Though many often think of frontier life in the United States of America, «Forest, Lake and Prairie: Twenty Years of Frontier Life in Western Canada—1842–62» by John McDougall brings readers right into the harsh, wild, and adventurous life that was expected of the Canadian frontier. Fans of US frontier stories will find familiar elements with the settlers who called Canada home. However, it would be unwise to assume the two experiences are identical, especially not after reading the sometimes harrowing tale weaved by McDougall.