Canoe By John Jennings. Here's the history of canoes in North America in a gorgeous and complete "coffee table" style book, perfect for recreational readers or historians, and filled with photographs. Twelve authors, all experts on various aspects of canoe lore, contribute their essays and knowledge. Begin with native crafts--birchbarks, dugouts, skin-covered kayaks and umiaks. How did the first people build and use canoes? Explore the styles and materials, the effects of transportation on their encounters with Europeans, the stories of the fur trade, whale hunting, arctic expeditions. Early photos of native lifestyles are amazing. Later, canoes became recreational vehicles, private places for courting, transportation to hunting and fishing camps, and summer fun for children. Now used for leisure activities, many craftspeople are rediscovering the pleasure of building or owning historical replicas. 271 pages with hundreds of photographs and diagrams. B200