I'm curious. The subject I focus on (because I love it) tends to be Canadian history. I love studying particular other events having to do with other countries/cultures, but the historians I'm most familiar with are Canadian.

Anyone else here like Canadian history? Which theorists/historians do you like or read?

My list, so far, of "must read" favourite social and military Canadian historians:

Jack Granatstein
Bill Waiser
Desmond Morton
Jeff Keshen
David Bercuson
Ramsay Cook
Margaret MacMillan
C.P. Stacey

Anyone else have any names? Or even if you have no especial names to add, what is it about Canadian history that you like/are interested in?

Within the subject of Canadian history, I particularly find the Great Depression, the homefront during WWI, the Canadians in the Pacific Theatre during WWII, the On-to-Ottawa Trek and Propaganda/Censorship during both wars to be of particular interest.

Originally posted by Storico

Anyone else here like Canadian history? Which theorists/historians do you like or read?

...Stephen Leacock? Sorry, couldn't resist. While I haven't read books from anyone in your list, I have read articles by Jack G, all generally very good. What I have been reading are books from the almost explosion of local writers who write about the things they have experienced or about local topics that never have been written about. For instance, I read a book about Camp Aldershot, in Kentville, NS. Why? Because I'm from the area and my father was stationed there during the war. I also read a book called "The Hermit of Gully Lake" a very interesting story about a man who lived by himself in the woods of Nova Scotia (I was reading it for tips..heh heh).

I think history in Canada is becoming popularized not from the usual main stream writers who take a national view, though they are important, but through the local writers who add a personalized view of history. They are filling in the gaps that the big broad national scope books have missed. Also, this increase of books have supported our local presses which allows even more local writers to get into print.

Though I think that this type of local history writing was on the upswing anyway, I believe that the Canada: A Peoples History TV program has inspired people to write because they realize their experiences and views are important. Canadians have discovered what others have been used to for along time: History is not just a series of dry facts but a retelling of many stories about events; stories that are now documented that otherwise would be forgotton

Originally posted by Questor

I think history in Canada is becoming popularized not from the usual main stream writers who take a national view, though they are important, but through the local writers who add a personalized view of history. They are filling in the gaps that the big broad national scope books have missed.

I completely agree. Being from NS, two books that I've read fairly recently include: Sailors, Slackers, Blind Pigs: Halifax at War, and an older book that is like a personal account of a whale fisherman's life in the late 1800's.

Also, this increase of books have supported our local presses which allows even more local writers to get into print.

Yup... my sister just got finished working a work term for a publishing company around here that prints stuff like this.