The St. Lawrence

Vast watercourse, boundary, and the gateway to North America--the St. Lawrence River has been an integral player in the formation of Canada as we know it today. But as writer and naturalist Henry Beston reminds us, this great passageway carries much more than historical significance to the wildlife of its waters and banks. Travelling along the river more than 70 years ago, Beston expertly observed its natural environment as he researched the greatest survey of the land and its people that had yet been written.

Illustrated with sketches from the Group of Seven's A.Y. Jackson, The St. Lawrence quickly became one of the most beloved titles in the Rivers of America series when it was first published in 1942. The Wynford edition restores to print this classic work of non-fiction, with a new introduction by Beston's biographer, Daniel Payne, to situate the book within its historical context for the modern reader.

Henry Beston (1888-1968) was a beloved American naturalist and author. He was a prolific writer of fiction, non-fiction, essays, poetry, and fairy tales for children. The Outermost House, his best-known book, was first published in 1925 and is today considered a classic work of American naturalist writing.

Daniel Payne is associate professor in the Department of English at the State University of New York-Oneonta. Currently writing the authorized critical biography of Henry Beston, he has contributed to the new introduction to the Wynford edition of The St. Lawrence.