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Just as Ian sees many changes in his life between his initial sea voyage from Scotland to Canada in the 1720s and his settling on a farm in the 1730s, his adopted country also undergoes many changes during his time there. The book charts Ian’s travels with his mentor and friend, Father Henri, through Native settlements and budding towns. Between trips, he works as a barrel maker and with voyageurs in a fur trading outfit. Then, he marries Sarah and devotes his life to the family farm. As the farm and Ian’s family grow, tension between the French and British over the new territory mounts.
The book’s prose is staid, organized by year and farming seasons, but its message is radical. Most details relate to itineraries and chores. There is little to no conflict or drama (save subdued and private romances) between Ian and other characters. Instead, day-to-day life is recounted through incremental innovations and changes. Ian learns from everyone he encounters and makes friends easily. Natives close to the farm trade with Ian’s family and help each other with projects. Ian treats almost everyone as family.
But in the face of colonists pushing Natives off their land, piracy, and the other abuses described, Ian’s conduct stands out. For instance, he defends freed slaves adopted by his fur trading boss. He also defends his land and helps protect neighbors’ land from invasion. The mundane routines repeated year after year pay off, and Ian can take pride in what he’s accomplished and who surrounds him. So, too, the book’s steadfast pace and attention to lasting relationships develop a testament to the author’s forebearer's fortitude and bravery. History and fiction serve each other well in one man’s tale that dovetails with a new country’s independent and conscientious way of life.