Book Post 16 : A Concise History of Canada's First Nations by Olive Patricia Dickason

 Book Name : A Concise History of Canada's First Nations

Author : Olive Patricia Dickason

Genre : Non- Fiction 

What is it about? : It is about 

How I came to read it :  Before coming to Canada I did a lot of homework in getting to know the country. I read History books, watched a few movies and read tons of articles. By the time I landed in Canada I had a fair bit of knowledge about the country's history. But one thing which still eluded me was knowing about the History of the original natives of the place. Hoping to fill this gap I got this book from the UBC library through a friend. 

Did I like it? 

Yes.

Starting with the earliest known history, through the First meetings with Europeans to the latest developments this book covers everything. There are complex dynamics playing out throughout with the Key Players being the French, the British, The Hurons and a few others. Revealing a number of lesser known facts about the First nations this book is an eye opener. It talks about the number of treaties, the residential school system, the trade, the beginning of the reserve system, the Indian Act, how the Confederation of Canada was shaped and the equations with First Nations. The last chapter talks about the Road to Self Government.

The only drawback I found is that it tends to drag a bit in the middle. It will take a serious reader to forge on in till the end. A casual reader looking to get a quick idea about the history of the First Nations will be disappointed. A more serious reader may enjoy the details. I fell somewhere in the middle. Nevertheless this was an eye-opening read and I am glad I read it.