author
Lawrence J. (Lawrence Johnstone) Burpee
1873–1946
A Canadian historian, librarian, and man of letters, he helped shape how early 20th-century readers understood Canada's past. His books and reference works range from exploration narratives to major national history projects.
4 Audiobooks
Pathfinders of the Great Plains: A Chronicle of La Vérendrye and his Sons
by Lawrence J. (Lawrence Johnstone) Burpee
Humour of the North
by Lawrence J. (Lawrence Johnstone) Burpee
By Canadian Streams
by Lawrence J. (Lawrence Johnstone) Burpee
Among the Canadian Alps
by Lawrence J. (Lawrence Johnstone) Burpee
About the author
Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1873, Lawrence Johnstone Burpee built an unusually wide-ranging career as a civil servant, librarian, historian, editor, and author. He entered the Canadian civil service while still young and later became known for his energetic work in literary and cultural life as well as public service.
Burpee wrote and edited many works on Canadian history and geography, including major reference and documentary projects. He is especially associated with writing about exploration in Canada and with helping make historical material more accessible to general readers. He was also involved in important national institutions, including the Royal Society of Canada and the early Canadian Historical Association.
For audiobook listeners, Burpee is most interesting as a guide to Canada's story: curious, organized, and deeply invested in preserving the record of the country he wrote about. He died in Oxford, England, in 1946, leaving behind a body of work that reflects both scholarship and a strong instinct for public education.