Awful Splendour

Awful Splendour bravely goes beyond all of the fire studies, incorporating their separate insights into exhaustive original research to form a sweeping narrative that examines the roles of fire and humans as agents of historical and environmental change. […] The strength of Awful Splendour lies in the prodigious narrative talents of its author. Pyne is a master historian whose command of language is elegant and evocative, and he uses it to great effect in each section to describe recurring and intertwining themes – what he calls ‘nested narratives’ – such as climate, fire as a historical agent, and humans and the institutions they have created to manage fire. […] These ‘nested narratives’ are told in a poetic style that is all Pyne’s own and that lends a powerful sense of detail to his larger narrative. […] Awful Splendour is a formidable and impressive book that complements Pyne’s other Cycle of Fire works, and it is sure to be a must-read for Canadian environmental historians, historical geographers, and forestry and wildlife specialists. Philip Van Huizen, University of British Columbia, BC Studies, No.160, Winter 2008/2009

Awful Splendour: A Fire History of Canada is […] a jargon-free, scholarly account of how forest fires occurred in Canada during the previous centuries, and how institutions (and the people behind those) have dealt with that reality. It is not meant to be a general book about the history of Canada, but it will be useful for professionals and students in environmental history, forest studies, physical geography, and Canadian studies. Yves Laberge, Universite Laval, Electronic Green Journal, Vol.1, Issue 27, Fall 2008

Stephen Pyne has written a most detailed account of fire in the ecological and cultural history of Canada from pre-historic times up to the climactic year of 2003 with a look beyond. Roy Strang, BC Forest Professional, July-August 2008

It is the tenth book about fire authored by Pyne…, a historian with ample personal experience fighting wildfires. Pyne set out to create a somewhat encyclopedic repository of major themes, institutions, individuals, and events. His success at this goal will make this volume a good reference source. M. G. Messina, Texas A&M University, Choice, Vol.45, No. 09

Fire is a defining element in Canadian land and life. With few exceptions, Canada’s forests and prairies have evolved with fire. … This book narrates the history of this relationship and will be of interest to geographers, historians, and members of the fire community. APADE, 2007

There are a few scholars who dominate a field as Stephen Pyne does with the history of fire. Since the publication of his classic Fire in America: A Cultural History of Wildland and Rural Fire in 1982, Pyne has published over half-dozen books on fire in world environmental history. […] Pyne is at his best when he shows the role of the state in fire protection, and specifically, the perennial debates between provinces and federal government on such matters. Stephen Pyne is a gifted writer and pays careful attention to narrative through which, he shows clearly the pivotal role of fire in shaping the Canadian landscape. Robert Wilson, Syracuse University, Left History, Vol.1, Issue 13, Spring/Summer 2008

Another blockbuster from one of the world’s foremost environmental historians. Pyne is a master of rich detail married to grand narrative, and Canada provides a huge subject worthy of those talents. He portrays that great northern country in all of its ecological complexity and then shows how a complex political entity of nation and province interacted to forge policy. This books sets a new standard for all future writing about Canadian lands and peoples.' Donald Worster, Professor of History, University of Kansas and author of Nature's Economy: A History of Ecological Ideas and A River Running West: The Life of John Wesley Powell.

Awful Splendour is engrossingly written and displays Pyne’s characteristic clarity of thought, insightful analysis, and richness of prose. This is a monumental work in scope and detail. It will stand alone as an important companion within his ‘Cycle of Fire’ series. He clearly captures the complexity and intricacies of fire in the Canadian context and is wonderfully descriptive of the fire and ecosystem dynamics of each region.’ Peter J. Murphy, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Renewable Resources at the University of Alberta.