Nellie L. Mcclung

Painted Fires , first published in 1925, narrates the trials and tribulations of Helmi Milander, a Finnish immigrant, during the years approaching the First World War. The novel serves as a vehicle for McClung's social activism, especially in terms of temperance, woman suffrage, and immigration policies that favour cultural assimilation. In her afterword, Cecily Devereux situates Painted Fires in the context of McClung's feminist fiction and her interest in contemporary questions of immigration and "naturalization." She also considers how McClung's representation of Helmi Milander's story draws on popular culture narratives.

Following the reissue in 2005 of Nellie McClung's classic autobiography, Clearing in the West, comes the highly anticipated second volume, The Stream Runs Fast. Covering McClung's later life from 1896 to 1945, The Stream Runs Fast chronicles her life during some of the most important events in Canadian history, including the First and Second World Wars and The Great Depression. It also contains her personal account of the Famous Five case in 1927, in which she sought, along with four other female activists, the right for women to be recognized as "person" under the law. This law, which allowed women to be elected to the Senate, was a major step toward the entrance of women into Canadian politics. As one of Canada's first female political and social activists, this account of the second half of McClung's life also documents her thoughts, feelings and contributions on behalf of women, immigrants, children and the poor. In addition The Stream Runs Fast is a record of McClung's personal life throughout these years, providing a vivid and intimate portrait of life in early twentieth-century Canada.