What do you think?
Rate this book
The Candidate: Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail
A comical and revealing account of what it's like to run for office with no political experience, little money and only a faint hope of winning, told first-hand by celebrated writer Noah Richler.
During the 2015 federal election, approximately 1200 political campaigns were held across Canada. One of those campaigns belonged to author, journalist and political neophyte Noah Richler. Recruited by the NDP to run in the bellwether riding of Toronto-St Paul's, he was handed $350 and told he would lose. But as veteran NDP activists and social-media-savvy newbies joined his campaign, Richler found himself increasingly insulated from the stark reality that his campaign was flailing, imagining instead that he was headed to Parliament Hill. In The Candidate , Richler recounts his time on the trail in sizzling detail and hilarious frankness, from door knocking in Little Jamaica to being internet-shamed by experienced opponents . The Candidate lays bare what goes on behind the slogans, canvassing and talking points, told from the perspective of a political outsider. With his signature wit and probing eye, Noah Richler's chronicle of running for office is insightful, brutally honest and devastatingly funny.
During the 2015 federal election, approximately 1200 political campaigns were held across Canada. One of those campaigns belonged to author, journalist and political neophyte Noah Richler. Recruited by the NDP to run in the bellwether riding of Toronto-St Paul's, he was handed $350 and told he would lose. But as veteran NDP activists and social-media-savvy newbies joined his campaign, Richler found himself increasingly insulated from the stark reality that his campaign was flailing, imagining instead that he was headed to Parliament Hill. In The Candidate , Richler recounts his time on the trail in sizzling detail and hilarious frankness, from door knocking in Little Jamaica to being internet-shamed by experienced opponents . The Candidate lays bare what goes on behind the slogans, canvassing and talking points, told from the perspective of a political outsider. With his signature wit and probing eye, Noah Richler's chronicle of running for office is insightful, brutally honest and devastatingly funny.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published October 18, 2016
8 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Noah Richler
15 books8 followersNoah Richler is a journalist and non-fiction writer who challenges the notions of what it means to be Canadian. Richler was raised in Montreal, Canada and London, England. He is the son of Canadian novelist Mordecai Richler.
He has been a literary columnist for the National Post and regularly contributes to the BBC World Service as well as many Canadian newspapers and magazines.
Richler’s book This Is My Country, What’s Yours? A Literary Atlas of Canada was the winner of the 2007 British Columbia Award for Canadian Non-Fiction.
His latest book What We Talk About When We Talk About War examines Canada’s transition from a peacekeeping country to a “warrior” nation.
Richler has written about the making of the film version of his father’s book Barney's Version,[2] released in September 2010 with Paul Giamatti in the title role. He has contributed to numerous publications in Britain, including The Guardian, Punch and The Daily Telegraph, and in Canada, the The Walrus, Maisonneuve, Saturday Night, the Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail.
He lives in Toronto with his wife, House of Anansi publisher Sarah MacLachlan.
He has been a literary columnist for the National Post and regularly contributes to the BBC World Service as well as many Canadian newspapers and magazines.
Richler’s book This Is My Country, What’s Yours? A Literary Atlas of Canada was the winner of the 2007 British Columbia Award for Canadian Non-Fiction.
His latest book What We Talk About When We Talk About War examines Canada’s transition from a peacekeeping country to a “warrior” nation.
Richler has written about the making of the film version of his father’s book Barney's Version,[2] released in September 2010 with Paul Giamatti in the title role. He has contributed to numerous publications in Britain, including The Guardian, Punch and The Daily Telegraph, and in Canada, the The Walrus, Maisonneuve, Saturday Night, the Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail.
He lives in Toronto with his wife, House of Anansi publisher Sarah MacLachlan.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 1, 2017
A fun read but a bit too long. I recommend it to Canadians, especially if (a) you live in Toronto, (b) you are pro-NDP or anti-conservative, or if (c) you are disillusioned about politics.
