John Campbell Gordon was Canada's seventh Governor-General, from 1893 to 1898. Originally from Scotland, he and his wife Ishbel Marjoribanks Gordon, collectively known as 'the Aberdeens,' were known for their passion for social reform. Liberal Hearts and Coronets (University of Toronto Press, 2015) by Veronica Strong-Boag explores the compelling story of the progressive Aberdeens and their contributions to Canada. It is also "the first biography to treat john Campbell Gordon as seriously as his better-known wife."; The couple's first visit to the country was part of a world tour undertaken in 1890. They immediately felt an affinity with Canada and in 1891 bought Coldstream Ranch in BC's Okanagan valley (the purchase was reportedly touted in local newspapers as "the best advertisement the Okanagan country has ever had";). In 1893 John was appointed Canada's Governor-General and the Aberdeens settled in at Ottawa's Rideau Hall. The couple was dedicated to worker's rights, women's rights and home health care. Ishbel helped found and was elected president of Canada's first National Council of Woman and the Victorian Order of Nurses. John travelled extensively through Canada, driven to meet and speak with the everyday Canadian. Through their beliefs and actions, the Aberdeens transformed the perception of Canada's Governor General. Previously viewed as an upper-crust representative of the monarchy, the position was now seen as one that listened to and spoke of Canadian citizens' concerns. Veronica Strong-Boag, a UBC professor in the Departments of Education and Women's Studies, is a former Director of the Centre for Research in Women's Studies and Gender Relations and a former coordinator of women's studies programming at SFU.