James Raffan was born in a canoe on the Speed River in the summer of 1955. At J. F. Ross Collegiate, in Guelph, Ontario, he majored in music and extracurricular sports. Years at Queen's University focussed largely on northern adventure and music. To his parents' surprise and delight, degrees were eventually conferred in biology and education. In later years he earned a doctorate in cultural geography. Day jobs have included canoe guide, youth leader, high school teacher and, for 18 years, professor of outdoor and experiential education at Queen's University. Since 1999, JR has been a full-time writer, speaker and educational consultant, working from his home on Cranberry Lake, north of Kingston, Ontario.
PUBLICATIONS:
Emperor of the North: Sir George Simpson and the Remarkable Story of the Hudson's Bay Company. HarperCollins Canada, 2007
Deep Waters: Courage, Character and the Lake Timiskaming Canoeing Tragedy. HarperCollins, 2002.
Bark, Skin, & Cedar: Exploring the Canoe in Canadian Experience. HarperCollins, 1999.
Tumblehome: Meditations and Lore from a Canoeist's Life. HarperCollins, 2001.
Wild Waters: Exploring North America's Wilderness Rivers. Firefly, 1996.
Fire in the Bones: Bill Mason and the Canadian Canoeing Tradition. HarperCollins, 1996.
AWARDS:
Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002.
Chair, Arctic Institute of North America Board of Directors, 1999-2001.
Fellow, Royal Canadian Geographical Society, 1988.