May 14, 2017
The good: Richler gives an illustrative account of the challenges of running for office in a long-shot riding for a long-shot party. As a student of political science and public policy, I particularly appreciated his insight into the relationship between the local candidate and the "party brass" of the centre of power in Ottawa. I also enjoyed the commentary on how different local campaigns related to one another--for example, Richler was at times put out by events held in his riding by NDP candidates from neighbouring ridings. His noting of the transience of the population in his Toronto riding made me raise my eyebrows. Condo towers, for example, were not high on the canvass priority list because it was assumed most who lived in them would not be in the riding for long and did not care much about local issues. I wonder how much of that is true. Probably some.
The bad: The book's level of detail sometimes descends into what feels like navel-gazing. Had I read this book before I moved to Toronto, I would have missed and been bored by many of the references to Toronto culture, landmarks, people, etc. that matter little to anyone outside of "Canada's downtown." (Unfortunately, this serves as an example of what non-Torontonians dislike about the city: the assumption that people who have never been to Toronto should know and care about its small details.) Richler's descriptions of his campaign videos were also given in morbid detail, when perhaps broader points would have sufficed. At times, I felt like this book was everything he wanted to say while campaigning and could not because of restrictions placed on him by the party. Interesting, but almost petty at times.
Overall: An interesting and quick read to those interested in politics who may have never seen a campaign from the inside. Those looking for the broader appeal/wider significance of an election may be disappointed; those who have experience on campaigns may shake their heads at Richler's naivete.
The bad: The book's level of detail sometimes descends into what feels like navel-gazing. Had I read this book before I moved to Toronto, I would have missed and been bored by many of the references to Toronto culture, landmarks, people, etc. that matter little to anyone outside of "Canada's downtown." (Unfortunately, this serves as an example of what non-Torontonians dislike about the city: the assumption that people who have never been to Toronto should know and care about its small details.) Richler's descriptions of his campaign videos were also given in morbid detail, when perhaps broader points would have sufficed. At times, I felt like this book was everything he wanted to say while campaigning and could not because of restrictions placed on him by the party. Interesting, but almost petty at times.
Overall: An interesting and quick read to those interested in politics who may have never seen a campaign from the inside. Those looking for the broader appeal/wider significance of an election may be disappointed; those who have experience on campaigns may shake their heads at Richler's naivete.
November 22, 2017
Quick, enjoyable account of the 2015 federal election from the perspective of Noah Richler who was the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate in the riding of Toronto—St. Paul's.
Much of the book is focused on the Toronto—St. Paul's riding. This was refreshing.
Few people, or institutions, come out of this looking good: the top down nature and political timidity of NDP HQ is exposed; current Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland who admits to Richler prior to his candidacy that she joined the Liberal Party on account of Trudeau's "brand"; current Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, and longtime MP for Toronto—St. Paul's, Carolyn Bennett appears feckless, entitled, and all too willing to crassly position herself as an ally of aboriginal Canadians for political advantage; Richler himself, who frequently reveals himself to be helpless, shameless, and stubborn to a fault.
Richler is earnest though, and his gratitude toward his campaign staff is genuine. It's a thoughtful, enjoyable, and insightful read. It's a book that I would recommend to anyone who is considering a political run, particularly on the Federal level.
Much of the book is focused on the Toronto—St. Paul's riding. This was refreshing.
Few people, or institutions, come out of this looking good: the top down nature and political timidity of NDP HQ is exposed; current Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland who admits to Richler prior to his candidacy that she joined the Liberal Party on account of Trudeau's "brand"; current Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, and longtime MP for Toronto—St. Paul's, Carolyn Bennett appears feckless, entitled, and all too willing to crassly position herself as an ally of aboriginal Canadians for political advantage; Richler himself, who frequently reveals himself to be helpless, shameless, and stubborn to a fault.
Richler is earnest though, and his gratitude toward his campaign staff is genuine. It's a thoughtful, enjoyable, and insightful read. It's a book that I would recommend to anyone who is considering a political run, particularly on the Federal level.
