Muskoka

It's the Age of Elegance in the summer playground of the affluent and powerful. Amid the pristine, island-dotted lakes and pine-scented forests of the Canadian wilderness, the young and carefree amuse themselves with glittering balls and friendly competitions. The summer of 1914 promises to be different when the ambitious and destitute son of a disowned heir joins his wealthy family at their cottage on Wyndwood Island. Through Jack's introduction into the privileged life of the aristocratic Wyndhams and their social circle, he seeks opportunities and alliances to better himself, including in his schemes, his beautiful and audacious cousin, Victoria. But their charmed lives begin to unravel with the onset of the Great War, in which many are destined to become part of the "lost generation." This richly textured tale takes the reader on an unforgettable journey from romantic moonlight cruises to the horrific sinking of the Lusitania, from regattas on the water to combat in the skies over France, from extravagant mansions to deadly trenches - from innocence to nationhood. The Summer Before The Storm, the first of the epic "Muskoka Novels," evokes a gracious, bygone era that still resonates in this legendary land of lakes.

Elgin House, Lake Joseph Past and Present is a history of an important and successful summer resort in the Muskoka Region of Ontario from 1885 to the present. It details the efforts of four generations of the Love family to create a world class summer resort from modest beginnings.The resort was unique in that it catered to the many well to do Canadians and Americans with strong religious beliefs including several of North America's founding families. The book revolves around a series of Love family stories and is set in the context of developments in Canadian history throughout the twentieth century. The book contains 58 images of the resort through it's history including a number by the Muskoka photography legend Frank Mickelthwaite. It concludes with a description of the present day use of this property in the form of the luxurious Lake Joseph Club, a Thomas McBroom designed championship golf course, villas and lake front dining facility.

Ontario's cottage country is famous for its blue lakes and rocky shores, and this wonderful coffee table book captures the spirit of cottage country like no other book before it. John de Visser's award-winning photographs combine with Judy Ross's homespun text to paint an unforgettable picture of contemporary Muskoka.

Exploring Hidden Muskoka is a book that will assist readers in exploring locations of historical and natural interest throughout Muskoka, revealing a side to this popular region that few tourists and cottagers appreciate. The book will be designed to be highly entertaining while also being a practical tool to assist in exploration and sightseeing.

"In 1940, Germany invaded and occupied Norway. The exiled Royal Norwegian Air Force established a training camp for its recruits in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, known as "Little Norway." The air training camp moved to Muskoka Airport near Gravenhurst, Ontario, in 1942, and remained there until near the war neared its end. Little Norway's graduates distinguished themselves in overseas battles, flying in Norwegian squadrons of Britain's Royal Air Force. Many married Canadian women and returned to Canada after the war. Canada can be proud of the assistance it provided to Norway during a dark hour. Canada enabled the Norwegians to establish the air training camp in the country and provided advanced flight training to air crews through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Moreover, Canadians offered kindness and friendship to the young recruits, so far from their homes. This book tells the inspiring story of "Little Norway" and the young Norwegians who trained there."--

The authors explore the tragic history of communities whose stars have long since faded, and the people who once lived, loved, and laboured in them.

Muskoka. Now a premier destination for nature tourists and wealthy cottagers, the region underwent a profound transition at the turn of the twentieth century. Making Muskoka uncovers the connections between lived experience and identity in rural communities shaped by tourism at a time when sustainable opportunities for a sedentary life were few on the Canadian Shield. This rocky section of Ontario was transformed from an Indigenous homeland to a settler community and a part-time playground for tourists and cottagers. But what were the consequences for those who lived there year-round?