Description

This book is an invitation to undertake a fascinating journey on seldom traveled roads, in search of the origins of Quebec and Canada.

Sillery - close to Quebec City - provides the homeport of this journey which takes the readers to all continents and through all eras.

The thread of history is studded with places, events and people. Decoding their interactions, attempting to discover their why and how is the goal pursued by the author. The structure of the book is reminiscent of the links that the Internet has made us familiar with. The readers will navigate through history somewhat as they might surf on the web. The links bring to light the forces and currents that feed the dynamics of history.

For example, the readers will appreciate how scientific advances and technologies stemmed from old civilizations and allowed the European explorers to speed along the oceans in search of a new road toward gold and spices. These include Giovanni Caboto, Jacques Cartier and Samuel de Champlain. In the 16th century, a religious uprising in Wittenberg, Germany, will stir up a wave of evangelistic fervor in China, South America... and in New France. A momentous victory of the British Navy on the Spanish coast - at Cape Trafalgar - will result in the development of industrial activities in Quebec that will last for more than a hundred years...