Franklin's Ghost: Russell Potter and John Geiger

Franklin's Ghost

Arctic exploration and the search for the Northwest Passage has in many ways defined an essential part of the Canadian identity. The search for the lost Franklin Expedition in particular plays a significant role in defining Canada, both from mapping the mysterious frozen lands to interactions between Europeans and the ancient native cultures of the North to the symbolic and even mythic importance of the North to Canadian sovereignty and identity. As the ships and more evidence are discovered, interest in finding the elusive answers grows over 150 years after the expedition first set out, Sir John Franklin's ghost haunts us still.

This site is a catalog of the readings, thoughts and speculations of one amateur Canadian historian, as well as links to related materials and websites as the mystery continues to capitivate many to this day.

About Me

Ted Betts practices corporate law at a major Canadian law firm in Toronto. He obtained his BA and Master's in History from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario with a focus on Canadian history (thesis: The Argument of the Century: The Ontario Press Coverage of the Scopes Trial and the Death of William Jennings Bryan). While he practices law and raises a family, he has remained a steadfast reader of history, particularly Canadian political and cultural history. Arctic exploration and the Franklin Expedition has over the years grown from an interest to a passion and now borders on being an obsession.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Russell Potter and John Geiger

I had the great good luck and fortune to meet with Professor Russell Potter, author of several Franklin Expedition/Arctic books including Finding Franklin: The Untold Story of a 165-Year Search which he launches tomorrow in Toronto, and of course the writer behind the Visions of the North blog, and John Geiger, co-author of Frozen In Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition (the "gateway" book to the Franklin Expedition for so many of us) and CEO of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society.

Russell and John were asked to speak on Charles Adler's SiriusXM radio show and needed an old fashioned landline, which I was in the fortunate position to offer to them.