My First Years in the Fur Trade: The Journals of 1802-1804 (Rupert's Land Record Society) Hardcover – February 18, 2005

I bought this book for a gift that will be very well received.

I purchased this book to read over the winter it arrived and the cover looked great. Picked it up sometime later to start reading and discovered that it is not the book inside as out. The cover is one book the inside is a totally different book. Looks like it was a manufacturer reject.I am out of the window to return so that sucks, so don't judge books by the cover!

While the introduction and footnotes were very well edited, I did struggle through the actual journals themselves. This could be attributed to Nelson's writing style, my unfamiliarity with Lake Superior geography and/or the plethora of French nomenclature (which can generate confusion for some). Overall, the journals are insightful of survival strategies and day to day existence in the fur trade years of 1802-04 in northern Wisconsin. Nelson, who was only fifteen when joining the XY Company, was a keen observer of Ojibwa Indian customs, the interrelationships between company men and his immediate surroundings. If the writing of the journals had more continuity, it would have been an enjoyable read.

Excellent read; on page 225, this book mentions a book which you may also want to read: A Wisconsin Fur-Trader’s Journal, 1803-04

An excellent resource for persons interested in the fur trade in northern Wisconsin! George Nelson's account is rich in detail as well as many anecdotes regarding his experiences as a new clerk with the XY Company-- a rival, of the North West Company. A must-have volume for your Canadian Fur Trade bookshelf!