It’s hard to imagine a more thorough or straightforward history of a region. Robert J. Morgan takes us from the earliest days of settlement on Cape Breton Island by the Mi’kmaq to the arrival of European fishermen and through the halting steps towards permanent settlement by the French, the Irish, and, latterly, the Scots. Morgan’s is primarily an economic and political history of the island, but he also ventures into the strategic importance of Cape Breton Island and its significance in fostering and preserving, especially, Acadian and Highland Scottish culture. This volume brings us up to the end of the 19th century leaving the more recent times for the subsequent volume.

The writing is clear and well-documented, if at times a bit dry. However, it never feels other than even handed in its presentation of the historical facts. As such I recommend it as an excellent grounder in the history of one of Canada’s most distinctive locales. ( )