Berton wrote history, but that short phrase does an injustice. To say he brought history alive would be trite. More accurately, Pierre Berton enthralled readers by telling the background stories forming Canadian history. Whereas James Michener wrote fiction using historical backdrops, and Farley Mowat told history through the liberal bending of facts, Pierre Berton made Canadian history romantic and sexy, writing of real people and events that drew the reader into the time or setting, all the while conducting in-depth research to ensure the details were wholly factual.
When I was young in the 1970s, I used to watch a television show called Front Page Challenge. It was a current events show where a panel of television, radio, and print media personalities had to guess the story based on a guest’s ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answers to questions. After guessing (or not) the story, a question and answer session followed. Each half hour show had two guests, and the show was on once a week. Why a teenager would watch such a show religiously is simple -we didn’t have cablevision out in the country, so I only got two channels (this is not necessarily a bad thing). But the show helped me develop a love for Canadian history, and also, respect and admiration for the fiery Pierre Berton, despite his high collars and bow ties.
I read my first Berton book around 1975 at the age of fifteen; I don’t remember which book it was. Since then I’ve read about two dozen of his books. One that stands out is The National Dream, about the building of the national railroad that joined eastern and western Canada, but more importantly, made us feel like we were a nation, and not a British satellite. Another is The Great Depression, which examined the high and low points of Canada and Canadians during the namesake depression. But what I loved the most were his stories of the north. Born in Dawson City in the Yukon, Berton loved to write of the north, and his stories of the Klondike gold rush, explorations in the arctic, and the search for the northwest passage are second to none and awoke an interest in the north that I still hold today.
He was more than an author. Berton has been a newspaper reporter and editor, an editor of the Canadian national magazine MacLean’s, a radio host, a television newsmagazine host, and a general shit-disturber. He once said the addition of the term ‘shit-disturber’ in the Canadian Oxford Concise Dictionary was due mainly because of him. Whether true or not, he did go on Rick Mercer’s national television show, Monday Report, last October to show Canadians the proper way to roll a joint. It would be tough to say that was shit-disturbing, given the recent decriminalization of marijuana up here, nonetheless it seems clear he wanted to leave something additional of value for his fellow Canucks.
In any event, for me, Pierre isn’t gone at all. He lives through his writings and deeds (adoption of underprivileged children) and there is enough out there to keep me going for a long time. When I’m done his works, I’ll start over again. His writing is, as is the writing of all those with great talent, strong enough to survive countless readings. Posting this is a declaration of my respect for the man, but is also posted for my friends south of the 49. If you have a chance to read him, please do so – I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
