Raffan captures the many contradictions of this remarkable man: a master planner who laid the foundations for the greatest business enterprise of its day; a pompous dandy who was at home in a canoe; a man ashamed of his out-of-wedlock birth who sired at least 13 children from 8 different women. George Simpson rose from humble Scottish beginnings to become governor of a far-flung business empire, and he knew how to face down his opponents with a mixture of cunning, bravery and flattery. A wide cast of characters strides through the pages of this gripping story—frontier voyageurs, skilled native trappers, intrepid explorers, impoverished settlers and lord and ladies of the realm.
Richly illustrated with original documents and images, Emperor of the North recreates a time in our history when one extraordinary business could shape the destiny of a nation.
