The Translation of a Savage

iii, [1], 184, [4] pp. A domestic novel that explores themes of cultural clash, identity, and personal transformation. It follows Frank Armour, who impulsively marries Lali, an Indigenous woman from the Canadian wilderness, as an act of revenge against his family after his former fiancee marries someone else. The 'translation' in the title refers to Lali's journey as she is brought to England and forced to navigate and adapt to the complexities of refined English society. "Parker draws upon his knowledge of the Indian tribes of western Canada, telling the tale of an Englishman of family and wealth who marries an Indian girl of Hudson's Bay out of anger at his family. In an attempt to humiliate his relatives, he sends her back to England but remains in Canada, leading to the translation of the title, and the failure of his revenge. A film version was released in 1934 as Behold My Wife. Gilbert Parker was a Canadian writer and politician who taught at both Trinity College and the Ontario School for the Deaf and Dumb. After travels through Australia, the Pacific, the South Sea Islands, Europe, Egypt, and Asia, he settled in London, England, where he later became involved in politics and was elected to Parliament. In London, he wrote a number of romantic novels, largely concerned with French Canadian history and culture."