“Boston Men” on the Northwest Coast:
The American Maritime Fur Trade,
1788-1844
Fairbanks: Limestone Press, University of Alaska, 1998
“Boston Men” on the Northwest Coast was one of six books chosen by The Bookwatch for its American History Shelf in August 1999.
“The breadth and depth of Malloy’s research into the extensive, but widely scattered, primary sources, is astonishing. ... She addresses these various sources comprehensively and confidently, and writes with flair. Her analysis of the fur trade is masterful, clear and concise. It is very well written, as is her thoughtful and stimulating chapter on ‘Shipboard Society and Northwest Coast Indian Society.’ ... A major asset for everyone studying the Northwest Coast and its early culture contact history.”
– The Bookwatch, August 1999
“An impressive work of painstaking scholarship, “Boston Men” on the Northwest Coast is a seminal reference work... a superb and valued contribution to the growing body of American maritime history.”
– The Northern Mariner, Vol. IX, no. 4, October 1999
James Gibson, author of Otter Skins, Boston Ships, and China Goods .
“Mary Malloy’s ‘Boston Men’ is a focused, detailed study that examines the nature of American involvement in the trade. Malloy’s long association with the maritime world (as a scholar, educator, and museum professional) enables her to provide the reader with an understanding of the nuances and realities of shipboard life, routine, discipline, and technology. ... It represents significant research and a considerable contribution to the historiography of the maritime fur trade. ... Malloy’s insights, and the encyclopedic nature of the book, make ‘Boston Men’ a worthy addition to the literature and a must for the scholar’s library.”
– Great Circle: Journal of the Australian Society for Maritime History,
Vol 21, no. 2, 1999.
Rhys Richards, New Zealand Ambassador to the Solomon Islands.
“This is an essential book for students of the ‘coast trade.’ Mary Malloy ... immersed herself in the subject—especially its documentary side—for more than a decade. ... The work is extremely valuable because of its critical historiographical review, its useful gazetteer of coastal ports of call, and—above all—its comprehensive list of American trading vessels. Primarily a reference work, and a much needed one ... this is a ‘must’ buy for every serious student of the coast trade.”
– B.C. Studies, Vol. 23, Autumn, 1999
James Delgado, Director, Vancouver Maritime Museum.
“Most documentary treasures are ‘hiding’ in plain sight. Mary Malloy’s experience proves the point. … Malloy’s purpose is not to rewrite the history of the trade; rather, her goal is to challenge historians, anthropologists, and others to reexamine the interaction between the European and native cultures. … Malloy lays down her challenge in two well-documented and provocative essays. … By challenging scholars to revisit materials and rethink their use, she has made all of us more aware of the ‘hidden treasures’ that rest in our museums, libraries, and archives.”
– The New England Quarterly, Vol. 72, No. 4. Dec., 1999
William M. Fowler, Jr., Director of the Massachusetts Historical Society