Victor Suthren

Victor Suthren (born March 2, 1942) is a Canadian writer and novelist with an interest in colonial and maritime history.

Career

Born in Montreal, Suthren was educated at Bishop's University (BA, 1965) and Concordia University (MA, 1970). He joined the Civil Service and rose to serve as Director General of the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa (1986-1997) before leaving to pursue a writing career. A former university naval reservist, he was appointed to a lengthy term as an Honorary Captain(N) in the Royal Canadian Navy (1997-2014), attached to the office of the Commander of the RCN, his efforts in heritage promotion for which were recognized by the award of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal and the Canadian Forces Decoration (CD). He has been President of the international Captain Cook Society since May 2023,^[1] and has been an occasional film adviser and oceanic "tall ship" sailor in the replica of HM Bark "Endeavour" and other ships. From 1983 to 1993 he sang in the chorus and in some minor lead roles with the Ottawa Savoy Society's Gilbert and Sullivan productions. In 1969 he married Lindsay Scott of Montreal and they have three children.^[2]

Publications

Paul Gallant series

Set in mid-18th century

1. The Black Cockade (1977) (ISBN 0-8125-8862-2)^[3]
2. A King's Ransom (1980) (ISBN 0-8125-8866-5)
3. In Perilous Seas (1983) (ISBN 0-8125-8868-1)

Edward Mainwaring series

Starts in 1739

1. Royal Yankee (1987) (ISBN 0-586-20429-6)
2. The Golden Galleon (1988) (ISBN 0-312-02216-6)
3. Admiral of Fear (1991) (ISBN 0-340-63840-0)^[4]
4. Captain Monsoon (1993) (ISBN 0-312-08728-4)^[5]

Non-fiction

• "The Oxford Book of Canadian Military Anecdotes" (1989) ISBN 0195407113^[6]
• "Canadian Stories of the Sea" (1993) ISBN 0195408497
• "The War of 1812" (1999)(ISBN 0-7710-8317-3)^[7]
• "To Go Upon Discovery: James Cook And Canada" (2000) (ISBN 1-55002-327-6)^[8]
• "The Sea Has No End: The Life of Louis-Antoine de Bougainville" (2004) (ISBN 1-55002-519-8)^[9]
• "The Island Of Canada" (2009) (ISBN 0887624065)^[10]
• "Black Flag of the North: Bartholomew Roberts, King of Atlantic Pirates" (2018) ISBN 9781459736009