Description:
Detailed letters written to/from fiancé and well-off Dutch family about survey work, political connections, pioneer society, women's roles, their winter adventures by young man and his sister in Southern Alberta
Brief description: Karen was born in southern Alberta and earned her BA and LLB from the University of Alberta in Edmonton. She focused on labour and employment law, working with municipal governments, later providing HR training courses at various institutions. For twelve years she served as a part-time chair of review panels with the BC Mental Health Review Board. She co-wrote Greetings from Canada 1884-1915 in 2013 with her husband Jan Krijff, which received an honorable mention from the IndieFab Awards in the USA. After retiring from BC Hydro in 2012, she moved from Vancouver to the Netherlands with her husband, where she is trying to learn Dutch and other languages.
Review Quotes:
‟...a treasure chest with many hidden jewels, ...the story of a long- distance romance in the age of postage stamps and letters...and of the detailed survey work required in the construction of the CPR."
-The British Columbia Review
‟Compelling and very insightful....Through impressively researched and crafted translations Green and Krijff reveal first-hand the Boissevains' correspondence; their business and political connections and influences; their family lives, aspirations and apprehensions; and the attitudes and social norms of the time. An intriguing view of the pioneer life, the landscape of Alberta, and the people that played a central part in the push westward of the CPR."
-Erwin van Asbeck, Great-great-grandson of Karel Boissevain
‟Heleen's words describe the rarely documented experiences of women living [in Alberta] at the dawn of the twentieth century. The siblings' journey...provides snapshots of influential people...who were involved in opening the West...including CPR president William Van Horne. A meaningful addition to the social history of Alberta and Canada, this volume will be a treasure for those curious about early Canadiana and the CPR, and invaluable to researchers."
-Bonita S. Bjornson, Library manager, archivist, The King's University, Edmonton
‟A fascinating and insightful look into an outsider's perspective on prairie life in early Alberta history. Green and Krijff have found a rare treasure in these letters, painting an authentic picture of the new-comers' experience as they explore the pioneer west."
-Erin Benedictson, Associate Curator, Lougheed House, Calgary