Bob Silbernagel, an academic advisor for the Colorado Mesa University Criterion, has plans set in place for the release of his fourth published book, “The Cadottes of Lake Superior: One Family’s Journey Through the Fur-Trade Era.”
Silbernagel currently has three books published: “Dinosaur Stalkers: Tracing the Dinosaur Discoveries of Western Colorado and Eastern Utah,” “Troubled Trails: The Meeker Affair and the Expulsion of Utes from Colorado” and “Historic Adventures on the Colorado Plateau.” The most recent book was published by The History Press in June 2018.
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“Each of my books has had a different publisher,” Silbernagel said. “In each case, I have just kept looking for the right fit with a publishing company, and often have had a number of rejections before that occurred. Early this month I signed a contract with the Wisconsin Historical Society Press to publish my book on the fur trade around Lake Superior.”
“The Cadottes of Lake Superior: One Family’s Journey Through the Fur-Trade Era” tells the biographical story of of a fur trading family that dates back five generations. The book has no set release date, but Silbernagel says he’s looking to 2020 for the launch.
“I’ve spent a long time on this project… about 15 years since I first started my research,” Silbernagel said. “Getting a publisher to say ‘we want to publish your book’ is very satisfying.”
He says the long research process was the most difficult part of the book’s journey.
“The greatest challenge was trying to develop a clear picture of key members of the Cadotte family. Although they are mentioned repeatedly in fur-trader journals and other documents from the late 18th and early 19th century, the Cadottes wrote little about themselves. So, I had to obtain information about their activities and their characters from second-hand sources,” Silbernagel said.
However, the book’s publication also has its rewards and benefits.
“I’m writing about a family and an entire group of people who have not received a lot of ink in the written historical record: French-Canadian traders who married into Ojibwe families,” Silbernagel said. “But they were one of the most important ethnic entities in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, as well as Canada, for several centuries. So, the prospect of telling a part of their story is also rewarding.”
Silbernagel previously worked as a journalist for 40 years, with 34 years spent at the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel as a writer and editorial page editor. His first two books were launched while he was still working full-time at the Sentinel. Silbernagel’s previous books are available on Amazon as well as at local bookstores such as Grand Valley Books, Out West Books and Barnes & Noble.