This dramatic and evocative novel opens with the hero flying from his comfortable life in Montreal to the frozen wastes of the Canadian Arctic. Randall Tait, a rich young artist, inspired by great nature painters of the past, travels to a tiny Eskimo settlement in order to paint the people and landscape of the Arctic. At first he sees the beauty and serenity of the Far North; but slowly he discovers the violence and terror there. Through autumn and winter terrible storms assault the community. The ceaseless hunt for food brings further dangers. Asked to work in the community, Tait is reluctantly drawn into its passions and conflicts. The long dark winter aggravates the troubles, and he is tormented by Ioneliness and lust. ln the spring he finds the beauty of the place again and falls in love. Yet new problems develop. ln order to save the community from being torn apart, he is forced into a violent struggle with the man for whom he worked. The consequences are dreadful for Tait. But the year's experiences have transformed him, and the novel comes to a moving and hopeful conclusion. The story is told in colourful and taut prose which lifts the reader into the Eskimos' rapidly changing world and gives him a feeling of the vastness of Canada. Signed by author. Stated First Edition. Remainder mark on bottom edge. Dust jacket has some fraying at the edges, no tears. One corner is bumped.