Pierre Berton, "Vimy" (1986)

Pierre Berton, Vimy (1986, Anchor Books, rep. 2001).

Berton’s books are popular history, but certainly not only of interest to generalists. His historical works are generally short, pithy, focused on interesting events and character-driven. They certainly do not suffer from overdependency on theoretical jargon or post-modern self-reflection. Vimy, in particular, was a strong example of his work at its best.

Ironically, Vimy is so well-laden with interesting anecdotes and useful information, that as a ‘trained historian’ I wish Berton had used more footnotes and references.

In the early 2000s, Anchor released redesigned paperback versions of some of Berton’s most popular works. The covers are gorgeous, and look great on any shelf; Vimy, in particular, would make a great addition to any Canadianist’s or World War One historian’s collection.