To describe the spirit of a place is an elusive matter. Dennis Gruending believes that the essence of Saskatchewan can be retrieved from its library shelves, if one is patient and digs deeply enough. Readers will be delighted to know he has done the heavy spadework for us, and uncovered a rich selection of writing from more than fifty sources that reflects the province's people and varied history over more than three centuries. Collected here, as recorded by those who have lived in the landscape and by observant visitors who have passed through it, are the vivid recollections of aboriginal people, excerpts from fur-trade diaries, accounts of Mounties, explorers, and settlers, stories of protest politics, booze, dust, the Depression, war, and the environment. Included are fascinating chronicles of the land before European settlement, eyewitness accounts of major events in Saskatchewan's history, poignant tales of homesteaders and refugees, ruminations on the joys of rural life and portraits of the province's cities, humourous stories about some of Saskatchewan's favourite pastimes, including baseball, football, curling, and hockey, and - of course - stories from the often raucous political life of the province. With brief, evocative selections, The Middle of Nowhere captures the heart and soul, the people and places of Saskatchewan, revealing a province rich in history, with a diverse and multi-ethnic society, and many attractions for both the curious explorer and the devoted resident.