The captivating story of Scottish immigrant Peter McEwan who, in his quest for adventure, made a discovery that shaped the future of Southwestern Ontario
Written By The LWS Book Club
The Salt Man begins as an immigrant’s story–part memoir, part historical fiction–written by the great-great-granddaughter of the main character. Rooted in facts excavated from family letters, archives, and diaries, the reader follows the journey of a boy and his family as they endure the harrowing trip from Scotland across the Atlantic to the Province of Canada, as well as the hardships they endured to establish a new life in a harsh and often hostile environment.
Kay provides a vibrant snapshot of mid-to late-19th Century life in Southwestern Ontario. Her keen attention to detail paints vivid, realistic images. But this book is not written strictly as a ‘history’. It draws us into the life of Peter McEwan and how, as he matures, his story shifts from one of endurance to one of hope and vision. He is driven to succeed; it fuels his work ethic, and his uncanny ability to find oil makes it possible. He always finds a way through the challenges and hurdles thrown in his path, often at great cost, especially to his family.
The Salt Man exposes the perils, pitfalls, and rewards of drilling for oil in this era, and the little-known fact that the world’s oil boom started right here in Southwestern Ontario. Kay also shines a spotlight on everyday family life and the extraordinary toils faced by women, especially the dangers of childbirth, illness, and the excessive hard work involved in early rural settlement.
Despite the family’s challenges, this book pulses with an unwavering undercurrent of hope. When McEwan tenaciously refuses to stop drilling at the one site that would put him (and Goderich) on the map, one wonders what possessed him to continue to drill deeper and deeper, to depths deemed outrageous to observers and investors. Fortunately, he did, for his resilient ingenuity and stubborn determination transformed his life–and the lives of many in the area to this day–when he struck salt.
The Salt Man is a book about commitment and courage. It celebrates not only a distant grandparent, but a somewhat unsung Canadian hero, Peter McEwan, the man who would not give up. In the end, McEwan left a lasting legacy, as has the author, Anne Kay, with this novel.
About the Author: Stories of her great-great-grandfather, Peter McEwan, have always fascinated Anne Kay. After a forty-year career in health care writing countless articles for many publications, she turned her attention to her lifelong passion for fiction, and captured Peter’s life story in The Salt Man. Together with her children and grandchildren, Anne takes every opportunity to visit her hometown of Goderich, where the salt industry thrives to this day. www.thesaltman.ca
About the LWS Book Review Club: The London Writers Society offers several unique opportunities for its 170+ members to meet, collaborate and learn, including a Book Review Club. The group meets monthly to read and review books written by members and non-members (with a focus on local authors), and to practice the art of how to write a fair and honest review.
