Sir Isaac Brock

Eayrs, Hugh S. (Hugh Sterling), 1894-1940Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 133K words
Chapters: 14

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Sir Isaac Brock by Hugh S. EayrsAuthor: Eayrs, Hugh S. (Hugh Sterling), 1894-1940,Language: English, Class: E300: History: America: Revolution to the Civil War (1783-1861), Release Date: Jun 14, 2015

Editor's review

This book is Hugh S. Eayrs's concise biography of the Canadian military figure Isaac Brock, a public-domain work of historical life writing. Its value lies not in grand narrative but in placing Brock within the North American situation from the late eighteenth century through the War of 1812, showing how an officer shouldered responsibility for defence and governance on the edge of empire. Readers can trace the basic course of the defence of Upper Canada and see a historical figure's judgments and choices under limited resources and pressing circumstances. The style has the restraint and orderliness of early twentieth-century biography, making it a suitable introduction to early Canadian military history and Anglo-American conflict. Because it was written long ago, its positions and wording bear the marks of its era and should be read alongside more recent scholarship. It suits chapter-by-chapter reading in quiet hours and can serve as supplementary material for reading on the War of 1812.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in early Canadian history and the War of 1812
Military history enthusiasts seeking to understand Brock's life and the defence of Upper Canada
Readers preparing for themed reading on North American colonial history who want to begin with a short biography
Readers and researchers of public-domain English historical texts

Not a good fit for

Specialist researchers seeking extensive primary archives and detailed battle data
Readers who prefer contemporary historiographical perspectives and critical analysis
Readers who want only novelistic narrative and lack patience for historical background

Reading tips

Read a timeline overview of the War of 1812 first, then enter the book to locate figures and events more quickly.
After each chapter, note in a few sentences the main problems Brock faced and how he responded.
Look up place names and unit numbers on a map as you go, so unfamiliar geography does not break the thread.
After finishing, compare a modern study or encyclopedia entry and note the era-specific differences in the book's positions and wording.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no background in Canadian history?

It can be read, but it is advisable to spend a little time first on the basic background of the War of 1812 and the geography of Upper Canada. The book is not long and its narrative is relatively focused, so the barrier is not high once the background is filled in; if the place names and events are entirely unfamiliar, the opening chapters may feel somewhat demanding.

Do the book's views show clear limitations of their era?

As a biography published in the early twentieth century, it treats Brock on the whole favourably, and its wording and positions bear the marks of that era. Readers can treat it as an entry point to traditional narrative while noting how it handles Indigenous peoples, the American side, and the causes of the war, and compare it with more recent scholarship.

Do I need a map or chronology to read this book?

It is advisable. The book involves place names along the North American border, lakes, and fortresses, and a map markedly improves comprehension; a brief chronology of the War of 1812 also helps place Brock's actions within the wider campaign, so that one sees not only the man but the situation.

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About the author

Eayrs, Hugh S. (Hugh Sterling), 1894-1940 Author · Canadian · 1894–1940

Hugh S. Eayrs (1894–1940) was a Canadian editor and writer active in the first half of the twentieth century. Public information about him is limited, and the details of his life are now difficult to trace, yet his surviving works still give a rough sense of his writing. Two of his works are held in this collection: Sir Isaac Brock, a biography of the British officer and Canadian historical figure, and The Amateur Diplomat: A Novel, a work of fiction dealing with diplomacy and social life. Different as they are in subject—one factual, one imaginative—both show his interest in historical figures and public affairs. His style is plain and clear, his narration unhurried, and his writing aimed at general readers rather than specialist scholarship. Because the sources are scattered, his editorial work and literary activity have long received little attention, and today he is mentioned mainly as a minor figure in early twentieth-century Canadian popular writing and the popularization of history.