Description
With an Introduction by Sherrill Grace.
Cowboys and Indians, sometimes one and the same, occupy the rugged landscape of the late nineteenth-century British Columbia interior in George Bowering's Shoot! Meet the McLean Gang — brothers Allan, Charlie, and Archie — and their sidekick Alex Hare. Halfbreeds who grew up bitter outcasts, rejected by both white and Indian worlds, they roam the ranch country around Kamloops on a wild spree of cattle rustling, robbery, and mayhem. Until the day they go too far and kill two men in cold blood, one of whom is the local sheriff. Tracked and captured by a posse of over a hundred men, the McLean Gang — the youngest a boy of fourteen — were tried, convicted and hanged in short order. Originally published in 1994, Shoot! is a compassionate tale of race relations in the interior of British Columbia in the 1800s. Told with humour and sensitivity, George Bowering's imaginative re-creation of the world of the real-life McLean Gang soars into the realm of exhilarating speculation.
Contributor Notes
George Bowering is the author of nine novels, including Burning Water and Caprice, five books of short stories, and numerous volumes of poetry and essays. He was Canada's first Poet Laureate, and is an officer of the Order of Canada. He lives in Vancouver.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 13
- Grade:
- 8
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Annotations
Librarian review
Shoot!
In this novel, Bowering gives a fictional treatment to the little-known true story of the McLean gang who lived in the Kamloops area in the late 1800s. The McLean brothers and a friend were a group of half white/half Aboriginal boys who ended up forming an outlaw gang which became increasingly violent, eventually escalating to murder. A posse was formed and the boys ended up in jail. The book explores issues of equity, liberty, loyalty and justice. The McLeans considered themselves to be fighting against the whites (but also often considered themselves white), while the government just saw ‘half-breed’ outlaws.
Bowering is an officer of the Order of Canada and was Canada’s first Poet Laureate. His numerous books include the Governor General’s Award-winning titles The Gangs of Kosmos and Burning Water.
Caution: Contains violence, swearing and racist language.
Source: The Association of Book Publishers of BC. BC Books for BC Schools. 2009-2010.
