The Great Country by Jean Allen

Leaving England as a young man, the author set out for western Canada with little more than hope and a willingness to work. Over the next seven years, he learned the hard way what it meant to farm on the prairies.

Alongside his companion Bob, he moved from hired hand to tenant farmer, facing drought, crop failures, broken machinery, and the constant uncertainty of life on the land. There were losses that hurt deeply, moments of humour, and a strong sense of neighbourliness that helped them endure.

When circumstances finally forced them to leave Alberta, the journey east was filled with doubt and regret. The Great Country is a truthful account of prairie life as it was lived — demanding, unforgiving, and deeply loved by those who knew it.