Next year : $b a semi-historical account of the exploits and exploitations of the far-famed Barr Colonists, who, led by an unscrupulous Church of England parson, adventured deep into the wilderness of Canada's great North-West in the early days of the twentieth century

"Next Year" by Harry Pick, captures the early twentieth-century journey of the Barr Colonists into Canada's North-West. It details their adventures, hardships, and the conflicts that arise under the leadership of an enterprising parson. The story begins on the S.S. Lake Manitoba, where these British hopefuls endure cramped conditions as they travel to their new home. Characters such as Bertrand Paul Tressider, who has dreams of ranching, and Sam Potts, a sharp-tongued and comical everyman, stand out from the group. Through witty and cynical observations, this narrative captures the colonists' initial dreams, their interactions with both the promising yet challenging Saskatchewan valley and each other, ultimately setting the stage for the harsh realities that await them.