August 12, 2019
Inside a Canadian election campaign, from the perspective of the candidate. Left me thinking that politics is not pure (like I ever believed that), and that the whole system could stand with a shake-up
May 30, 2017
Long slog. If you want to experience the drudgery that was Election 2015 except slower and with a narrator that isn't even a little bit self-aware, this is your book.
November 9, 2016
I picked up this book after hearing the author at a writers festival. I was intrigued by Richler's humorous reading about canvassing in the old folks home, as well as his part in the repartee on stage and sense of ethics.
In general, this was not my type of book, being heavy with names and political histories at the start. I did, however, enjoy the portraits of people in the canvassing sections. I enjoyed the creative ideas and how they played out. I enjoyed the attitude, appreciating the good intentions that were behind it. It was interesting to get a candidate's inside view on what as a voter was a puzzling turn of fortune for the NDP in that election.
I think I would have liked to hear the author read it on an audiobook....
In general, this was not my type of book, being heavy with names and political histories at the start. I did, however, enjoy the portraits of people in the canvassing sections. I enjoyed the creative ideas and how they played out. I enjoyed the attitude, appreciating the good intentions that were behind it. It was interesting to get a candidate's inside view on what as a voter was a puzzling turn of fortune for the NDP in that election.
I think I would have liked to hear the author read it on an audiobook....
November 11, 2016
An interesting read about the last election campaign in Canada. Richler was politically naive when he decided to run for the NDP and quickly learned the limits of what he could (and could not) do as a local candidate in a national party. Refreshingly honest about the frustrations he encountered along the campaign trail.
September 27, 2019
Good stories about politics are disappointingly rare. Good stories about politics set in Canada are even rarer. When I first got wind of Noah Richler's The Candidate: Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail I hesitated to pick it up for a variety of reasons, but having finished reading it I am very glad I did.
In 2015 I was a very active member of the New Democratic Party. After four years of a Harper majority I was ready to put my shoulder to the wheel and push to replace the Conservative government with the first New Democratic government in history. It was a heady time, but my closest political friends and I knew that it was going to be a difficult fight and nothing could be taken for granted. However, there was also a whiff of hope and ambition - that we could pull it off and make history. Little did I know Noah Richler and I were on a similar journey.
I bring up my personal narrative here because so much of my experience fed into my enjoyment of the book. I don't believe you have to have been engaged in politics or a New Democrat to enjoy this book, but I think it adds something tremendously to have that little smirk and nod knowing precisely the sort of experience Richler is describing. It is wonderful to have those experiences reflected.
Noah Richler was the NDP candidate for Toronto-St. Paul's in 2015 challenging the incumbent MP Carolyn Bennett. The book follows the journey from his decision to run to working with the party to find a seat to challenge and then the campaign.
Richler describes the bizarre and informal world of politics with great human and a certain wry look. One of the things that I like best is that Richler is motivated by genuine issues of concerns. He has topics that he is opinionated and passionate on and struggles how to square that passion with the realities of running a real campaign. Richler is also flawed, like everyone. He has to find a way to deal with the fact that he expressed his opinions in public and therefore gets in trouble for how his words on social media from the past are interpreted.
There's a bunch of aspects that I appreciate in the story. For example the way the riding executive is described. The unglamorous and unassuming people who dedicate themselves to the political process. The awkwardness of politics, mainly approaching strangers and trying to convince them of a point of view out of nowhere. How the NDP volunteers was described also made me smile because it fit my experience for the most part.
What Noah Richler expresses about the party itself and the frustration about the campaign in 2015 mirrors my own. Four years on that disappointment still clouds some of my political thinking. People made mistakes during that campaign, I have no doubt. One of my favourite scenes is when Richler describes an event in Toronto and the well-heeled audience is full of Liberals and Conservatives back-slapping each other, the true powers behind the country and the NDP feel excluded and unwanted. Perhaps that shapes elections more than we'd like to think.
Overall, I have to very much recommend this book to people curious about how elections work and the more human side of things. It is a great read for people thinking about running, certainly. I'd also add that it would be fun for veterans of the political process.
