Studies of the radical environmental politics of the 1960s have tended to downplay the extent to which much of that countercultural intellectual and social ferment continued into the 1970s and 1980s. Canadian Countercultures and the Environment adds to our knowledge of this understudied period. This collection contributes a sustained analysis of the beginning of major environmental debates in this era and examines a range of issues related to broad environmental concerns, topics which emerged as key concerns in the context of Cold War military investments and experiments, the oil crisis of the 1970s, debates over gendered roles, and the increasing attention to urban pollution and pesticide use. No other publication dealing with this period covers the wide range of environmental topics (among others, activism, midwifery, organic farming, recycling, urban cycling, and communal living) or geographic locales, from Yukon to Atlantic Canada. Together, they demonstrate how this period influenced and informed environmental action and issues in ways that have had a long-term impact on Canadian society.

Intended to delight and provoke, these short, beautifully crafted essays, enlivened with photos and illustrations, explore how humans have engaged with the Canadian environment and what those interactions say about the nature of Canada. Tracing a path from the Ice Age to the Anthropocene, some of the foremost stars in the field of environmental history reflect on how we, as a nation, have idolized and found inspiration in nature even as fishers, fur traders, farmers, foresters, miners, and city planners have commodified it or tried to tame it. Their insights are just what we need as Canada attempts to reconcile the opposing goals of prosperity and preservation.

"Heroines and History" is a comparative study of the images of Laura Secord and Madeleine de Vercheres, symbols respectively of the nationalism of English-Canadian and French-Canadian loyalism and national identity. The authors explore the relations of gender, race/ethnicity, and imperialism in defining national identity and shaping the past by looking at such things as the role of local historical societies, the formation of narratives of Loyalism and the War of 1812 in school texts, the use of historical figures in the services of twentieth-century consumer capitalism (e.g. the Secord chocolate company), and the development of tourism.

This is a fascinating comparison of the histories of Ontario and Quebec as seen through the handling of their best-known heroines. The story of Laura Secord and her cow bravely crossing the American lines to warn the British during the War of 1812 is well known in Ontario; most of us also grew up with the legend of Madeleine de Vercheres defending Montreal against the Iroquois in 1692. Although both tales are dubious, the authors show how the images of these heroines were used for nationalistic purposes in both provinces, and how their images changed down through the ages.

"Heroines and History" is a unique work, one which makes a significant contribution to the growing body of literature on commemoration, as well as to the literatures of gender, cultural, and aboriginal studies. It is accessible both to an audience of specialist academic readers and to a wider readership of those interested in Canadian history and society.

Winner of the Prix Lionel-Groulx -- Fondation Yves-Saint-Germain 2003, awarded by l'Institute d'histoire de l'Amerique franaaise