A Tale of Two Divas: The Curious Adventures of Jean Forsyth and Edith J. Miller in Canada's Edwardian West

Brilliant singers and extraordinary women, Jean Forsyth and Edith J. Miller epitomized a golden age in Canada’s burgeoning West, where the only entertainment was live, and live performance was the beating heart of cultural life.

Beginning as soloists in Manitoba’s church choirs, soprano Jean Forsyth and contralto Edith Miller took different–though crisscrossing–career paths, navigating an era of remarkable change, from the constraints of late Victorianism to the liberation of the Roaring Twenties. One rose to international stardom and the pinnacle of society, singing for the King of England. The other met the new challenges of the day in a flurry of philanthropic and entrepreneurial activity, crowning an already celebrated career. Each struck out on her own, to struggle–and find–success in a world where opportunities for women were scarce.

Much has been written about the history of the pioneer Prairie West, but rarely has its social arena been so thoroughly examined. Rich in detail, abundant with extraordinary and colourful characters, A Tale of Two Divas is a fascinating and inspiring tale of a bygone era that resonates with our very own.

Elspeth Cameron is the author of three award-winning biographies: Hugh MacLennan: A Writer's Life (1981), Irving Layton: A Portrait (1985), and Earle Birney: A Life (1994). Her 1997 memoir No Previous Experience: A Memoir of Love and Change won the W. O. Mitchell Literary Prize. Her book And Beauty Answers: The Life of Frances Loring and Florence Wyle (2007), was shortlisted for the 2008 Toronto Book Awards. She was also the recipient of the UBC Medal for Canadian Biography in 1981 and the City of Vancouver Book Award in 1995. She has taught English and Canadian Studies at Concordia University and the University of Toronto, and was a professor in the English Language and Literature Department at Brock University.

Gail Kreutzer cares a great deal about animal welfare issues. She has volunteered with The Winnipeg Humane Society for fourteen years, eleven of which were as a board member (2003–2014). For a time during her tenure she served as a co-host with Vicki Burns on the weekly CJOB radio show “All About Animals.” She has contributed articles about animal welfare issues for H2O Gimli and Beaches Adventure Guide and The Winnipeg Humane Society newsletter and the article “A Tribute to Jean Forsyth” for the Humane Society website. As an avid reader with a particular interest in Canadian culture, she is familiar with and has enjoyed Elspeth Cameron’s biographies over the years. Gail is employed as an educator with Evergreen School Division where she began her career in 1984. She currently resides in Arnes, Manitoba and has a cat called Jean after Jean Forsyth.