author
A. P. (Arthur Philemon) Coleman
1852–1939
A pioneering Canadian geologist, he helped shape early understanding of glaciation and spent decades exploring some of the country's wildest landscapes. His writing brings together science, travel, and a real sense of adventure.
1 Audiobook
Glaciers of the Rockies and Selkirks, 2nd. ed. With Notes on Five Great Glaciers of the Canadian National Parks
by A. P. (Arthur Philemon) Coleman
About the author
Born in Lachute, Quebec, in 1852, Arthur Philemon Coleman became one of Canada’s best-known geologists and academics. He studied at Victoria College and later earned a doctorate at the University of Breslau before returning to Canada, where he taught at the University of Toronto and built a long career in geology.
Coleman is especially remembered for his work on glaciers and ancient ice ages, including identifying the Huronian glaciation. He also explored widely in the Canadian Rockies and other remote regions, and that firsthand experience gave his scientific and travel writing an energetic, outdoors-minded feel.
Alongside his university work, he was involved with museum leadership and became a prominent public figure in Canadian science. He died in Toronto in 1939, leaving behind a legacy as both a serious researcher and a vivid interpreter of the natural world.