrsgaskell wrote: " Does anyone know if this is a sequel to The Man from Glengarry and if I need to read it first? "

I'm pretty sure not. I think they're both stand-alones.

***spoilers for chapter 3***

The description of Mrs. Murray is a little over the top. She's like a living saint and gets her angel's wings by sacrificing her own needs and intellectual stimulation to obediently serve her husband and his parishioners, a good servant of the Christian patriarchy. The description reminded me a bit of Marmee in Little Women.

I peeked ahead to read the afterword, to find out whether Alison Gordon mentions her or not, and discovered that Mrs. Murray is modelled after Ralph Connor's mother. Ahh. No wonder she's so perfect and idealised in her role. Apparently, there's another female character who's more independent coming up.

How's it going, Dale? I'm progressing slowly (mostly for lack of time). I get what you said about the rustic charm--he's about to give us a description of sugaring off (real Canadiana).

It gets very preachy (sp?) in sections - long sections at times. In today's world, it almost sounds like a cult going on. I'm glad I'm not a quitter, because it does eventually return to storylines other than the church. I have less than 100 pages to go.

Dale wrote: "It gets very preachy (sp?) in sections - long sections at times. In today's world, it almost sounds like a cult going on. I'm glad I'm not a quitter, because it does eventually return to storylines..."

I guess that sort of thing must have been very popular at the time, given the fact that Connor was a bestseller of the period. It's funny how tastes have changed so radically in such a short century.

I finished this novel this morning. Overall an enjoyable piece of Canadiana, with many passages that invoked memories of the farm my Mother grew up on north on London, ON. I think the religious aspects have steered me clear of reading Glengarry School Days though - that and time I should be spending on writing!

I'll let you know about the religiosity of School Days when I get there.

Did you get the "making of Ranald" = "making of a nation" metaphor that I keep hearing about? I'm still in the first quarter of the book, but I think I'll finish it off quickly & I'll be able to chat about it some more.

p. 110: "When Maimie realized that the service was really over, she felt as if she had been in church for a week."

So did I by the time I finished reading about it!

I did my Honours thesis on eighteenth century sermons, so either my patience for this kind of thing has thinned considerably or this treacly Christianity is, for some reason more difficult to bear for me.

**spoilers for chapter 8**
It is very difficult for me to wrap my head around the concept that the danger of fire is just nature being itself (i.e. "don't get too close, the wind blows out the flames"), Ranald actually saves Maimie from injury by his quick action, but all the credit goes to God, that they all have to stand around and pray to. In my book, if God is responsible for sparing the girl injury, he's responsible for putting her in danger. If the fire acts as a result of physics, it's human intervention that saves her and it's Ranald and he alone who deserves praise. (In fact, I take door number 2). This worldview where God is responsible for "miracles" or good events and nature or accident or humans are responsible for the danger and the suffering that takes place makes no sense whatsoever (201 people die in plane crash. Miracle child survives!).
**end spoilers**

Oh, and this one stuck out at me: "But his wife [Mrs. Murray] came to the table with a sweeter serenity than usual, and a calm upon her face that told of hidden strength."

Um. Mrs. Murray is already portrayed as a saint upon the earth (or perhaps she walks just above it). How can she possibly be even better on Sundays? LOL.

I see the 'making' metaphor in many areas of the story, but won't get into any spoilers right now. And I agree with your Chapter 8 spoiler comment. I think religion can help build a stronger sense of morals, but I disagree with the whole 'fear of God' thinking. I think that has scared many away from religion. It should be 'fear of doing wrong' (and thinking through the consequences). See - this book even has me preaching now!

I had to take a short break from this to read something else. I like Ranald and the clan, but I can take only so much preaching. A church chapter followed by a funeral chapter was just a bit too much. Philip Marlowe is as far away from Glengarry as one can get really.

Started back up. Oh my gawd is this the most tiresome book I've read in ages. All I can do is think about how much torture it would entail to live under such pious tedium. An eighteen month religious revival? What a waste of time and energy!! And all the moaning and wailing about sin and forgiveness...blah blah blah. I feel so sorry for the people who had to spend their lives like this—half the time in a panic over whether they or their loved ones would end up in a lake of fire for all eternity and the other half singing psalms and praising the god who would put them there.

I'm hoping that the book will actually have a plot eventually.

It feels like eighteen months before you get through the sermon sections! Eventually it ends, with only a few minor references later. And a plot eventually resumes.
I find it interesting to think about how long it took to do things that we now take for granted - like travelling across the country. There was a kind of patience in how they approached things; very unfamiliar to today's youth. I don't think they would comprehend today's society of 'instant gratification'.

***mild spoilers for Chapter 17 ff.***

Yes! I'm through The Gauntlet of Religious Zeal�. The rest of the book looks pretty good—kind of a typical 'love quadrangle' (or pentagon?) shaping up. On the boys;' side we have Ranald, Harry, and De Lacey, on the girls', Maimie and Kate. Who will end up with whom? Only thing we can know for sure is that Maimie and Harry won't be partnered off.

The last act of the book is a breath of fresh air. Echoes of Armand Durand with the man from the country rising up in the world. It's rather fun hanging out with the young people in Quebec City: a bit of drinking, a bit of gambling, a bit of fighting in the street, a bit of courting, a bit of canoeing. Lots of great characters, none of them unlikeable. And Kate is quite the modern gal, more at home driving a feisty team of horses than corseted up for sermons and tea.

***spoilers ahead***

Finished. The final third of the book was really like reading a different novel. I wish that Connor had toned down and shortened the sermonizing sections and expanded on Ranald's experiences in British Columbia. We know why he went there but not why and how he became so attached.

Of course, the nation-building theme is quite obvious there at the end.

Ranald and Mrs. Murray are much too idealised, both by the author and by the other characters. They're both utterly competent to any situation, and neither have any failings. People just aren't that perfect. And would we really want them to be?