The West was once about the romance and drama of wilderness.Later, it came to be about the enormous promise of resource wealth. There areonly remnants now both of the wilderness and of the promise, and the resourceshave proved a mixed blessing-but the people of the West remain.

In this bestselling book, Sharon Butala looks at the history andvision of the West, a vision as unique as the winter-tinted prairie moon of hertitle. Butala challenges stereotypes and myths, not just those held by Canadiansfrom the East, but those held by Westerners themselves. From the pioneer past toparty politics, from rural myths to urban realities, Butala blends her ownexperiences with the great themes of Western life. Intensely personal and deeplythought-provoking, Lilac Moon is a book for all Canadians who want toknow and understand one of the founding dreams of our nation.