In 2015 I was a very active member of the New Democratic Party. After four years of a Harper majority I was ready to put my shoulder to the wheel and push to replace the Conservative government with the first New Democratic government in history. It was a heady time, but my closest political friends and I knew that it was going to be a difficult fight and nothing could be taken for granted. However, there was also a whiff of hope and ambition - that we could pull it off and make history. Little did I know Noah Richler and I were on a similar journey.
I bring up my personal narrative here because so much of my experience fed into my enjoyment of the book. I don't believe you have to have been engaged in politics or a New Democrat to enjoy this book, but I think it adds something tremendously to have that little smirk and nod knowing precisely the sort of experience Richler is describing. It is wonderful to have those experiences reflected.
Noah Richler was the NDP candidate for Toronto-St. Paul's in 2015 challenging the incumbent MP Carolyn Bennett. The book follows the journey from his decision to run to working with the party to find a seat to challenge and then the campaign.
Richler describes the bizarre and informal world of politics with great human and a certain wry look. One of the things that I like best is that Richler is motivated by genuine issues of concerns. He has topics that he is opinionated and passionate on and struggles how to square that passion with the realities of running a real campaign. Richler is also flawed, like everyone. He has to find a way to deal with the fact that he expressed his opinions in public and therefore gets in trouble for how his words on social media from the past are interpreted.
There's a bunch of aspects that I appreciate in the story. For example the way the riding executive is described. The unglamorous and unassuming people who dedicate themselves to the political process. The awkwardness of politics, mainly approaching strangers and trying to convince them of a point of view out of nowhere. How the NDP volunteers was described also made me smile because it fit my experience for the most part.
What Noah Richler expresses about the party itself and the frustration about the campaign in 2015 mirrors my own. Four years on that disappointment still clouds some of my political thinking. People made mistakes during that campaign, I have no doubt. One of my favourite scenes is when Richler describes an event in Toronto and the well-heeled audience is full of Liberals and Conservatives back-slapping each other, the true powers behind the country and the NDP feel excluded and unwanted. Perhaps that shapes elections more than we'd like to think.
Overall, I have to very much recommend this book to people curious about how elections work and the more human side of things. It is a great read for people thinking about running, certainly. I'd also add that it would be fun for veterans of the political process.
November 3, 2021
I'll admit I'm not the target audience for this book. Going into it I expected to be annoyed by parts (once a partisan, always a partisan, apparently!), but not this much.
The Candidate is a quirky, sometimes chaotic, recounting of Noah Richler's experience running for the NDP in the 2015 federal election. Some parts are fun, and it's always interesting to see how a candidate experiences a campaign - their motivations, their challenges, the day-to-day grind. Unfortunately, Richler can be petty and mean throughout the book. He makes cruel observations about the physical appearance of his volunteers, other candidates, people he sees on the street. He talks of being a team player, but then lambasts the NDP central campaign and leader, and doesn't always speak kindly of the community he's running to represent. Maybe it's supposed to be pithy and funny, but for me it was not. The book could have used a better copy-edit as well - there were instances of names spelled wrong and incorrect riding names.
Sure, if you've never experienced a political campaign, enjoy snide and aloof commentary, and are curious as to what a poorly-run campaign looks like from the inside, you might enjoy this book. I did not.
The Candidate is a quirky, sometimes chaotic, recounting of Noah Richler's experience running for the NDP in the 2015 federal election. Some parts are fun, and it's always interesting to see how a candidate experiences a campaign - their motivations, their challenges, the day-to-day grind. Unfortunately, Richler can be petty and mean throughout the book. He makes cruel observations about the physical appearance of his volunteers, other candidates, people he sees on the street. He talks of being a team player, but then lambasts the NDP central campaign and leader, and doesn't always speak kindly of the community he's running to represent. Maybe it's supposed to be pithy and funny, but for me it was not. The book could have used a better copy-edit as well - there were instances of names spelled wrong and incorrect riding names.
