Sam Steele, Lion of the Frontier

Sam Steele was one of the first three men to join the NWMP in 1873. This book gives the true flavor of the pioneering hardships and adventures of the early RCMP force as they tamed the Canadian west. Numerous archival photographs and maps are integrated with the text -- you feel as if you are getting to know the men exploring the plains; you feel like a participant in their experiences as they endure physical dangers from a harsh, unforgiving climate and work to bring peace and "civilization" to a primitive land. From the first contact with Indian bands, through the building of the transcontinental railway, and the northern gold rush, Sam Steele was involved in every aspect of policing the Canadian west. This book does justice to his indominitable spirit and chronicles his amazing accomplishments, including his later action in the Boer War with the Lord Strathcona Horse and as a Major-General with the Canadian army in England during WWI. It's rare to encounter an accurate history book that is so exciting and so readable.