A Business History of Alberta chronicles a rich history of people and enterprise—an enduring spirit of entrepreneurship, and an evolution of economic foundations—from pioneer outposts to sophisticated global players. Found the foundations of business in Alberta through its development to the emergence of big business, this is a fascinating study of Alberta over time.

Businesses large and small have always been an integral part of Alberta’s identity and growth. Exploring the evolution of business growth in Alberta, this comprehensive and unique study examines the role businesses have played in the economic, political, and social development of the province.

Henry C. Klassen is Professor Emeritus in the History Department at the University of Calgary. His academic pursuits have long focussed on the study of Canadian business and financial history. He has recently published another book with the University of Calgary Press: Luther Holton: A Founding Canadian Entrepreneur (2001).

Henry C. Klassen's profile page

• Short-listed, Alberta Book Awards, Scholarly Book of the Year

Within his own unified frame of reference, Klassen has woven together political, economic, commercial, demographic, and social threads to explain how business operations evolved in the province. In showing us the enduring roots of Alberta's self-advertised entrepreneurial psyche, he has legitimized a long-standing popular perception. That he has done so by bringing to life dozens of forgotten individuals is an achievement all historians should appreciate.
—Max Foran, Great Plains Quarterly