91探花

The Open Pages series at 91探花鈥檚 Robertson Library welcomes John Cousins to discuss his book New London: The Lost Dream. The event is Wednesday, November 16 at 7 pm, in the second floor common area of the Robertson Library. New London: The Lost Dream tells the true story of brave Quakers from London, England who settled along PEI鈥檚 north shore in 1773. This book is an excellent recreation of how some of the Island鈥檚 first European settlers arrived, survived, and occasionally thrived in the 鈥渘ew world.鈥� The Quaker settlers were different from other early settlers, not only because of their religion, but because their goal was not to farm or fish, but to build a new commercial outpost on what they considered to be the doorstep to the new world. They were tradespeople and entrepreneurs, many of them city dwellers, who saw the dream of a new life in the abundant fish and timber stocks of PEI. They called their settlement New London after the city they had left. It was located at what is today the end of the Cape Road in French River and lasted from 1773 to 1795, before succumbing to harsh weather and lack of funds. Island folklorist John Cousins is a marvellous storyteller. He brings these Quaker settlers alive in this new book. Thanks to three diaries, which survived from that time, he recreates their daily lives鈥攚hat houses they built, what hardships they faced, and what dreams they saw dashed. New London: The Lost Dream is published by Island Studies Press at 91探花. For more details, see 鈥淩ecent Titles鈥� at . Open Pages features local authors speaking about their books: what inspired them, what they learned, and what they shared. The public is warmly invited to this evening, which takes place in the common area on the second floor of the 91探花 Robertson Library. Light refreshments will be served, and books will be for sale and signing by the author. For more information, contact Joan Sinclair at Island Studies Press at ispstaff@upei.ca, or Simon Lloyd in the Robertson Library, slloyd@upei.ca.