Between 1775 and 1782, as the scourge of smallpox swept across North America, killing untold millions, European traders began a determined march west. In less than a generation, North America was transformed forever. In the midst of this turmoil was William Tomison, a man far too long overlooked by history. A native Orkneyman, he was hired in 1760 as a labourer by the Hudsons Bay Company, but rose to become Governor, Inland in 1786. Though stern and demanding, Tomison could see beyond race or gender and, driven by a passion for education and a vision for the west, he glimpsed the future. In fact, given his egalitarian outlook, his remarkable foresight and inspirational leadership over 51 years in the “ould Nor’Wast”, William Tomison might well be called the first real Western Canadian. Kisiskatchewan: The Great River Road is based on author Barbara Huck ’s in-depth knowledge of the land and the peoples of the Northern Great Plains, as well as the journal entries William Tomison wrote daily in his various capacities with the HBC. These writings always in his elegant script paint an outline of life at the time. But these were business writings, and Tomison was not often a man to show his emotions. So, to capture the details, the nuances, the achievements and the desperation of the period, Huck has gone beyond the journal entries to create a sweeping tale of one of the most turbulent times in our history.