Alfred H Siemens

Green Mackinaw Alfred H Siemens

A curious and earnestly spiritual Mennonite student at the university of British Columbia leaves for an exchange year in Europe in 1954. Decades later a crusty octogenarian looks back on his idealistic youth through that one year of study and travel. The reader of the memoir is taken back to post-World War II Europe, which was still in reconstruction. Rich art and architecture appears on every hand, as well as many intriguing landscapes. The student observes it all with a sense of wonder; he accumulated hundreds of photographs and a substantial diary. He finds a different and challenging system at the University of Hamburg, he explored a broad swath from England to Crete. The lessons learned deeply influenced subsequent travel to many countries with his wife and family. In 1954-55 he began to question some of his beliefs but also developed a passion for places that would lead into a lengthy and respected career in Human Geography. Green Mackinaw struggles against clichés and conventions; it is also full of wit and humour, it delights and informs.