The Borderlands of the American and Canadian Wests

The Borderlands of the American and Canadian Wests: essays on regional history of the forty-ninth parallel, ed.
by Sterling Evans. Nebraska, 2006. 386p index afp ISBN 0803218265, $49.95

 

The word "borderlands" brings to mind images of high mountain deserts, saguaro cactus, and a century or more of
academic study by some of the academy's noteworthy intellects. Rarely would one think in terms of borderlands
studies and the 49th parallel--that is, until this collection of essays written by scholars, many of them young academics,
in a variety of fields. This work will cause many scholars to revise their definition of the term "borderlands" to include
this region. The authors examine topics as diverse as the region itself, delving into everything from geography to labor
to criminal justice. The results introduce a region whose historical development has been multidimensional and unique.
The results will also serve to suggest new directions for those who study that "other" borderland. This reviewer would
be remiss if she did not applaud the exceptional suggested readings accompanying each section. Too bad the editor
did not see fit to compile these into a single document. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.

--L. Graves, South Plains College

“Historian Sterling Evans has served academia well by orchestrating this important edited collection that announces a recent (re)awakening of the western U.S.-Canadian borderlands field. The carefully constructed volume succeeds in gathering together what Evans refers to as a ‘scattered literature’ and encourages a new self-consciousness among its practitioners. . . . It is hard to imagine any work in western transborder U.S.-Canadian history going forward without consulting the extensive multi-topic bibliographies compiled by Evans.”—Molly P. Rozum, Montana: The Magazine of Western History

“Rarely would one think in terms of borderland studies and the 49th parallel—that is, until this collection of essays written by scholars, many of them young academics, in a variety of fields. This work will cause many scholars to revise their definition of the region. . . . [E]xceptional suggested readings accompany each section.”—Choice

“The quality of research and writing throughout is consistently higher than in many anthologies and no doubt reflects the vitality of the emerging field, as well as Sterling Evans’s discrimination as editor. . . . The Borderlands of the American and Canadian Wests reveals Canada-U.S. borderlands studies to be an exciting field that will surely expand as scholars of the West(s) continue to recognize the importance of transnational perspectives.”—Joshua Paddison, Nebraska History

"This book is an extremely helpful contribution to the study of the North American West. If you are attempting to understand most any aspect of this broad theme, you are cheating yourself if you do not have it in hand."—Charles C. Chester, Oregon Historical Quarterly

“This compilation makes a significant contribution to the revived scholarly interest in that Borderlands region. . . . . The wide-ranging collection provides readers with a significant sample of recent and past scholarship in the field. For those seeking to pursue further research on the subject, extensive bibliographies in each section will be of great service.”—New Mexico Historical Review

“Editor Sterling Evans has assembled a fine collection of essays prepared by a widely varying collection of scholars.”—Eric Strikwerda, H-Net Book Reviews