Sure, if you've never experienced a political campaign, enjoy snide and aloof commentary, and are curious as to what a poorly-run campaign looks like from the inside, you might enjoy this book. I did not.
August 9, 2017
Ugh! Just lost my whole long review of this book. It is an interesting read. An insider's on the ground view of the fairly unglamorous experience of a candidate. Those rallies with Mulcair and the local stable of candidates, all jockeying for position, sounded pretty excruciating, as did the frequent encounters with the local incumbent. I have a newfound respect for someone who would run. As the book points out, not everyone would volunteer the time - and that is truly what it entails for those who are not incumbents. The book is also a good summary of how the NDP failed to capture the public's imagination and the importance of the leader in the age of social media. By the end of this book, I had developed some respect for Noah Richler - for his honesty about his past, his funny, punchy videos on a shoestring, and his willingness to forgo the party's talking points and speak about the issues in his own words.
June 23, 2017
This is an enjoyable read for people that get a kick out of reading about real-life politics. In this case, about a candidate who ran (unsuccessfully) in the 2015 Canadian federal election.
On the plus side, the author talks about his motivations for running, how to get a campaign up and running, the grueling and rewarding aspects of campaigning, and how to keep going when facing all-but-certain defeat. One unique aspect about this book compared to others I've read about politics is the author's love of the democratic process, and how the act of running (and voting) can lay the seeds for future wins. Good stuff.
On the negative side, the author sometimes gets a bit too cute in his prose ... perhaps because he is a professional writer by trade.
Overall, a fun read.
On the plus side, the author talks about his motivations for running, how to get a campaign up and running, the grueling and rewarding aspects of campaigning, and how to keep going when facing all-but-certain defeat. One unique aspect about this book compared to others I've read about politics is the author's love of the democratic process, and how the act of running (and voting) can lay the seeds for future wins. Good stuff.
On the negative side, the author sometimes gets a bit too cute in his prose ... perhaps because he is a professional writer by trade.
Overall, a fun read.
September 19, 2017
I probably enjoyed this book more than I should. I live right next to St. Paul's so i enjoyed the canvassing of the local neighborhoods that I know so well. Richler wrtes well enough to keep it interesting.
July 6, 2019
Another election is coming. Should I be cynical about the process, resigned to the arguments and results, hopeful that getting ideas out there is worth the struggle even if some other group will take the credit and run? I'm not sure, but I will vote.
September 13, 2023
The only thing I got out of this nepo-baby memoir was a better understanding of how much political candidates loathe their own constituents. (One of many examples: he describes holding his nose when he canvasses in community housing.)
June 28, 2017
Took me a while to get into this book, but I am glad I persevered...overall a candid and funny look at running for Parliament in Canada...
March 30, 2018
A totally unique glimpse into the experience of running for MP.
September 25, 2019
It's federal election time again in Canada. Richler tells us what it's like to be a candidate. Enjoyed it! Both amusing and sincere.
December 23, 2022
Enjoyed this book
February 8, 2017
A terrific view into the machinations of federal politics. Those harbouring any idealistic views of this field of endeavour, or specifically of the NDP, should look elsewhere: craven and calculated political maneuvering are present in any ideological stripe. Richler writes in a crisp voice that, while erudite and indeed almost professorial at times, is never anything but engaging. Minor quibbles: three glaring typos and the author's overuse of the word "fella". Again, I said "minor". Highly recommended.
January 3, 2018
This could have been a really interesting eye into local and national campaign politics but it was so very specific to downtown Toronto. As someone who has lived close to this riding in the past, I could understand the geographical landmarks but the writer seemed to go out of his way to make this overly geographically specific and pretentious. It would have been great if there was a possibility of generalizing the missteps and winning ideas to other campaigns but this is very much a memoir of this particular race and doesn’t offer much to those outside of the bubble. Skipped large portions.
November 22, 2016
An interesting insider look into a federal campaign at a time of change. must read for political junkies.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews