?I began to write this book as an attempt to understand our vision of the Arctic as a world apart, a place where past and present merge in a distant and compelling land of brilliant light.? — Robert McGhee We are all familiar with the typical images presented of the Arctic: a cold barren land, the people who live in a harsh, unforgiving environment, an existence reliant on the old ways, all of which is totally foreign to most of us. The Last Imaginary Place is a comprehensive, enlightening look at one of the most culturally rich and mysterious areas of our world. As curator of one of the world's leading museums of human history (Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa), author Robert McGhee is an expert on the North. McGhee takes us on a thoroughly researched journey into every aspect of this region: its people, past civilizations, landscape, culture, and history. He delves into the changing face of the Arctic culture and the factors that have ushered in change: the end of the Cold War, the end of colonialism, and the rise of the aboriginal rights movement. Troubled with generations of social problems, economic instability and questions of environmental change, the face of the North is bound to change ever more drastically in the new millennium. Accompanied by contemporary and archival images, The Last Imaginary Place promises to be informative, enlightening; a must-read for anyone interested in this captivating part of the world, its history, and its people.

John Ralston Saul is an essayist and novelist. Winner of the Governor General’s Award for The Unconscious Civilization, he has published more than twelve books. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.

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