THE JOURNALS OF ETIENNE MERCIER: Queen Charlotte Islands, 1853 by Bouchard, David (text); Gordon Miller (illus) - 1998

Custer WA: Orca Book Pub, 1998. First Edition. Hardcover. As New. 1st printing. Oblong gilt-stamped pictorial 4to. 38pp. Beautifully illustrated by Miller - Northwest Coastal First Nations scenes in color with some hand-drawn vignettes. Inserted in back sleeve is companion cd, "written and performed by David Bouchard." From website of Quill and Quire: "David Bouchard scores with this quirky concoction of history, art, nature, and folk songs. The Journal of Etienne Mercier, like Bouchard's previous If You're Not from the Prairies and The Colours of British Columbia, is a book for most ages. Pushing successfully at the parameters traditionally associated with picture books, Bouchard's new work is the fictionalized diary of a trapper who took an 1853 trip to document, in words and drawings, the world of the Haida in the Queen Charlotte Islands. Between its gold-accented covers, The Journal has the look of an old diary. Its sepia-toned pages show signs of aging at the outer edges. Its double-spaced text, in italic font, recalls script of the period. Gordon Miller, acclaimed for his paintings and illustrations of native life, creates an air of authenticity with 14 detailed pen-and-ink sketches, 13 wonderfully dramatic full-page colour paintings, and two maps. Fine. No dj as issued.