Book excerpt: Sweeping, ambitious, and revelatory, this is the second volume in a major history of our country by one of our most respected thinkers and historians—a book every Canadian should own. From the acclaimed biographer and historian Conrad Black comes the definitive history of Canada—a masterful, groundbreaking account of the people and events that shaped a nation. The second of three volumes, spanning from the year 1867-1949, this compelling history challenges our perception of our history and Canada's role in the world, taking on sweeping themes and vividly recounting the story of Canada's development from colony to dominion to country. Black persuasively reveals that while many would argue that Canada was perhaps never predestined for greatness, the opposite is in fact true: the emergence of a magnificent country, against all odds, was a remarkable achievement. Brilliantly conceived, this major new reexamination of our country's history is a riveting tour de force by one of the best writers writing today.