Garry Ferguson follows up his first chronicling of Madawaska Valley tales with another collection: The First Crow/ Backroads, Rumours and Recollections filled with his own reminiscences and those as told by his grandfather and other fascinating characters inhabiting his youthful world.

Each year, Garry Feguson awaited the return of the crows much like a five-year-old awaits Santa Clause’s return, he says, because the very first, Caw, spelled anticipation to—the rebirth of his little wedge of this planet. Whether he’s writing about the Renfrew County Shanties—one room log hovels with dirt floors, or about the characters like Bernie Bedore who “not only created the large body of mythology surrounding that tough, old giant from the square-timber days but has also given us a wealth of songs, poems and stories about other Valley characters and places,” Garry does not fail to hold us enthralled with the “men who went to shanty and the women who stayed behind to run homesteads and raise families forged in the hardships of an unforgiving time in an unforgiving land.”

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Madawaska Highlander Connection

Garry Ferguson was a long-time Griffith & Matawatchan News (now the GMDV News) writer. Several of his stories have appeared in the Madawaska Highlander and now you can read more of them. (81 pages)

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