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The Call of the World: A Political Memoir
Bill Graham – Canada’s minister of foreign affairs and minister of defence during the tumultuous years following 9/11 – takes us on a personal journey from his Vancouver childhood to important behind-the-scenes moments in recent global history. With candour and wit, he recounts meetings with world leaders, contextualizes important geopolitical relationships, and offers acute observations on backstage politics. He explains Canada’s decision not to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and makes a passionate case for why international law offers the best hope for a safer, more prosperous, and just world.
- GenresHistory
512 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2016
3 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Bill Graham
70 books4 followersBill Graham (January 8, 1931 – October 25, 1991) was an American impresario and rock concert promoter from the 1960s until his death.
Graham was born Wolodia Grajonca in Berlin and given the nickname Wolfgang by his family early in his life. Graham was the youngest son of a lower-middle-class Jewish family that had emigrated from Russia prior to the rise of Nazism. Graham's father died two days after his son's birth. Graham's mother placed her son and his younger sister in an orphanage in Berlin due to the increasing peril to Jews in Nazi Germany. The orphanage sent them to France in a pre–Holocaust exchange of Jewish children for Christian orphans. Graham's older sisters stayed behind with his mother. After the fall of France, Graham was among a group of Jewish orphans spirited out of France. A majority of the children—including Graham's older sister Tolla—did not survive the journey. Graham's mother was killed in Auschwitz. Graham had five sisters, Rita, Evelyn, Sonja, Ester and Tolla (Tanya). His sister Ester survived Auschwitz. She later moved to the United States and was very close to Graham in his later life. His sister Rita escaped, first to Shanghai and then (after the war) to the United States.
Once in the United States, Graham stayed in a foster home in The Bronx in New York City. After being taunted as an immigrant and being called a Nazi because of his German accented English, Graham first worked on his accent, eventually being able to speak in a perfect New York accent, and changed his name ("Graham" was found in the phonebook, it was closest to his real surname "Grajonca." According to Graham, both "Bill" and "Graham" were meaningless to him). Graham graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School and then obtained a business degree from City College. He was later quoted as describing his training as that of an "efficiency expert".
Graham was drafted into the United States Army in 1951, and served in the Korean War, where he was awarded both the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Upon his return to the States he worked as a waiter/maître d' in Catskill Mountain resorts in upstate New York during their heyday. He was later quoted as saying his experience as a maître d' and with the poker games he hosted behind the scenes was good training for his eventual career as a promoter. Tito Puente, who played some of these resorts, went on record once saying that Graham was avid to learn Spanish from him, but only cared about the curse words. It was during the 1950s that Graham became a champion mambo dancer in the mambo clubs of New York City ("Latin Music USA", PBS TV, broadcast 2010).
Graham was born Wolodia Grajonca in Berlin and given the nickname Wolfgang by his family early in his life. Graham was the youngest son of a lower-middle-class Jewish family that had emigrated from Russia prior to the rise of Nazism. Graham's father died two days after his son's birth. Graham's mother placed her son and his younger sister in an orphanage in Berlin due to the increasing peril to Jews in Nazi Germany. The orphanage sent them to France in a pre–Holocaust exchange of Jewish children for Christian orphans. Graham's older sisters stayed behind with his mother. After the fall of France, Graham was among a group of Jewish orphans spirited out of France. A majority of the children—including Graham's older sister Tolla—did not survive the journey. Graham's mother was killed in Auschwitz. Graham had five sisters, Rita, Evelyn, Sonja, Ester and Tolla (Tanya). His sister Ester survived Auschwitz. She later moved to the United States and was very close to Graham in his later life. His sister Rita escaped, first to Shanghai and then (after the war) to the United States.
Once in the United States, Graham stayed in a foster home in The Bronx in New York City. After being taunted as an immigrant and being called a Nazi because of his German accented English, Graham first worked on his accent, eventually being able to speak in a perfect New York accent, and changed his name ("Graham" was found in the phonebook, it was closest to his real surname "Grajonca." According to Graham, both "Bill" and "Graham" were meaningless to him). Graham graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School and then obtained a business degree from City College. He was later quoted as describing his training as that of an "efficiency expert".
Graham was drafted into the United States Army in 1951, and served in the Korean War, where he was awarded both the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Upon his return to the States he worked as a waiter/maître d' in Catskill Mountain resorts in upstate New York during their heyday. He was later quoted as saying his experience as a maître d' and with the poker games he hosted behind the scenes was good training for his eventual career as a promoter. Tito Puente, who played some of these resorts, went on record once saying that Graham was avid to learn Spanish from him, but only cared about the curse words. It was during the 1950s that Graham became a champion mambo dancer in the mambo clubs of New York City ("Latin Music USA", PBS TV, broadcast 2010).
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 24, 2023
I was a big fan of Bill Graham as a Liberal MP. His book offers many good tidbits on his campaigns, Chrétien-Martin feud but only sparingly - the majority of the book revolves around foreign policy and his role as Minister.
December 27, 2017
A great memoir by a Canadian politician. I heard him speak at a conference this summer, and just like his book, he comes across as thoughtful, intelligent, and insightful.
December 25, 2016
Bill Graham is one of Canada's most fascinating MPs ever, not just because of his determination to serve Canada, as evidenced by his two failed attempts at running before he was finally elected in 1993. Even before he was an MP, Graham had a fascinating life as an international trade lawyer and a law professor He is a wonderful storyteller, sharing his experiences growing up in BC, at UCC, at U of T, as a young globe-trotting lawyer, continuing until his retirement from the House of Commons. In addition to his campaign and MP stories, "The Call of the World" gives the reader great insight into the challenges, triumphs and tragedies of Canadian foreign policy and relations during Graham's time in office as an MP from 1993 to 2007. I was able to learn so much about some of the issues that faced Canada during this time, from the struggles our government faced whether to go with America to invade Iraq, or Marar. For anyone with any interest in Canadian politics or foreign relations, this is a must read.
April 13, 2017
This book is the memoir of a distinguished and erudite Canadian politician. Having achieved a doctorate in France, he practiced international law and taught the subject at U of The before entering politics. This fine resume equipped him for key positions in cabinet.
The memoir recounts in detail the major events in international affairs up to 2006. It serves as a fresh view of those times, delivered with a very personal voice.
Recommend.
The memoir recounts in detail the major events in international affairs up to 2006. It serves as a fresh view of those times, delivered with a very personal voice.
Recommend.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews