REMINISCENCES OF A BUNGLE BY ONE OF THE BUNGLERS: AND TWO OTHER NORTHWEST REBELLION DIARIES. Edmonton (Alta.), University of Alberta Press, c1983. 323pp, paper, $9.95, ISBN 0-88864-077-3. (Western Canada Reprint Series #3) Grades 12 and up Reviewed by R. Rennie Volume 13 Number 4 1985 July The book contains three diaries and an introduction. The introduction itself is an excellent commentary on the views held by leaders of both sides of the Northwest rebellion. It is especially sympathetic to the situation of the Plains Indians and their treatment by the government and local agents. There is a balanced assessment of the motives behind the moves, counter moves, and lack of motion by the leaders of the opposing forces. The first diary, Ord's, is by a Canadian from Ontario who returns the English contempt for colonials in kind. He has no respect for Middleton, commanding general of the forces attacking Batoche, and little for the Metis and Indians against whom they are to fight. The other two are no less biased and prejudiced. They all display a very self-centred and self-satisfied attitude. Each occupied a different position in the fighting, Ord and Burden at Batoche, and Cassels at Battleford and Cut Knife Hill. Each thinks his own group had the worst assignments and overcame the worst conditions. A quotation to give the flavour of the whole:". . .and a brilliant and most intelligent lot they are: a major-general, a captain of Royal Engineers, and infantry lieutenant, an Indian Department official, and a major of militia, each knowing less than the other." The second man continues in much the same vein but his story is based on his experiences defending Battleford. The third man is, like the first, involved in the action at Batoche and a little less critical. He was with French's Scouts and saw more action than the others. It becomes interesting, then, to read of how history is recorded, by different persons, from different points of view, and with different motives. If anyone is studying Canada's growth to independence through fighting in World War II, this is a good precursor of colonial and imperialist views and of the familiar story of Canadian soldiers' waiting for the British generals to make up their minds. R. Rennie, Daniel McIntyre C.I., Winnipeg, Man.