Description
One of Canada's most dynamic prime ministers, Lester B. Pearson lived a life which took him from a childhood in rural Ontario to the apex of international politics. This third and final volume of his memoirs follows him from his years of triumph as a Canadian diplomat to his retirement from politics and the passing of the Liberal torch to Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
Completed after Pearson's death under the supervision of his son Geoffrey, this volume of Mike covers Pearson's election as leader of the Liberal Party, his years in opposition to the Diefenbaker government, and his achievements as prime minister: a list that included the establishment of the Canada Pension Plan, universal medicare, the Auto Pact, and a new Canadian flag.
Mike captures Pearson's intellect, his sense of humour, and his humanity, offering an inside look at the decisions that shaped Canada in the twentieth century. This new edition features a foreword by Pearson cabinet minister and former prime minister Jean Chretien.
'Lester Pearson was prime minister for only five turbulent years, but through determined leadership he left an indelible mark upon his nation. His memoirs with their endearing self-deprecating wit, polished prose, and perceptive sketches of people and places stand in the front rank of prime ministerial memoirs. Our greatest diplomat, Pearson combined a realist's and a veteran's understanding of the inevitability of conflict with an idealist's insistence on a world where rules and decency prevailed. In Canada and the world he strove to lay in place the foundations of what he called the empire of peace, and few provided so many bricks for that still unfinished structure.' -- John English, Director, Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History, University of Toronto
About the Author
Lester B. Pearson (1897-1972) was Canada's fourteenth prime minister. Jean Chretien served as Canada's twentieth prime minister. .
Reviews
'[Mike] tells the first-hand story of that heady time, and tells it superbly well.' -- Peter Newman * Globe and Mail *
'To anyone attuned to the ripple of humour, these are some of the funniest memoirs produced by a man of action. They are certainly some of the best written.' -- C.P. Snow * Financial Times *
Book Information
ISBN 9781442615663
Author Rt. Hon. Lester B. Pearson
Format Paperback
Page Count 366
Imprint University of Toronto Press
Publisher University of Toronto Press
Weight(grams) 540g
Dimensions(mm) 228mm * 153mm * 23mm
