Houseboat Chronicles: Notes from a Life in Shield Country

Terrific account of the writer's days and adventures in cottage country and the Canadian shield. Never boring - he intertwines interesting facts and history with his own experiences. I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. Very funny writer. Another thing that makes this book better than so many other books of this type is that the author is truly a great writer - it really makes the reading experience that much more pleasurable.

Jake MacDonald writes his memoirs, from growing up in Canada and summer trips to the lake, to his current life as a writer. But what Jake has really written is an inspiring, nature-walk of a book, drawing readers into the Canadian backwoods and showing us the glory of challenging yourself just to learn more about how you face challenges. His earthy yet beautiful descriptions of the nature he loves draw you into the relationship that humanity should have with the world around us. He gives you advice on how to become a real human being. I haven't read anything this wonderful since Henry Beston's The Outermost House: A Year of Life on the Great Beach of Cape Cod or this funny since Molly O'Neil's Mostly True: A Memoir of Family, Food, and Baseball. Even though I rarely buy books, this has gone on my list as a "Gotta Own"!

Jake McDonald has written a touching and engaging auto biography about his search for God and himself in the wilds of North Western Ontario. Sometimes funny, often tragic this book leaves you with the feeling of being one step closer to understanding the essence of what it is to be a Canadian.