cover image A Time Such as There Never Was Before: Canada After the Great War

A Time Such as There Never Was Before: Canada After the Great War

Alan Bowker. Dundurn (IPS, U.S. dist.,; UTP, Canadian dist.), $34.99 (440p) ISBN 978-1-4597-2280-4

Great political and social upheavals precipitated by the First World War forced Canadians to temper their hopes for a peaceful future. This work by historian Bowker (editor of two collections of writer Stephen Leacock's essays), covering the years from 1918 to 1927, examines this often overlooked period of transition in Canadian history. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of society. For the Church, the end of the war and the influx of returning soldiers produced bitter disillusionment for some and renewed fundamentalist fervor for others. The Flu Pandemic of 1918 highlighted both the lack of public facilities for dealing with a large-scale medical crisis. Groups campaigned for women's franchise, further education for women, and social support for single mothers, while simultaneously reinforcing traditional gender roles that prevented women from fully entering the labor force. These years also saw the end of Prohibition and the creation of provincial liquor control boards, a change that was welcomed by some and vehemently fought against by others. This lively and informed approach to Canadian history, which examines the changing world of politics, agriculture, church reform, women, and labor, is a must-read for any Canadian history enthusiast. (Oct.)