National Network for Equitable Library Service

Lake of the Old Uncles recounts a trip that began three-quarters of a century ago in a small village inn nestled in the Laurentian hills of French-speaking Quebec. One day, the trip will end at the village cemetery, just one kilometre from the inn. The traveller is the author. The trip is not long, but is rich in rural and natural experiences along the way. Gerard Kenney takes us along the route that led him to build the lone log cabin on the small and inaccessible Lake of the Old Uncles. No roads reach the pond, only a footpath. The hours spent in the quietude of the forest cabin have had an effect on the author that has resulted in a personal philosophy, both rural and natural, inspired by his hero, Henry David Thoreau. Gerard Kenney shares with his readers the evolution of his philosophy through his personal experiences with people and with the wilderness flora and fauna he has encountered on his life’s journey.