- Paperback: 344 pages
- Publisher: McClelland & Stewart; Reprint edition (Oct 9 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0771070454
- ISBN-13: 978-0771070457
- Product Dimensions: 15 x 2.5 x 22.4 cm
- Shipping Weight: 567 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
-
Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#301,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( M ) > Macdonald, John A.
- #23 in Books > History > Americas > Canada > 19th Century
- #24 in Books > History > Canada > 19th Century
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
Amazon.ca
Hot darn, that biography of John A. Macdonald was riveting! Now that's a phrase you probably never thought you'd utter but almost certainly will if you read Private Demons: The Tragic Personal Life of John A. Macdonald, author Patricia Phenix's outstanding, unprecedented biography of Canadian founding father John A. Macdonald. No, really. More Kitty Kelley than Antonia Fraser in her approach to her subject, Phenix displays here a prowess not hinted at in her last work Eatonians: the Story of the Family Behind the Family. The author admits straight-up that for this biography of Macdonald her intent was to expose the man behind the legacy in a tell-all fashion.
Phenix noted that "Biographers of John A. Macdonald have an almost unlimited number of materials at their disposal, including books, magazine articles, and photographs." And continues: "Most of these biographers have focused almost solely on the political side of John A.'s life, rather than on the personal side. In contrast, this book attempts to reveal John A. as less of a Canadian icon than a flesh-and-blood man, struggling to balance a sometimes tumultuous and tragic family life with his life as a politician."
Talk about truth in advertising. As a result, Macdonald--previously regarded as little more than a gloomy old dead dude whose history bored kids senseless in elementary school and whose mug exists today on the $10 bill--positively springs to life. Of course, Phenix had plenty to work with: Macdonald's life was a 19th century soap opera brimming with debt, drugs, booze, broads, back-biting, unplanned pregnancy, unchecked social ambition, a child's unpunished murder, a distant Queen Victoria and that pesky Louis Riel feller. Amid all that, Macdonald--a hot-tempered but whip-smart Scottish born immigrant--managed to become prime minister an astonishing seven times while spearheading a national railroad and pulling errant provinces together into the (somewhat) cohesive whole known today as Canada. All of this achieved while mostly drunk. Take that, Laurier! History, Canadian or otherwise, rarely sizzles quite like that. -- Kim Hughes --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
“Private Demons is a thoroughly titillating and, at times, heartbreaking journey through Sir John’s troubled life.”
— Ottawa Citizen
“A rollicking, fast-paced yet exhaustive account. . . . Phenix succeeds in page-turning fashion.”
— Regina Leader Post
“A real contribution to Canadian history.”
— Maclean’s
Praise for Olga Romanov:
“An amazing story, with all the sweep and fullness of fairyland and Fabergé eggs.”
— Globe and Mail
“A compelling tale, partly because of our perennial fascination with royals and partly thanks to Ms. Phenix’s graceful style.”
— Ottawa Citizen
Praise for Eatonians:
“A fascinating popular history. . . . Patricia Phenix’s accessible history, amply illustrated, brings back much of the retail and social giant — warts and all.”
— Hamilton Spectator
“A scrapbook in words, something to hold on to. . . . Reams of fascinating trivia and people fill its pages.”
— Winnipeg Free Press
— Ottawa Citizen
“A rollicking, fast-paced yet exhaustive account. . . . Phenix succeeds in page-turning fashion.”
— Regina Leader Post
“A real contribution to Canadian history.”
— Maclean’s
Praise for Olga Romanov:
“An amazing story, with all the sweep and fullness of fairyland and Fabergé eggs.”
— Globe and Mail
“A compelling tale, partly because of our perennial fascination with royals and partly thanks to Ms. Phenix’s graceful style.”
— Ottawa Citizen
Praise for Eatonians:
“A fascinating popular history. . . . Patricia Phenix’s accessible history, amply illustrated, brings back much of the retail and social giant — warts and all.”
— Hamilton Spectator
“A scrapbook in words, something to hold on to. . . . Reams of fascinating trivia and people fill its pages.”
— Winnipeg Free Press
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Who Said Canadian History Is Dull?,
By
This review is from: Private Demons: The Tragic Personal Life of John A. Macdonald (Hardcover)
Anyone who has read Patricia Phenix's Private Demons certainly knows that Canadian history isn't dull. Indeed, Phenix's fascinating biography of Canada's first Prime Minister John A MacDonald is proof positive that Canadians aren't as boring as they think they are.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > Canadian
- Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Political
- Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Presidents & Heads of State
- Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( M ) > Macdonald, John A.
- Books > History > Americas > Canada > 19th Century
- Books > History > Canada > 19th Century
- Books > New & Used Textbooks > Humanities > History
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
