In 1908 Canada celebrated its 300th anniversary – the tercentenary of Champlain's founding of Quebec City. In two glorious weeks of parades, ceremonies, balls, and festivities, Canadians commemorated their history in a spectacle that would not be surpassed until the centennial of 1967. The climax of the 1908 celebration was an historical pageant in which 4000 sumptuously costumed citizens re-enacted classic events in Canada's history. Canada's leading painters were also there to capture these memorable scenes for posterity. The past was being celebrated, but with the present and the future in mind.

In The Art of Nation-Building, H.V. Nelles uses contemporary literary techniques to convey the scope, colour, and intensity of the tercentenary from various perspectives. Drawing on the intimate diaries and letters of leading social and political figures, he leads us behind the scenes, disclosing the politics of memory, the theatrics of history, and the making of a modern monarchy. Nelles reveals what we actually do when we commemorate, how we use the past, and the multivocal character of mass celebration

This richly illustrated, thought-provoking interpretation of public celebrations offers a novel perspective on Quebec and on the upcoming celebration of the millennium.

Winner of two prestigious prizes: the Sir John A. Macdonald Prize (CHA) and the Prix Lionel-Groulx (IHAF).

H.V. Nelles is the L.R. Wilson Professor of Canadian History at McMaster University and Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at York University. Both have written and published extensively on Canadian history and are widely recognized as two of the foremost scholars in the field.

H.V. Nelles' profile page

'Because of the accessible way in which such insights are presented, this book deserves a popular audience as well. It offers an evocative portrait of Canadian society at the turn of the century and detailed but accessible analysis of the attempts by organizers and participants to overcome, even if only for a fleeting moment, the ethnic and political divisions of the period ... The optimism of Lord Grey and others will undoubtedly prove inspiring to some readers and perhaps juvenile and naªve to others. This book, itself, helps to prove something else - that detailed historical monographs written by university professors can be both educational and entertaining.'

The Beaver