Imaginary Line: Life on an Unfinished Border

Poitras, Jacques

ISBN 10: 0864926502 / ISBN 13: 9780864926500

Editore: Goose Lane Editions, 2011

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The book is in good condition with all pages and cover intact, including the dust jacket if originally issued. The spine may show light wear. Pages may contain some notes or highlighting, and there might be a "From the library of" label. Boxed set packaging, shrink wrap, or included media like CDs may be missing.

Codice articolo BSM.138VN

Dati bibliografici

• Titolo: Imaginary Line: Life on an Unfinished Border
• Editore: Goose Lane Editions
• Data di pubblicazione: 2011
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 0864926502
• ISBN 13: 9780864926500
• Rilegatura: Brossura
• Condizione: good

Descrizione articolo

Riassunto

Once, a single francophone settlement shared both sides of the Saint John River, until a political trade-off between countries split it down the middle. From that inauspicious start, the Maine-New Brunswick border, the first boundary to be drawn between the two nations, has served as a microcosm for Canada-U.S. relations.

For centuries, friends, lovers, schemers and smugglers have reached across the line. Now, post-9/11, mounting political paranoia has led to a sharp divide, disrupting the lives and welfare of nearby residents. An elderly Canadian couple's driveway touches the border, leading to a Kafkaesque overreaction by Homeland Security. The Tea Party political movement advocates complete border shutdown. Once friendly neighbors have become increasingly isolated from each other.

In this timely exploration, Jacques Poitras travels the length of the border, from Madawaska and Aroostook counties through Passamaquoddy Bay to a tiny island still in dispute to uncover the arbitrarily drawn line that shouldn't be there, almost wasn't there, and can be difficult to find even when it is there. The stakes are high as New Brunswick and Maine re-imagine their relationship for the 21st century and communities strive to stay together despite the best efforts of parochial politicians, protectionists, and overzealous border officials.

Dalla quarta di copertina

At one time a single settlement shared both sides of the Saint John River, until a political trade-off split it down the middle. From that inauspicious start, the Maine-New Brunswick border, the first boundary to be drawn between Canada and the U.S., has served as a microcosm for relations between the two nations. For centuries, friends, lovers, schemers, and smugglers have reached across the line. Now, post 9/11, political paranoia has led to a sharp divide, disrupting the lives of residents caught in the middle of world events. An elderly Canadian couple's driveway touches the border, leading to a Kafkaesque overreaction by homeland Security. The Tea Party calls for complete border shutdown. Once friendly neighbours have become increasingly isolated from each other.

In this timely exploration, Jacques Poitras travels the length of the border — from Madawaska and Aroostook counties through Passamaquoddy Bay to a tiny island still in dispute — to uncover an arbitrary line that shouldn't be there, almost wasn't there, and can be difficult to find even when it is there. The stakes are high as New Brunswick and Maine re-imagine their relationship for the 21st century.