How Different It Was

The blurb led me to expect, in its claim of dramatic description and detail, a lot of primary source quotations from diaries, letters, and written materials of the period. Instead this is a 200 page Wikipedia article covering the history of Canada, with emphasis on the Confederation.

How Different It Was: Canadians at the time of Confederation by Michael J. Goodspeed is a well-researched, enjoyable read detailing the daily life of Canadians in the decades stretching from 1840 to 1880.