In 1998 I was part of a group that was heading to a fishing outpost in the northern part of Ontario. Halfway between Thessalon and Chapleau we stopped at a small grocery store/restaurant for lunch where I found a book written by George Theriault called "Trespassing in God's Country". One of the reason I purchased it was because the author's name was the same as the bush pilot who ran the resort we were headed to. We arrived at this resort later that day and when I mentioned the book, I was told that the actual author, the resort owner's father would be there that evening. I had the pleasure to spend several hours talking to this amazing gentleman. When we flew out the next morning, I knew that I would spend my time off the water that week with my nose buried into his book.
This man led a real life of adventure, from the time he was a young lad growing up near Timmins, Ontario, through his establishment of a series of outposts where he would fly-in hunters and fishermen in the Chapleau area all the way up along the shores of James and Hudson Bays. He flew for the RCAF through WWII and during the post war years when the Canadian government was establishing their part of the Loran C navigation system. He also flew many people tied to the mining industries, road construction crews, and even firefighters during some of the region's biggest wildfires.
If anyone wants to experience what life was like during the early to mid-20th century in the northern part of our continent I would highly recommend this book. Whether he is flying or in one of the many camps he visited, the author has the ability to describe the scene so vividly that you can actually feel like you are right there with him. This guy was an adventurer, and you have the chance to see what it was like to fly across the northern parts of Canada at a time when very few people had ever visited there.