HARVEST FROM THE ROCK: A HISTORY OF MINING IN ONTARIO. Smith, Philip. Toronto, Macmillan, c1986. 346pp. cloth. $32.95. ISBN 0-7715-9705-3. CIP Grades 10 and up Reviewed by Neil Payne Volume 14 Number 5 1986 September Harvest From the Rock is a popular history written for the general public. It is a quasi-official history, as it was written and published with the co-operation of the Ontario ministry of northern development and mines and the copyright is held by the government of Ontario. The author, Philip Smith, has been a successful writer for newspapers and magazines, including fifteen years as a writer and editor for Weekend Magazine. This book is his fourth. Harvest Front the Rock is an interesting, well-written, and well-paced book. It avoids technical terms as much as possible and explains mining and geological concepts in terms easily understood by the layperson. It is a valuable book, because it tells the story of Ontario's vital mining industry so that it will be both enjoyable and informative reading for the high school student or the general public. It tells how the early railroads through northern Ontario exposed deposits of gold, silver, and copper, creating interest in the area and providing access for the prospectors. Later, nickel and iron would become more important as the demand created by the wars and the automobile industry meant rapid growth for Ontario's mining industry. Although there has been a recent slump in the industry, it is still, and will continue to be, a major factor in the province's economy. There is a bibliography and an excellent index to aid the researcher, and the book has numerous interesting photographs to support the text. This book will be a valuable addition to any library with an interest in the historical development of Ontario's economy in general, or the mining industry in particular. Highly recommended. Neil Payne, Kingston C.V.I., Kingston, Ont.