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A third-generation Pacific Northwest logger returns to the forests of Haida Gwaii, to witness a way of life in the grip of change.By the time Aaron Williams began learning how to fall a tree, his family had been making clear cuts on BC hillsides for nearly a century. During his father’s generation, the industry started to crumble, and by the time Williams arrived, he knew his future lay elsewhere.
But his father continued in the trade, his work taking him into the forests of Haida Gwaii. There, Williams follows him into a season at Collison Point, where the loggers are increasingly unwelcome visitors to the ancient forests.
The Last Logging Show captures the spectacular setting of Haida Gwaii and the people who call it home. It unravels the lives and dreams of those who log the forests for a living, who have coexisted with the Haida for generations—but while one way of life is in the twilight of existence, the other is being reborn. Thoughtful and compelling, this is a story of connection, community, and the force of fundamental change.
About the author
Aaron Williams’ first book, Chasing Smoke (2017), was based on his experience fighting forest fires in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Idaho. His writing has been published in newspapers such as The Globe and Mail, the Halifax Chronicle Herald and the Vancouver Observer. He has a MFA in creative non-fiction writing from King’s College. He lives in Halifax, NS, with his family.
Summary
A third-generation Pacific Northwest logger returns to the forests of Haida Gwaii, to witness a way of life in the grip of change.
By the time Aaron Williams began learning how to fall a tree, his family had been making clear cuts on BC hillsides for nearly a century. During his father’s generation, the industry started to crumble, and by the time Williams arrived, he knew his future lay elsewhere.
But his father continued in the trade, his work taking him into the forests of Haida Gwaii. There, Williams follows him into a season at Collison Point, where the loggers are increasingly unwelcome visitors to the ancient forests.
The Last Logging Show captures the spectacular setting of Haida Gwaii and the people who call it home. It unravels the lives and dreams of those who log the forests for a living, who have coexisted with the Haida for generations—but while one way of life is in the twilight of existence, the other is being reborn. Thoughtful and compelling, this is a story of connection, community, and the force of fundamental change.
