Drinking from the Iceberg

What does it take to succeed as a field zoologist, particularly as a woman in a heavily male-dominated industry? Resilience, adaptability and a longing for adventure. These are the traits that Lorna Lyons highlights in her personal memoir, Drinking from the Iceberg. Across seventy short scenes, spanning around thirty years and four provinces and one territory, Lyons invites the reader into her home and family, her successes and struggles of her early life and early career.

Lyons blends memory and vivid scenes to create compelling portraits of her time growing up in Northern Alberta. As the oldest of seven siblings, Lyons balances childhood games and exploration with taking care of her younger siblings. It is not always easy, but Lyons unveils the excitement and compassion of rural life in the mid-twentieth century. Through these tales of growth, Lyons demonstrates an early fascination for nature and small creatures. Little does she know that an early fascination with a bat on the front porch would take her to some of the most remote places in Canada.

Lyons' zoology training takes her from the labs of the University of Alberta to the endless skies of the Northwest Territories. In this phase of life, she hones her skills as a scientist and a survivalist. But the work takes its toll and Lyons veers off course for a year, transferring to the University of British Columbia to study English. Here, she meets Harvey, whom she quickly marries. Their new adventure together sees them traveling east, eventually settling for a time on the remote Camel Island, in Newfoundland, with their daughter and two dogs.

Lyons peoples her recollections with a cast of colourful characters, placing the reader at the heart of conversations and conflicts, inviting them into a world that is at once foreign and recognizably human.