In Tundra, Mowat gathers historic accounts of Arctic exploration and settlement, weaving them together with his own commentary to create a vivid portrait of the northern landscape. The book includes selections from explorers, missionaries, and settlers who traversed the barren lands from Hudson Bay to the Pacific, highlighting both the hardships and the awe inspired by the Arctic environment.
Mowat’s editorial voice emphasizes the fragility of the ecosystem, the resilience of Indigenous peoples, and the romantic yet perilous allure of the North. It is part of his broader project to make Canadians aware of their northern heritage, alongside works like People of the Deer (1952) and Never Cry Wolf (1963).