Willem Bakhuys Roozeboom

Through My Viewfinder Willem Bakhuys Roozeboom

Marguerite, Bill's wife once told him "Living with you has never been easy but it surely has never been dull", an apt description of the contents of this book. As a Documentary Film Producer his world wide assignments are all fascinating adventures. His most exciting exploits however occurred in the High Arctic where he worked for 14 years enduring "Bug infested summers" and minus 70 degree winters. For Canadians it is an "in depth" look at half of our landmass, the Arctic and the Eskimo's who live there. It is history lesson of the "White Man's exploitation of the areas recourses as well as the inhumane treatment they inflicted on the indigenous population. Seen from the Eskimo point of view it is not a comely picture, forced relocations onto barren beaches, hunger and starvation camps, brainwashing by over zealous Christian clerics, unemployment, the dole, drugs, alcohol, suicide, and their struggles to finally achieve governess over their territory, "Nunavut". The book might well be a textbook for young people who have aspirations for careers in the Documentary Motion Picture field. Keeping you equipment going is only half of the battle mere survival is the other half. That is what makes this book a fascinating read.