Post by wildernessmama on Mar 22, 2005 13:01:47 GMT -5
"A Wonderful Country, Quetico-Superior Stories of Bill Magie," edited by David Olesen
The son of a physician, Bill Magie inherited his love of the wilderness from his father, his first step in becoming a conservation activist. He was one of the advocates involved in fighting for the Thye-Blatnik Bill, Air Ban, and the Wilderness Bill, traveling to Washington D.C. to help to preserve the wilderness for us to enjoy today.
Bill Magie was one of those colorful characters of canoe country, one who would have been fun to know. His stories, some dating back to the 1920’s, took place near many familiar Boundary Waters and Quetico Lakes where his east coast education contrasted with his backwoods demeanor. His tales, like some of our memories, are embellished at times, creating bigger-than-life situations in this bigger-than-life country.
This spinner of yarns weaves stories around his experiences as a canoe guide, commercial pilot, border surveyor, lumber cruiser and miner. Stories of hunting and fishing expeditions create adventure for the reader while confrontations with game wardens and encounters with wildlife add excitement to his Northwoods vignettes. His associations with the Ojibway give a glimpse into Native America culture, and his interaction with the locals are humorous at best. It is easy to picture the locations of his haunts as we attempt to track down numerous landmarks and relics left in his wake.
My copy of this book was published in 1981 by the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute in Ashland, but it has been recently released (January 2005) by Raven Productions.
The son of a physician, Bill Magie inherited his love of the wilderness from his father, his first step in becoming a conservation activist. He was one of the advocates involved in fighting for the Thye-Blatnik Bill, Air Ban, and the Wilderness Bill, traveling to Washington D.C. to help to preserve the wilderness for us to enjoy today.
Bill Magie was one of those colorful characters of canoe country, one who would have been fun to know. His stories, some dating back to the 1920’s, took place near many familiar Boundary Waters and Quetico Lakes where his east coast education contrasted with his backwoods demeanor. His tales, like some of our memories, are embellished at times, creating bigger-than-life situations in this bigger-than-life country.
This spinner of yarns weaves stories around his experiences as a canoe guide, commercial pilot, border surveyor, lumber cruiser and miner. Stories of hunting and fishing expeditions create adventure for the reader while confrontations with game wardens and encounters with wildlife add excitement to his Northwoods vignettes. His associations with the Ojibway give a glimpse into Native America culture, and his interaction with the locals are humorous at best. It is easy to picture the locations of his haunts as we attempt to track down numerous landmarks and relics left in his wake.
My copy of this book was published in 1981 by the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute in Ashland, but it has been recently released (January 2005) by Raven Productions.