Susanna Moodie is well known to English lit majors from Cape Breton to Vancouver Island, but her full life story is even more interesting than the years depicted in her famous book Roughing It in the Bush suggest. Abolitionist, successful writer, independent lady, Ontario brush clearer, and now Canadian icon: Susanna Moodie probably didn't mean to help define the Canadian identity, but she's right up there with Sir John and Gordon Lightfoot!

Further Reading:

Susanna Strickland Moodie (Dictionary of Canadian Biography)Roughing It in the Bush full text (Project Gutenberg)Susanna Moodie biography and poetry (Poetry Foundation)