Reseña del libro "Island Passages: The Maple Hill and Other Journeys (en Inglés)"
Description I was born and raised on St. Joseph Island in the North Channel of the St. Mary’s River and I am a third- generation Islander. My Grandfather settled here during the Potato Famine in Ireland as Canada awarded land grants to immigrants at that time. Up until 1972, Islanders relied on car ferries to travel to the mainland, and before the ferries, shipping was the only link, although in winter, roads were ploughed over the ice. As a result, there was an isolation, an insulation as it were from the sundry events of the rest of the world, and an unique social environment evolved. Growing up here, I had the privilege to enjoy the richness and diversity both of the inhabitants and of the environment itself. Back in the day the population was approximately 1,600, and I knew everyone, or at least something about them. The five stories in this anthology speak to the close contact I have with the place, and although they are based on true stories, the characters themselves are fictional: Maple Hill Series: I went to one of the one-room school up until grade six. All of them were closed in 1964 and amalgamated into one large school, and the first series of stories reflects some of my experiences therein. Ferry: I also worked on The St. Joseph Islander, the Island’s last ferry, as a summer job the year the new bridge was built, and this exposure is rife with substance. It also involves a love story. The Good Maxwell: This is a humorous story told by my Mother about her father taking ownership of one of the first cars on the Island. Hard Red Candy: This story was also relayed to me by my Mother, and it speaks of the unique hardships early settlers had to endure. Hidden Treasures: It speaks to the wonderment and utter privilege of being a father to two small boys. In writing these stories, I have had the luxury of time travel to significant events that helped shape who I am. The themes are universal, and it is my hope they open in you a passage rich with value and import.
